Jane sees a dumpsite, and decides to report

a girl standing by a dumpsite

A dumpsite cleanup typically starts when a resident takes a few minutes and files a request to the city's code enforcement or 311 hotline.

Residents have mixed experiences with these hotlines. Some residents report that they are easy to use and the city is responsive. Other residents report that they are difficult to use and the city is not responsive.


Call Center Agent Enters Request

a city 311 call center

A city operated call center receives a request from a resident about a dumpsite. The call center worker enters the request into the city's CRM system. The request is routed to the appropriate department.

City call centers like San Francisco receive hundreds of thousands of calls per year. The call center workers are trained to dedupe and verify requests. They may call the resident back to verify the request. All these reports are public information.


City Crew Worker Receives Request

a city crew member and his pickup truck check for a new work order.

A city worker starts his shift. He opens his tablet and sees a list of street and sidewalk cleaning work orders in chronological order. He reads some notes on his tablet about the dumpsite and starts up his truck.

a city crew member assesses a dumpsite

He drives to the first dumpsite, not knowing exactly what he will find. Was the resident report accurate. Did they describe the dumpsite accurately? Is it a small pile of garbage or a large pile of furniture and mattresses?

Crew Worker Arrives at Dumpsite

a city crew member assesses a dumpsite

He arrives at the first dumpsite, stopping, and getting out to check out the size and contents of the dumpsite. He picks up any loose debris he can fit in his truck bed.

For larger items, furniture, mattresses, or bagged garbage another crew member or waste management partner is called to the scene with a garbage truck.

Larger Piles are Rerouted to Waste Management

For larger items, furniture, mattresses, or bagged garbage another crew member or waste management partner is called to the scene with a garbage truck.

a city crew member at a dumpsite

When the pickup or the dump truck is full the crew members make a trip to the city dump to deposit the waste. They may take furniture, recyclables, or toxic waste to special areas for proper treatment.

Full Trucks are Dumped at the City Dump

a city crew member at a dumpsite

When the pickup or the dump truck is full the crew members make a trip to the city dump to deposit the waste. They may take furniture, recyclables, or toxic waste to special areas for proper treatment.

Crew Worker Reports Back to Call Center

a city crew member at a dumpsite

The city worker updates the work order status on his tablet. The resident is notified that the work order is complete. Often the resident wonders if the city worker actually came to the site. They may even call.

Jane Receives Notification

a resident receives a notification that her request has been completed

The city worker updates the work order status on his tablet. The resident is notified that the work order is complete. Often the resident wonders if the city worker actually came to the site. They may even call.


Supercharge Your Public Works with Aerbits

a drone flying over a dumpsite

The current method, although it works, is slow and inefficient. It's also expensive. The city is paying for the call center to dedupe and verify work, the city workers to triage and reroute, the trucks to patrol, and still isn't able to keep up with the problem.

Aerbits takes this issue head-on, providing cities with daily, comprehensive data on illegal dumping.