Great Tips For Buying The Best Used Garbage Trucks
Buying a Used Garbage Truck, What to Know Before You Sign
If you run a waste hauling operation, whether you’ve got a fleet of fifty trucks or you’re just starting out with your first route, you already know how much a single garbage truck costs. New garbage trucks routinely run into the mid-six figures, and that kind of capital outlay isn’t something every business can absorb. That’s where used garbage trucks come in.
A well-maintained reconditioned used trash truck can do the same job as a new garbage truck, but for a fraction of the price. This means means more cash stays in your business for payroll, fuel, and growth. But not every used truck on a lot is a good deal, and figuring out which ones are worth your money takes a bit of know-how. Here’s what to look for.
Know Your Truck Types First
Before you start shopping for a garbage truck, it helps to know which type of vehicle will actually fit your routes. Buying the wrong body style is one of the most common (and expensive) mistakes new haulers make.
Front Loaders
Front load garbage trucks are the standard for commercial accounts, think dumpsters behind restaurants, retail centers, and office parks. Their forks lift and dump containers directly into the hopper from the front of the truck. Automated versions fitted with a Curotto-Can attachment have become popular too, since they let a single truck handle both commercial dumpsters and residential carts on the same route.
Side Loaders
Side load trucks dominate residential waste collection, and for good reason. One operator can run the entire route without leaving the cab, using an automated arm to grab and empty carts. That means lower labor costs and faster routes, which is exactly why so many municipalities and residential haulers have switched to side loaders over the years.
Rear Loaders
Rear loaders are the truck most people picture when they think “garbage truck.” They’ve been around the longest, they come in a wide range of sizes, and they can handle both residential and commercial work. Because they’re so common, rear loaders also tend to have a deeper used market and more parts availability, which is worth factoring in if you’re trying to keep long-term repair costs down.
Roll-Off Trucks
Roll-off trucks are built for large containers rather than curbside cans. Using a hoist and cable system, they roll dumpsters on and off the truck bed, which makes them a staple for construction sites, demolition projects, and any business generating a high volume of bulky waste.
Hooklift Trucks
Hooklift trucks work on a similar principle but use a hydraulic arm instead of a cable hoist, which generally means faster container swaps. Their versatility makes them a favorite for operations that need to move between different container types and loads throughout the day, everything from construction debris to recyclables.
Why Used Makes Financial Sense
Garbage trucks are punishing on equipment, but they’re also built to handle that punishment. A truck with 80,000 hard miles on it isn’t necessarily near the end of its life; it might just be getting broken in. Many used trucks have already been reconditioned and brought back up to original manufacturer specs, so you’re not sacrificing much in terms of reliability while saving a substantial amount up front.
The catch is that “used” covers a huge range of actual condition, from a truck that’s basically ready to run a route tomorrow to one that’s going to need a transmission before it can. That’s why the research matters as much as the sticker price.
Vet the Dealer, Not Just the Truck
Anyone can put a truck on a lot and call themselves a dealer. What you want is a dealer who actually understands the refuse industry: the difference between a truck built for a tight municipal route and one built for long commercial hauls, the cab configurations that make sense for your drivers, and the body specs that will hold up under your specific workload.
A dealer who knows the industry will ask you questions about your routes before they start showing you trucks. If a salesperson is pushing a truck without asking what you actually do with it, that’s a red flag worth paying attention to.
Dig Into the Truck’s Mechanical History
Mileage and engine hours only tell part of the story, but they’re a good place to start. Ask the dealer to pull diagnostic data straight from the truck’s computer. This will show you actual mileage and hours along with any service records or fault codes logged over the truck’s life. If a dealer can’t or won’t provide this, take it as a warning sign.
It’s also worth checking that the chassis and the body were built in the same year. Mismatched years usually mean the body was swapped at some point, which isn’t automatically a problem, but you’ll want to know why.
A CARFAX report is another must-have. It confirms the title is clean and flags anything major in the truck’s past, including accidents or flood damage that a fresh coat of paint might otherwise hide.
Ask About the Truck’s Work History
Where and how a truck was used matters almost as much as how old it is. A truck that ran a shorter municipal shift will often show less wear than one that ran long private-hauler routes, simply because of the hours logged. That said, this isn’t a hard rule. Plenty of privately-owned trucks are in excellent shape, and it really comes down to the specific workload and how well the previous owner maintained it. Ask the dealer directly what kind of route the truck ran, and don’t be afraid to ask for maintenance records to back it up.
Confirm the Truck Has Actually Been Inspected
This is where a lot of buyers get burned. Some dealers thoroughly inspect every truck that comes onto their lot and document exactly what was found and fixed. Others simply “flip” trucks, buying them cheap and reselling them with little more than a wash and a paint touch-up.
A truck that looks like a steal on price can turn into the most expensive truck you own if it needs major repairs the dealer never mentioned. Before you buy, ask for a full inspection report covering the chassis, the body, and every mechanical system, not just a cosmetic once-over. If repairs were already made, get documentation of exactly what was done. A dealer confident in their work will hand this over without hesitation.
Safety compliance deserves its own line item here too. At minimum, confirm the truck is DOT compliant for the state where you’ll be operating it, since requirements can vary from state to state. Any safety issues should be documented along with what was done to correct them.
Bottom Line
A used garbage truck can be one of the smartest purchases your business makes, but only if you go in with the right questions. Know what type of truck your routes actually need, work with a dealer who understands the industry rather than just selling trucks, and never skip the inspection paperwork. The goal is to buy a truck with real service life left in it, not someone else’s problem wearing a fresh coat of paint.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles is too many for a used garbage truck? There’s no universal cutoff. Garbage trucks run low highway miles but high engine hours because of constant stop-and-go work, so engine hours and maintenance history usually tell you more than the odometer does.
Is it better to buy a used garbage truck from a municipality or a private hauler? Neither is automatically better. Municipal trucks often run shorter shifts and see less wear, but a well-maintained truck from a private hauler can be just as solid. What matters most is the maintenance history, not who owned it.
What documents should I ask for before buying a used garbage truck? At minimum, request a CARFAX report, a full inspection report covering both chassis and body, engine diagnostic data, and any records of repairs already completed.
How long do garbage trucks typically last? With regular maintenance, a garbage truck chassis can run well past 250,000 miles, and bodies are often rebuilt or refurbished multiple times over a truck’s working life.
Looking for a used garbage truck you can actually trust? Trucks & Parts is the nation’s largest garbage truck dealer, offering both new and used trucks with the most thorough inspection process in the industry. Every truck we sell comes with detailed documentation of what we inspected, what condition it was in, and what work was done, so you always know exactly what you’re buying. Contact us today to find the right truck for your routes.