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Thorsby residents are asked to place their garbage containers by the road earlier in the coming weeks as the town’s Public Works Department tries a different approach.

Public Works Director Terry Jackson said residents should have containers out by 6:30 a.m. Monday or Tuesday, depending on the day garbage has typically been collected at the residence.

For now, garbage will continue to be collected on the same day as in the past—just earlier.

Jackson said an ultimate goal is to develop an approach that will allow the department to collect garbage on one day (probably Monday).

In the meantime, Jackson said the crew is trying an approach that utilizes an extra worker driving a pick-up truck to allow for faster collection.

The extra worker in the pick-up truck is collecting garbage from residence on dead-end streets and other areas that have proven difficult for the larger garbage truck to maneuver.

After collecting garbage from such a street, Jackson said the pick-up meets up with the large truck to empty its load.

Jackson said previously, it has taken a three-man crew 8.5 to 9 hours to collect garbage on Mondays.

With the four-man crew and extra vehicle, they have finished the route by 11:30 a.m. on Mondays.

The town has about 750 garbage collection customers.

As the crew runs the route more efficiently, Jackson said it is having to go back and pick up garbage where residents did not have it out early enough.