Question: Is everyone in the city going to carts?
Answer: Yes, all single-family residents will be moving to carts.
Question: When are we changing?
Answer: There will be two main phases. Phase 1 will start cart service on April 8, 2026 and Phase II will start October 1, 2027.
Question: How do we know who is in the first group?
Answer:
Area 1: 681 homes: Greenway Trails, Heritage Towne
Area 2: 456 homes: Cedar Ridge Addition, Cedar Ridge Estates, Clear Lake Addition, Clearview Estates, Lakeview West HOA, Lakeway Estates Addition, Spring Creek Circle
Area 3 & 4: 346 homes: Property Owners Association of Lakeridge
Question: When will everyone else move to carts?
Answer: Carts will become effective on or before October 1, 2027 for the remaining Residents.
Question: I'm in Phase 1. Will my garbage and collection day change?
Answer: Yes. You are currently receiving garbage collection on Monday and Thursday with recycling on Wednesday. Effective April 8, 2026, your garbage, recycling, bulky and brush collection service, provided by Republic Services, will be on Wednesdays.
Question: Will we still have two (2) pick-up days? If not, what day will I be collected?
Answer: Garbage & Recycling will only be picked up one (1) day per week, on the same day as Recycling and Bulky pick-up. Republic is working on a transition plan which will be provided in January 2026.
Question: How many carts will each household get?
Answer: Each household will receive two (2) 95-gallon carts; one (1) for garbage and one (1) for recycling.
Question: What if I need more than one (1) garbage cart? Will it cost extra?
Answer: Yes, you will be able to request additional garbage and or additional recycling carts for additional monthly fees per cart per month.
Question: What if the carts are too big and heavy for me to move?
Answer: After ninety (90) days, you will be able to request an exchange for a smaller cart. Residents with a disability will have the option to apply for assisted trash service for no additional fee.
Question: Are you going to charge me extra for the carts?
Answer: No, your initial carts that are dropped off as part of your monthly fee.
Question: Is my garbage cost going to go up because of the carts?
Answer: No, but we do have an annual programmed rate increase. On 2/1/2026 garbage rate will increase by 5.25% for Residential, Commercial and Industrial hauling. On October of each year the hauler’s rate will increase by approximately 3.95%.
Question: If we have alley pick-up, are you changing that?
Answer: No, alley collection will remain the same.
Question: What will I do if I have large items to be picked up, such as furniture or an appliance?
Answer: You will still need to call in and schedule a bulk pickup as you do now. However, the pick-up will be done on your scheduled garbage service day. Republic will pick up two (2) yards per week.
Question: If I have additional bags that don’t fit in my garbage cart, can I set them on the curb to be picked up?
Answer: No, bags will not be picked up if they are not in the cart.
Question: My street is narrow and cars are parked along the curb. How will the truck pick up my cart?
Answer: Bilingual educational materials will be available for residents with instructions on where to place carts. It will be important for residents to make room for the carts on the curb. Republic will also use a truck that can accommodate narrow streets.
Question: When will my carts be delivered?
Answer: Information will be sent out as soon as it is available. Please watch www.gptx.org/garbage for updates.
What about people’s jobs?
We understand people are concerned about jobs. About 65 percent of the helpers riding on the back of the trucks are temporary workers. During Phase I, these helpers will still be needed, as service will continue using retrofitted trucks. As new Automated Side Loader trucks are gradually introduced across the city, permanent employees will be reassigned to other roles, so their experience and skills continue to be valued.
Didn’t we vote on this and it wasn’t voted down?
This item has not been on a ballot. In 2022, a community survey was sent to all homes in Grand Prairie, and the responses showed an even split: 46 percent in favor and 46 percent not in favor. Since then, the franchise waste hauler has been moving away from curbside trash collection in bags, mainly due to safety concerns for the workers riding on the backs of the trucks. Challenges such as extreme heat and cold, dog bites, needle sticks, and even incidents involving bear spray have made this type of collection increasingly unsafe for the men and women who provide this service.
Has the city explored other waste collection vendors?
Yes, the city carefully considered its options. Republic Services, our current vendor, has consistently delivered quality service and high customer satisfaction. Based on that history, the city is confident in continuing to work with the current vendor as we transition to a safer and more sanitary way of providing service.