Waste Hauling Glossary
Understand the terminology of waste hauling and management. From route optimization to subscription billing, we explain the terms you need to know.
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Operations
Routes, drivers, and logistics
9 terms
Billing & Payments
Invoicing and collections
9 terms
Technology
Software and systems
10 terms
Industry
Waste management terms
8 terms
Business
Growth and metrics
4 terms
All Terms
A
ACH Transfer
Automated Clearing House transfer—an electronic bank-to-bank payment method commonly used for direct deposits and bill payments.
Address Validation
The process of verifying that a customer address exists, is correctly formatted, and falls within a defined service territory.
API Integration
The connection of different software systems through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to share data and functionality.
C
Commercial Waste
Waste generated by businesses, institutions, and commercial establishments, often requiring larger containers and more frequent service.
Container Tracking
Monitoring the location and status of waste containers, particularly roll-offs and dumpsters, throughout their rental lifecycle.
Credit Card Processing
The handling of credit and debit card transactions, including authorization, settlement, and deposit of funds.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
Software and practices for managing customer information, interactions, and relationships throughout the customer lifecycle.
Customer Churn
The rate at which customers stop using a service, typically expressed as a percentage of total customers lost over a period.
Customer Portal
A secure online interface where customers can access their account information, view invoices, update payment methods, and manage services.
Customer Waitlist
A list of prospective customers who are interested in service but are outside the current service area or waiting for availability.
D
F
Failed Payment Recovery
The process of collecting revenue from transactions that initially failed due to declined cards, insufficient funds, or expired payment methods.
Fleet Management
The administrative oversight of commercial vehicles including maintenance scheduling, fuel management, compliance tracking, and utilization optimization.
G
M
P
Payment Gateway
A technology service that authorizes and processes credit card and electronic payments between customers and businesses.
Payment Reminder
Automated notification sent to customers before or after invoice due dates to prompt timely payment.
Pickup Schedule
The recurring calendar of collection days and times for waste removal services, defining when each customer receives service.
R
Recurring Revenue
Predictable, ongoing income generated from subscription-based services, typically measured monthly (MRR) or annually (ARR).
Residential Waste
Garbage, recyclables, and yard waste generated by households, typically collected through scheduled curbside pickup services.
Roll-Off Container
Large open-top containers (typically 10-40 cubic yards) delivered to customer locations and later picked up, commonly used for construction debris and cleanouts.
Route Efficiency
A measure of how effectively a collection route converts driving time into productive stops, often expressed as stops per hour or revenue per route mile.
Route Optimization
The process of determining the most efficient sequence of stops for waste collection vehicles to minimize travel time, fuel consumption, and operating costs.
S
Self-Service Portal
An online platform enabling customers to perform tasks independently without staff assistance, such as updating information or viewing history.
Service Area
The geographic region where a waste hauling company provides collection services, often defined by boundaries, zip codes, or polygon shapes on a map.
Service Area Polygon
A geographic shape drawn on a map that precisely defines the boundaries of a service territory, allowing for accurate address validation.
Service Frequency
How often waste collection occurs for a customer, such as weekly, bi-weekly, or on-demand.
Stop Density
The number of collection stops within a given geographic area, typically measured as stops per square mile or stops per route mile.
Subscription Billing
A recurring payment model where customers are charged automatically at regular intervals (weekly, monthly, quarterly) for ongoing services.
T
Tipping Fees
Charges paid by haulers to dispose of waste at landfills, transfer stations, or processing facilities, typically charged per ton.
Transfer Station
A facility where waste is unloaded from collection vehicles and consolidated for transfer to larger vehicles for transport to final disposal sites.
W
Waste Stream
The complete flow of waste from generation through collection, processing, and final disposal or recycling.
Webhook
An automated message sent from one application to another when a specific event occurs, enabling real-time data synchronization.
White Label
Software or services that can be rebranded and resold by another company under their own brand name.
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