Though garbage pickups throughout Selma have been slowed due to issues with the city’s trucks, Selma Public Works director Tommy Smith said the city is doing its best to stay consistent.

Because of mechanical problems, Smith said one truck has literally been carrying the load on the city’s routes.

During a Public Works and General Services Committee meeting Tuesday, Smith explained some of the issues that have slowed pickups.

Committee chairman Sam Randolph said several residents have voiced concerns over the situation.

“A lot of citizens have been calling and complaining about how their trash day might be a Wednesday, but it might not have been picked up on that day for three or four months,” Randolph said. “That’s what we are trying to do is look at ways we can correct the problem.”

Some of the trucks have been in rotation for several years, Smith said, and the heavy loads they must take on is starting to wear them down.

“We have some issues with our automated garbage truck as we just purchased a new one about a year ago,” Smith said. “We had two that were bought about six or seven years ago and we have issues with those. They pick up about 700 to 800 residences a day when they are working.”

Both of the older trucks are down for now, Smith said, but at least one could be back in service this week.

The biggest problem with the older trucks, Smith said, is finding parts.

“We have been having trouble getting parts,” he said. “The trucks that are six and seven years old, the parts are hard to find. You send them the parts and they might send back the wrong one. That just delays it even more. It puts us at their mercy in terms of getting the right part.”

Often, Smith said, routes can fall behind. But, he added, the department is using Friday as a makeup day to keep them from running more than one day behind.

“Normally, citizens might get their garbage picked up at noon, and we might not get to it until 1 p.m., 2 p.m., or 3 p.m.,” he said. “But if they leave their cart out there, we are going to get to it. It might not be the time they normally get it picked up.”