BEATRICE – A city-operated garbage hauling service in Beatrice is starting its third year of existence, and its’ manager says it’s worked out well.
Jason Moore says one piece of proof is the seven hundred additional tote containers ordered just recently.


"The first thing you think is, well, maybe they're being damaged. I don't think in the first two years....in which yesterday was our second-year anniversary...that we've lost less than ten (containers)".


Moore says customer growth in the service in areas outside Beatrice has been amazing. When Midwest Area Refuse Solutions first began, a few surrounding villages were served….along with a few scattered rural locations.


"I think we're averaging, over the last three months...we've had about twelve new rural customers, each month. That's doing really well."


MARS picks up garbage near Steele City, the Diller area….and a wide area north of Beatrice. "Up around the Firth area, seems like every couple of days I'm running a couple of totes up there...or around Cortland along Apple Road..we're running a lot of them. So, on our Friday, we've got over 200 miles that my truck will cover on a Friday. And, his first pick-up is three miles southeast of Firth...and his last pickup will be over south around Swanton."


The area south of Beatrice is mostly picked up by a Kansas service provider, who hauls garbage to the Beatrice Area Solid Waste Agency landfill.
Moore says MARS has benefitted from customer-to-customer confidence. He said a good price for the service, operation by a city government, a container that’s provided and regular weekly service are advantages.


"The big thing we see is the weekly service. A lot of the residentials that we pick up are saying, we were at this price and we were only getting picked up twice a month....and you guys are coming every Thursday or every Wednesday.......we do."


Moore says several customers in Beatrice have opted to have two or three garbage containers….and he knows of at least one, who has four.  Moore says the trucks used in the service are holding up well. MARS makes use of automated side-loading garbage trucks in Beatrice and also runs a rear-loading truck to areas outside the city.