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Municipal and Residual Waste Transportation Driver’s Checklist

Municipal or residual waste vehicle drivers have the responsibility to protect against adverse impacts to the environment and public health, safety, and welfare associated with transporting waste in Pennsylvania. This checklist provides suggestions to help drivers accomplish this in accordance with Pennsylvania State and Federal law. To see how well you are doing, ask these questions. If you answer “No” to any question, you might not be taking adequate steps and/or be in violation of laws, regulations, or permit conditions.

If you need help or have questions, refer to the “Summary of Pennsylvania’s State and Federal Requirements” section of this Fact Sheet.

❑ Does the vehicle have valid Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) municipal/residual waste transportation authorization stickers?

❑ Does the vehicle have a valid written municipal/residual waste authorization card or cab card from DEP?

❑ Did you check the waste cover/tarp?

• Is the cover water resistant with no holes or tears that would allow waste to escape?

• Is the cover securely fastened to the vehicle?

• Does the tarp completely cover the waste and eliminate the potential for littering, dust, or leakage?

❑ Does the vehicle have a charged fire extinguisher? For municipal waste haulers, this must be a 5 B:C or two 4 B:C fire extinguishers.

❑ Did you check for loose waste?

❑ Did you remove all loose waste from the vehicle to prevent littering?

❑ Did you look for leaks from the vehicle, the trailer, or the container?

❑ Did you check for odors?

❑ Did you check the rear gate seal after unloading to help prevent leaks?

❑ Did you remove all loose waste after tipping to help prevent littering?

❑ Is the waste storage compartment or container free of leaks and holes?

❑ Did you refuse to haul roll-off containers and trailers with municipal waste loaded above the solid sides?

❑ Do you know and did you follow waste facility permit conditions for hours of operation, approved approach routes, vehicle weight limitations, and other requirements?

❑ Do you know and did you follow facility safety requirements for safety equipment, unloading procedures, and speed limits?

❑ Do you maintain municipal or residual waste daily operational records?

❑ Do the operational records include waste origin, transporter, transfer facility, waste destination, weight or volume of the types of waste, and any handling problems or emergency disposal activities?

❑ Do you keep the operational records in the cab of the vehicle during daily collection of waste?

❑ Do the vehicle’s signs include the name and address of the hauler and the type of waste?

❑ If transporting residual waste, do you have the appropriate safety equipment for the type of waste being hauled, such as protective clothing, a first aid kit, and absorbent mats or liquid absorbents?

❑ If transporting residual waste, do you have an emergency plan for responding to spills or emergencies?

❑ Do you have a current commercial driver’s license and medical certificate?

❑ Are you capable of driving without impairment caused by alcohol or controlled substances, and without exceeding allowable hours of service?

❑ Did you conduct a daily inspection of vehicle parts and accessories?

❑ Did you review weight slips, reject overweight loads, and drive within the vehicle’s registered weight limit?

If you answered “No” to any question, did you correct the problem and report problems to your employer?

If you answered “Yes” to all the questions, or corrected the problems before transporting waste, Thank You for helping to protect Pennsylvania’s environment, public health, and safety.

Summary of Pennsylvania’s State and Federal Requirements

• It is unlawful for any person to: …transport or permit the transportation of any solid waste …in such a manner as to adversely affect or endanger the public health, safety and welfare or environment. Solid Waste Management Act § 6018.610(6).

• It is unlawful for a transporter to operate a waste transportation vehicle without obtaining written authorization from DEP.

Act 90, Waste Transportation Safety Act § 6204.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection www.dep.pa.gov 2540-FS-DEP2845 Rev. 8/2025

• Loads must be covered with a securely fastened water-resistant cover that eliminates potential for littering and other nuisances. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.211(a) and 299.211(a).

• If you collect or transport source-separated recyclable materials, waste may not be combined with source-separated recyclable materials. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.211(c).

• Vehicles must be equipped with a charged fire extinguisher. Vehicles hauling municipal or residual waste must have a 5 B:C fire extinguisher or two 4 B:C fire extinguishers. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.213(a)(1) and 299.213(a)(1)(iii).

• Collection and transportation equipment must be cleaned to prevent odors and other nuisances. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.213 and 299.213.

• Collection and transportation equipment must be constructed to prevent littering, leakage, dust, and vectors. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.213 and 299.213.

• Collection and transportation equipment must be maintained to prevent release or leakage of waste. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.213(c) and 299.213(c).

• Loads of municipal waste must be no higher than the solid sides of the vehicle. 25 Pa. Code § 285.214(b) and 75 Pa.C.S.

§§ 4903(c.1) (Vehicle Code).

• Waste must be removed from vehicle at disposal site to prevent scattering of litter. 25 Pa. Code § 285.214(b).

• Waste must be transported in compliance with permit terms and conditions. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.215(c) and 299.215(c).

• A daily operational record must be maintained with the vehicle, including: waste origin, transporter, transfer facility, final waste destination, weight or volume of the types of waste, and any handling problems or emergency disposal activities. The operational record must be kept in the cab of the vehicle during daily collection and transportation. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.217 and 299.219.

• Vehicles must display a sign that includes the name and address (city, state, zip code) of the vehicle owner and the type of waste. Lettering must be six inches in height. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.218 and 299.220.

• Vehicles transporting residual waste must be equipped with safety equipment, including protective clothing and first aid supplies. 25 Pa. Code § 299.216(a), and absorbent mats or other liquid absorbent per § 299.216 (c).

• Vehicles transporting residual waste must have a plan for responding to spills. 25 Pa. Code § 299.216(d).

• Driver must be properly licensed, have a medical certificate, log of hours of service, and not be under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. 75 Pa.C.S. Chapter 16 (Vehicle Code), 49 CFR Parts 382, 383, 391, 392, and 395, and 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.215 and 299.215.

• Driver must complete a daily Driver Vehicle Inspection Report. 49 CFR 396.11.

• Driver must comply with registered vehicle weight limits. 25 Pa. Code §§ 285.215 and 299.215 and 75 Pa.C.S. Chapter 49 (Vehicle Code).

NOTE – This is not a complete list of requirements or authorities for the transportation of municipal and residual waste in Pennsylvania. Please refer to 25 Pa. Code Article VIII (Municipal Waste) and IX (Residual Waste Management), the Pa. Vehicle Code (75 Pa. C.S.A.), the Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. §§ 6018.101 to 6018.1003), the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling, and Waste Reduction Act (53 P.S. §§ 4000.101 to 4000.1904), the Waste Transportation Safety Act (Act 90) (27 Pa. C.S.A. §§ 6201-6209) and 49 CFR (Code of Federal Regulation) relating to Transportation, including 49 CFR Parts 300-399.

Driver Responsibilities

You are responsible for knowing and complying with all relevant laws, regulations, permits, and authorizations. If there is a problem with the vehicle you are transporting, even if it is not your fault, you can still be subject to both criminal and civil laws and penalties.

If you do your part, you not only protect the environment and public health, safety, and welfare, you also protect yourself.

Acknowledgements

This checklist is the result of the cooperative efforts of the following people and organizations: representatives from the solid waste transportation and disposal industry, Keystone Chapter of Solid Waste Association of North America, DEP, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, Pennsylvania State Police, and Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association.

For more information, visit DEP’s Waste Transportation website, www.dep.pa.gov/wtsp.

http://www.dep.pa.gov/