Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Transportation and Material Moving · SOC 53-7081
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 53-7081 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 52/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $49,690
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 20,200
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +0.9%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 0
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 28,580 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~19.6% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.
Common titles: Front Load Trash Truck Driver, Garbage Man, Recycle Driver, Refuse Collector, Roll Off Container Truck Driver, Roll Off Truck Driver
Representative Tasks
- •Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.
- •Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas.
- •Refuel trucks or add other fluids, such as oil or brake fluid.
- •Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.
- •Fill out defective equipment reports.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Inspect motor vehicles.
- •Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
- •Dispose of trash or waste materials.
- •Maintain vehicles in good working condition.
- •Prepare accident or incident reports.
Tools & Technologies
Related Occupations
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 20% Bright |
| Median Salary | $49,690 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |