Who are the Garbage Men? The Men and Women who Pick Up our Trash The men and women who pick up our garbage are some of the most hard working and dedicated people. From the two men above, to those who drive roll offs, transfer trucks, or whatever, this job is far from easy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of work fatalities of a garbage collector was 41.4 per 100,000 in 2023. In comparison, truck drivers had a 26.8 fatalities per 100,000. Despite those numbers, many men and women dedicate their lives to keeping America clean. As I stated in a pervious blog, I hauled trash for four years and the people that I worked with were some of the most amazing people. They were hard working and took pride in their job.