We’re celebrating Garbage Man Appreciation Week by featuring Granger associates. We might not all pick up trash here at Granger, but we’re all garbage men and women. 

Name: James Glasscoe

Title: Professional Driver

Work Location: Services customers out of Lansing facility

What kind of activities do you do on a typical workday?

I work on a residential (rear-load) garbage truck with another driver, Mike. One of us drives and one rides on the back step and collects trash and loads it in the truck at each stop. We alternate driving and riding on the back, so for half of the day we’re driving and the other half we’re riding and picking up trash.

How long have you worked at Granger? 14 years

What’s your favorite part about working at Granger?

I feel independent working at Granger. They trust us to do our job, and as long as we’re doing it well, we’re free to manage our own days. This gives us the freedom to interact with people along the way and to spend some time socializing and interacting with our customers. I also really enjoy working outside.

What do you find most interesting about this industry?

To me, the most interesting thing about the waste industry is the job of being a garbage man. I never would have thought that being a garbage man would be this much fun. There are so many unexpected things that happen. In this industry, you never know what to expect. You meet so many new people and you have so much freedom to help and serve others. That’s really what the job is all about—helping and serving others.

What’s your favorite destination in Michigan?

I feel like Michigan is very underappreciated. Sometimes you don’t realize how much we have here. Since I started camping, I have really gained an appreciation for our state. I love to camp and visit the Great Lakes. I’ve seen so many great places, it’s hard to pick just one.