The private sanitation company whose driver killed one motorcycle rider and injured another in Jamaica last week has racked up more serious moving violations than it has trucks in its fleet.
Queens-based Boro Wide Recycling was nabbed for 34 violations, including 20 for blowing past a red light, since 2014, according to plate data provided by Transform Don't Trash NYC Coalition on 21 of the company’s trucks. The plates were then run through the Howsmydrivingny database of camera violations.
Other violations included speeding in a school zone and parking on the sidewalk — a direct challenge to Mayor de Blasio assertion that "you don’t see cars drive on the sidewalk a whole lot, or go the wrong way down the street a whole lot."
Boro Wide Recycling is certainly not the only company known for dangerous driving and its employees killing people while behind the wheel, but the company's most recent fatality and slew of violations over the past few years is just further proof that the city must rein in the deadly industry, said one advocate working to pass legislation with a slate of reforms designed to protect workers and make roadways safer.
"This company's track record shows how little accountability there is for the commercial waste industry despite multiple violations they continue to be allowed to operate. This is yet another horrible example of what is wrong with the current system and why we need to reform it to make our streets safer," said Maritza Silva-Farrell, the executive director of ALIGN."
The driver of the Boro Wide garbage truck was improperly backing up onto 157th Street from the westbound lane of Liberty Avenue when it struck the motorcycle, which was also traveling westbound on Liberty Avenue on May 21. Police had tried to shift the blame onto the motorcyclist, saying the two-wheeler was driving “at an apparent high rate of speed” before the crash, even though the initial report sent out by police mentioned that the private hauler was backing up.
Brooklyn Council Member Antonio Reynoso is expected to announce his legislation to reform the private carting industry on Wednesday.
A spokesman for Boro Wide said it’s cooperating with the police investigation following the fatal collision, but did not respond to a request for comment about its history of recklessness.
