Patent Application
20080010197
The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.
The present invention is a risk-sharing method for billing by a waste hauler (hereafter “hauler”) for waste collection services. In particular, the system and methods can provide a hauler to make a profitable bid when responding to a request for proposal (hereafter “RFP”) as well as provide extra benefits (i.e., customized billing and reporting) at no extra costs to a municipality.
The present invention generally includes a system for a risk-sharing method for billing by a hauler for waste collection services. The system provides for a contract between the municipality and the hauler for waste collection services with an invoicing component based on collection data recorded in a residence-specific manner. Further, the system provides for an electronic means for identifying a municipal resident responsible for providing waste to be collected by the hauler and recording, by the hauler, waste collection data in the residence-specific manner. The system provides for invoicing for waste collection, such that the invoicing component is based on the recorded waste collection data.
According to an aspect of the invention, the municipality resident can be represented as one of a non-commercial resident (i.e., a family, as represented by the head of the household), commercial resident (i.e., a corporation, partnership, limited partnership (LP), limited liability partnership (LLP), limited liability company (LLC), limited company (Ltd.), non-profit corporation, sole proprietorship, and/or trust company), and government entities. Further, the term municipality may also be defined as a primarily urban political unit having corporate status and usually powers of self-government, i.e., a municipality of a town, an administration, town office, government represented entity, corporation, non-government entity and any combination thereof.
According to an aspect of the invention, the system may include an invoicing component based on waste collection data collected in a residence-specific manner. Further, the invoicing component by the hauler may provide for an invoicing structure having a “strict schedule pricing” billing structure, a “base-rate plus schedule pricing” billing structure, a “base rate plus tier pricing model” or any combination thereof. In all of the above billing structures, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charge to the municipality and/or resident or any combination thereof.
It is possible the invoicing component may include several factors when determining a billing structure. For example, factors that may be consider are: 1) determining the total number homes requiring waste collection services; 2) determining how many times a truck needs to dump a load for each waste collection route; 3) determining the distance the truck has to travel from start to finish for each waste collection route; 4) determining the distance the truck need to travel for each dump to the disposal site for each waste collection route; 5) determining the amount of driving time a driver takes to complete each waste collection route (including dumps); and 6) determining the distance between homes a long with the activity hours driven by each driver.
According to an aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned “strict schedule pricing” billing structure may include charging the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof, for an amount of waste collected, such that the participants that use more of the service, pay more for waste collection and disposal.
The expression “strict pricing schedule” is intended to refer to a schedule of pricing generated by the hauler that includes a comprehensive listing of different types of waste collection services, together with a listing of the price charged in connection with each unit of service. The above-mentioned waste collection services can be selected from a group of waste consisting of solid waste, recycling, bulky waste, white goods, yard waste, electronic waste, other non-commercial entity waste and other commercial waste. Wherein any one of the waste from the above group may include separate invoicing and reporting requirements for the waste collection and the disposal, due to possible state and Federal government regulations and guidelines specified for disposal of the particular waste.
Further, an aspect of strict pricing schedule may include billing different rates for the type of waste collection services provided, such as curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facility, transport recycling drop-offs centers, landfills (construction and demolition debris, yard waste recycling (mulch), white goods processing (large appliance recycling), asbestos disposal, tire disposal), etc.
An aspect of assessing how to charge participants for waste collection when using the strict pricing schedule may include a weight-based pricing or a volume-based pricing and/or some combination of weight-based pricing and volume-based pricing. In particular, the weight-based pricing provides for the hauler weighing the waste collected from the resident and bills for the waste collection service per pound. It is possible the above program can require residents to use standard, municipally supplied cans or allow residents to continue using their own cans. Further, the municipality can consider the type and size of waste collection containers on which to base their rate structure and billing system. In some instances, container type may dictate the rate structure and billing system. In other cases, where a municipality has an established billing system, the strict pricing schedule may be customized to govern the container type and rate structure, so as to replace the existing billing system. By non-limiting example (under the above-mentioned pricing schedule), households can be provided with containers (large cans having a capacity of 64-96 gallons or small or variable cans having a capacity of 32-64 gallons), wherein a different rate can be charged for different size containers. It is possible the hauler could charge households $2.00 for every 64-gallon can of waste set out and $1.25 for every 32-gallon can. Further, the strict pricing schedule can provide for charging the resident an additional fee based on set maximum weight limits for differently sized containers. For example, if a 64-gallon can of waste collected exceeded 50 lbs, or a 32-gallon can of waste collected exceeded 20 lbs, then an additional charge can be charged to the resident by the hauler.
In terms of billing waste collection under the strict pricing schedule, the hauler charges the resident for the total amount of cans collected for a collection period. For example if 2 (64-gallon) cans are set out by the resident and collected by the hauler during the collection period, then the resident is billed $4.00. However, it is possible the resident may be additionally charged for exceeding the maximum weight limit of 50 pounds per 64-gallon can. Likewise, if the municipality had 5,000 residents all participating in waste collection, and the hauler collected 10,000 cans during a collection period, then the municipality would be charged for the collection of 10,000 cans for that collection period. Further, the above municipality may be additionally charged for exceeding the maximum weight limit set per sized can and be charged accordingly. It is possible that the resident and municipality could be charged together, depending on the billing and reporting requirements of the municipality and/or resident or any combination thereof.
However, the strict pricing schedule is not limited to weight-based pricing and/or volume-base pricing (or some combination of weight-based pricing and volume-base pricing), residents may be charged for waste collection services by a per unit basis, for example, appliances (i.e., a refrigerator, washing machine, dyers, etc.) may be charged on a per unit basis. For example, the above pricing schedule may charge $10.00 to the resident for each refrigerator collected by the hauler. Another possible pricing schedule (under the above pricing schedule) may include charging by the type of waste collected (i.e., household hazardous waste, electronic waste, etc.), and/or by the type of waste collected in combination with a weight-base pricing and/or volume-base pricing schedule. Further, in all of the above billing scenarios, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charge to the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof.
Thus, some of the aspects of using strict pricing schedule can result in changing resident waste disposal behaviors that reduce some quantities in the waste stream and divert some flows to alternate disposal options. For example, residents will likely give more thought to the waste they throw away, save recyclables to take advantage of possible free recycling programs (and/or recycling reward programs) which can divert waste from the conventional disposal stream. Further, strict pricing scheduling, among other things, conforms to common equity principles that produces strong incentives for residents to reduce waste. In other words, those residents that generate more waste pay more for the additional service. For example, if residents understand that reducing waste disposal (waste collection services), they can reduce their household expenses (or increase the household overall budget), then resident waste disposal behaviors are likely to change.
According to an aspect of the invention, the invoicing component by the hauler may provide for an invoicing structure having the above-mentioned “base-rate plus schedule pricing” billing structure that may include charging the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof, for an amount of limited waste collection plus charging an addition fee for waste collection over the aggregate limit by the hauler. In particular, the term “base-rate” may provide for a limited amount of waste collection for the collection period, wherein a base-rate fee is charged for the limited waste collection service rendered by the hauler. Further, the term “plus” may include charging an additional fee (over the base-rate fee) for waste collection over the aggregate limit by the hauler. Further still, in any billing scenarios (discussed below) relating to base-rate plus schedule pricing, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charged to the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof.
The term “base-rate plus schedule pricing” is intended to refer to a schedule of pricing generated by the hauler, which includes a comprehensive listing of different types of waste collection services, together with a listing of prices charged in connection with an amount of limited waste collection plus charging an additional fee for waste collection over the aggregate limit. Further, base-rate plus schedule pricing provides for the same waste collection services as the strict pricing schedule, but with the different pricing schedule. As discussed above, the waste collection service can be selected from a group of waste consisting of solid waste, recycling, bulky waste, white goods, yard waste, electronic waste, other non-commercial entity waste and other commercial waste. Wherein any one of the waste from the above-mentioned group can include separate invoicing and reporting requirements for the waste collection and the disposal, due to possible state and Federal government regulations and guidelines specified for disposal of the particular waste.
Further, an aspect of base-rate plus schedule pricing may include billing different base-rates (along with different additional fees charge for waste collection over the aggregate limit) for the type of waste collection services. Again, the above-mentioned waste collection services can include curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facility, transport recycling drop-offs centers, landfills (construction and demolition debris, yard waste recycling (mulch), white goods processing (large appliance recycling), asbestos disposal, tire disposal), etc.
An aspect of assessing how to charge participants for waste collection when using the base-rate plus schedule pricing may include the above-mentioned weight-based pricing or a volume-based pricing and/or some combination of weight-based pricing and volume-based pricing, but with the different pricing schedule. As discussed above, the weight-based pricing provides for the hauler weighing the waste collected from the resident and bills for the waste collection service per pound, wherein the pricing (under base-rate plus schedule pricing) is determined by setting a limited amount of pounds for waste collection, plus charging an additional fee for waste collection exceeding the aggregate limits. Further, like the strict pricing schedule, residents may be required to use standard cans that are municipally supplied or continue using their own cans[CMS4].
In cases, where a municipality has an established billing system, the base-rate plus schedule pricing can be customized to govern the container type and rate structure, so as to replace the existing billing system. By non-limiting example (under the above-mentioned base-rate plus schedule pricing), households can be provided with containers (large cans having a capacity of 64 gallons or small cans having a capacity of 32 gallons), wherein a different base-rate fee can be charged for the different size containers collected for a period, along with the additional charge for waste collection exceeding the aggregate limit. It is possible the hauler could charge households a base-rate fee of $4.00 for collection of 2 (64-gallon) cans of waste set out for a collection period, with an additional fee charged for waste collection over the aggregate limit, i.e., charging $1.45 per additional 64-gallon can collected. Further, the hauler could charge households a base-rate fee of $2.00 for collection of 2 (32-gallon) cans of waste set out for a collection period, with an additional fee charged for waste collection over the aggregate limit, i.e., charging 90 cents per additional 32-gallon can collected.
Further still, the base-rate plus schedule pricing may optionally provide for a credit and/or a reward for waste collected under the aggregate limit or, in the above example, if the resident did not exceed the 2 (64 gallon) can limit, such that only 1 can (1 can under the aggregate limit) was collected by the hauler during the collection period, then the resident would receive the credit and/or the reward for the 1 (64 gallon) can under the aggregate limit. It is possible, the resident could receive the credit in the form of a coupon (for 1 64 gallon can) for the next waste collection period, or in a form of a credit that provides a benefit to the participating resident. Also, the resident may receive a reward that may be in a non-monetary form (for 1 64 galloncan) that benefits the resident.
However, it is also possible to charge an additional fee if the container exceeds an allotted weight set for the 2 can limit (for either the 64 gallon can or 32 gallon can), wherein an additional fee is charged based on exceeding the aggregate weight limit, i.e., charging $1.45 per additional 64-gallon can weight limit collected or charging 90 cents per additional 32-gallon can weight limit collected. For example, if the 2 (64-gallon) cans of waste collection exceeded 100 lbs for the collection period, then an additional fee would be charged by a per can weight limit, such that if the actual weight of the 2 (64-gallon) cans weighed 145 pounds, then the resident would be charged $1.45 for the additional 45 pounds of waste collection. Further, as discussed above, the base-rate plus schedule pricing may optionally provide for a credit and/or a reward for waste collected under the aggregate limit. For example, if the waste collection of the 64-gallon cans was under the base-rate weight limit by one can (or 50 pounds), then the participating resident may receive a credit and or a reward for waste collection of 1 can or 50 pounds.
Likewise, the municipality can be charged instead of the household, such that if the municipality had 5,000 residents all participating in waste collection, and the hauler collected 10,000 cans (5,000 residents×2 (64 gallon) can limit) during a collection period, the municipality would be charged a base-rate of $20,000 (5,000 residents×$4.00 (2 (64-gallon) can base rate fee) for the collection of 10,000 (64-gallon) cans, plus additionally charged for cans collected over the aggregate limit for that collection period. Further, as discussed above, the base-rate plus schedule pricing may optionally provide for a credit and/or a reward for waste collected under the aggregate limit. For example, if the waste collection of the 64-gallon cans was under the base-rate weight limit by 1,000 cans, then the municipality may receive a credit and or a reward for waste collection of 1,000 cans.
Further, the base-rate fee of $20,000 for the collection of 10,000 (64-gallon) cans can have a base-rate weight limit, such that if wasted collection exceeded the base-rate weight limit, then the municipality would be additionally charged by a per can weight limit (or 50 pounds or $1.45). For example, if the waste collection of the 64-gallon cans was under the base-rate weight limit by 1,000 cans (or 500 pounds), then the participating resident may receive a credit and/or a reward for waste collection of 1,000 cans or 500 pounds[CMS5].
Further, as discussed above, it is possible the base-rate plus schedule pricing may include a volume-based pricing and/or some combination of weight-based pricing and volume-based pricing, wherein the resident and municipality could be charged together, or separately (or some combination thereof) depending on the billing and reporting requirements of the municipality and/or resident or any combination thereof. Also, as discussed above, in any of the above billing scenarios, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charge to the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof.
According to an aspect of the invention, the invoicing component by the hauler may provide for an invoicing structure having the above-mentioned “base-rate plus tier pricing” billing structure that may include charging the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof, for an amount of limited waste collection plus charging an additional fee for waste collection over an aggregate tier-pricing limit by the hauler. In particular, the term “base-rate” or “tier-rate” may provide for a limited amount of waste collection for the collection period, wherein a base-rate fee (or tier-rate fee) is charged for the limited waste collection service rendered by the hauler. Further, the term “plus tier-pricing” may include charging an addition fee (over the tier-rate fee) for waste collection over the aggregate limit by the hauler. Further still, in any billing scenarios (discussed below) relating to base-rate plus tier pricing, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charge to the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof.
The term “base-rate plus tier pricing” is intended to refer to a schedule of pricing generated by the hauler, which (as presented above for the strict pricing schedule and base-rate plus schedule pricing) includes the comprehensive listing of different types of waste collection services, together with the listing of prices charged in connection with an amount of limited waste collection plus charging an additional fee for waste collection over the aggregate limit. Further, base-rate plus tier pricing provides for the same waste collection services as the above-mentioned strict pricing schedule and base-rate plus schedule pricing, but provides for a different pricing schedule. Also, as discussed above, the waste collection service can be selected from a group of waste consisting of solid waste, recycling, bulky waste, white goods, yard waste, electronic waste, other non-commercial entity waste and other commercial waste. Wherein any one of the waste from the above-mentioned group can include separate invoicing and reporting requirements for the waste collection and the disposal, due to possible state and Federal government regulations and guidelines specified for disposal of the particular waste.
Further, an aspect of base-rate plus tier pricing can include billing at different base-rates (or tier-rates) along with at different additional fee rates or tier-pricing fee-rates for waste collection over the aggregate tier-limit for the type of waste collection services. The above-mentioned waste collection services are the same as the above-mentioned strict pricing schedule and base-rate plus schedule pricing, which include curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facility, transport recycling drop-offs centers, landfills (construction and demolition debris, yard waste recycling (mulch), white goods processing (large appliance recycling), asbestos disposal, tire disposal), etc.
An aspect of assessing how to charge participants for waste collection when using the base-rate plus tier pricing can include the above-mentioned weight-based pricing or a volume-based pricing and/or some combination of weight-based pricing and volume-based pricing, but with the different pricing schedule or tier-pricing schedule. As discussed above, the weight-based pricing provides for the hauler weighing the waste collected from the resident and bills for the waste collection service per pound, wherein the pricing (under base-rate plus schedule pricing) is determined by setting a limited amount of pounds for waste collection, plus charging an additional fee for waste collection exceeding the aggregate limits. Wherein, similar to the above-mentioned strict pricing schedule and base-rate plus schedule pricing, residents may be required to use standard, municipally supplied cans or continue using their own cans. Also, as similar to the above-mentioned strict pricing schedule and base-rate plus schedule pricing, if the municipality already has an established billing system, the base-rate plus tier pricing can be customized to govern the container type and rate structure, so as to replace the existing billing system.
By non-limiting example, assessing how to charge participants for waste collection when using the base-rate plus tier pricing, households can be provided with containers (i.e., 64 gallons, 32 gallons or varied sized containers), wherein a different base-rate fee (or tier-rate fee) can be charged for different size containers collected for a period, along with the additional charge (tier-pricing fee) for waste collection exceeding the aggregate tier-limit. For example, in scenario No. 1, it is possible the hauler could charge households a base-rate fee of $4.00 for collection of 2 (64-gallon) cans of waste set out for a collection period, with an additional fee charged for waste collection over the aggregate tier limit, i.e., charging $1.45 per additional 64-gallon can collected. Further, the hauler could charge households a base-rate fee of $2.00 for collection of 2 (32-gallon) cans of waste set out for a collection period, with an additional fee charged for waste collection over the aggregate limit, i.e., charging 90 cents per additional 32-gallon can collected.
Further still, the base-rate plus tier pricing may optionally provide for a credit and/or a reward for waste collected under the aggregate tier-limit or, in the above example, if the resident did not exceed the 2 (64-gallon) can limit, such that only 1 can (1 can under the aggregate limit) was collected by the hauler during the collection period, then the resident would receive a credit and/or a reward for the 1 (64-gallon) can under the aggregate limit. It is possible, the resident receive the credit in the form of a coupon (for 164 gallon can) for the next waste collection period, or in a form of a credit that provides a benefit to the participating resident. Also, the resident may receive a reward that may be in a non-monetary form (for 1 64 gallon can) that benefits the resident.
An aspect of base-rate plus tier pricing may provide for addressing the varied waste collection needs of the municipality by offering multiple billing structure scenarios, wherein each billing structure scenario has a different base-rate plus different tier pricing fee. For example, the hauler may provide the billing structure of scenario No. 1 (above), along with several other scenarios, such as scenario No. 2, scenario No. 3, etc. In particular, scenario No. 2 may include a base-rate fee of $10.00 for collection of 6 (64-gallon) cans of waste set out for a collection period, with an additional tier pricing fee charged for waste collection over the aggregate tier limit, i.e., charging $1.25 per additional 64-gallon can collected. Further, the hauler could charge households an additional base-rate fee of $6.00 for collection of 6 (32 gallon) cans of waste set out for a collection period, with an additional fee charged for waste collection over the aggregate limit, i.e., charging 90 cents per additional 32-gallon can collected. The billing structure scenario is not limited to weight, volume and any combination thereof, but could include, among other things, a billing structure scenario associated with different types of material and/or a different type of waste service collection.
Further, as mentioned above, it is possible that the municipality and the resident could be charged together, depending on the billing and reporting requirements of the municipality and/or resident or any combination thereof. Wherein, as discussed above, the unique billing and reporting needs may be associated with the different types of waste to be hauled, such that the present invention would provide customized billing structures for the municipality and/or resident or any combination thereof. Further, in any of the above billing scenarios, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charge to the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof.
According to an aspect of the invention, the system may include an invoicing structure that includes any combination of the “strict schedule pricing”, the “base-rate plus schedule pricing” and the “base rate plus tier pricing”, depending on the billing and reporting needs of the municipality and/or each resident or any combination thereof. Further, some of the aspects of using the above-mentioned invoicing structures can result in changing resident waste disposal behaviors that reduce quantities in the waste stream and divert flows to alternate disposal options. Residents will likely give more thought to the waste they throw away, save recyclables to take advantage of possible free recycling programs (and/or recycling reward programs, providing benefit back to resident based on recycling behavior) which can divert waste from the conventional disposal stream. Furthermore, when residents understand that by reducing waste disposal (waste collection services) they can reduce their household expenses (or increase the household overall budget), then resident waste disposal behaviors are likely to change.
In order to collect data in a residence-specific manner, the present invention includes the system having an electronic means identifying each resident responsible for providing waste to be collected by the hauler that can be used in assisting in invoicing. In particular, the electronic means may include a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) method, which is an automatic identification method. Automatic identification methods (Auto-ID Data Capture; AIDC) can include RFID tags (also referred as transponders and contactless (IC) tags) as well as bar codes, which rely on storing and remotely retrieving data. An RFID tag is a small object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product, such as a waste container. RFID tags contain silicon chips and antennas to enable them to receive and respond radio-frequency queries from an RFID transceiver. Passive tags require no internal power source, whereas active tags require a power source.
According to an aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned RFID tags may be attached to one or more RFID-labeled container for municipal waste collection, such that each of the one or more RFID-labeled container is associated with each municipal resident. The RFID tag may contain resident-specific electronic information relating to a name[CMS6], address and other contact information needed for waste collection and billing. Further, the data collected from the RFID tag can be used for invoicing each resident
According to an aspect of the invention, the electronic means may include a GPS system that can record waste collection data of the geographic location of waste collected in a residence specific manner. The GPS system can be used with the above-mentioned RFID system, so as to provide the hauler to invoice for waste collection based on the recorded waste collection data. For example, the hauler records into a collection database, waste collected from each resident of the municipality and subsequently uses the recorded waste collection data to assist in determining an invoicing amount to be charge to the municipality and/or resident or any combination thereof. Wherein, the recorded waste collection data provides the data for the hauler to invoice by any one of the above-mentioned invoicing components, such as “strict schedule pricing” billing structure, a “base-rate plus schedule pricing” billing structure, a “base rate plus tier pricing model” or any combination thereof.
According to an aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned recorded waste collection data collected from the RFID system and/or the GPS system can be used for invoicing for waste collection by the hauler. Wherein, as discussed above, the different types of waste collection services (i.e., curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facility, transport recycling drop-offs centers, landfills (construction and demolition debris, yard waste recycling (mulch), white goods processing (large appliance recycling), asbestos disposal, tire disposal), etc.), that can be included in the invoicing component via the waste collection data by the hauler.
In particular, the recorded waste collection data can be organized into an identifying activity data and a requirement data for waste collection in a resident-specific manner to assist in the invoicing component by the hauler. The identifying activity data can include an identification of waste collection services from a group consisting of one of curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facility, transport recycling drop-offs centers and landfills for waste collection in a resident-specific manner to assist in the invoicing component by the hauler. Further, the identifying activity data can include an identification of waste from a group consisting of solid waste, recycling, bulky waste, white goods, yard waste, electronic waste, other non-commercial entity waste and other commercial waste for waste collection in a resident-specific manner to assist in the invoicing component by the hauler. It is possible the identifying activity data can be associated with a geographic location, a weight, a volume, a time and a date for waste collection in a resident-specific manner to assist in the invoicing component by the hauler. Wherein the identity activity data can be received and/or sent by one of the GPS system, RFID system and a wireless electronic system.
It is also possible, as discussed above, the hauler can invoice participating residents for waste collection from recorded waste collection data that includes a weight-based pricing or a volume-based pricing and/or some combination of weight-based pricing and volume-based pricing. Further, as discussed above, the hauler may provide separate invoicing and reporting for waste from the above-mentioned for the waste collection, based on recorded waste collection data. It is possible, as discussed above, the hauler may invoice for waste collection by the different types of waste collection services (i.e., curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facility, transport recycling drop-offs centers, landfills (construction and demolition debris, yard waste recycling (mulch), white goods processing (large appliance recycling), asbestos disposal, tire disposal), etc.), based on the recorded waste collection data.
According to an aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned recorded waste collection data from the RFID system and/or the GPS system provides the information so the hauler can customize invoicing for waste collection that results in possibly changing resident waste disposal behaviors that reduce some quantities in the waste stream and divert some flows to alternate disposal options. Further, the present invention will likely make residents give more thought to the waste they throw away, save recyclables to take advantage of possible free recycling programs (and/or recycling reward programs) which can divert waste from the conventional disposal stream.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the system can provide waste collection data that includes other data, such as third party data relating to one of a historical municipality data, a historical resident data, a government collected data, a non-government collected data, a general historical waste collection data and any combination thereof. It is possible the system can be used for estimating each resident's future projected waste collection. It is possible the waste collection data can be use to spur an economic benefit for the municipality and/or resident, such as corporate growth, increasing jobs as well as placing money back into the community. For example, the above-mentioned systems may provide information useful for an entity to determine profitability (or not profitability) to establish an operation/facility for manufacture approximate the municipality and/or residents from using the by-products or waste gathered from the waste collection by the hauler.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the system may include an invoicing transmitting medium that can be used by the hauler for billing the municipality and/or residents or any combination thereof. It is possible that the invoicing transmitting medium includes a transmitting group consisting of: email, telephone, text messaging, paper mailing, faxing, Internet, or any type of electronic medium. Further, the transmitting group can used to invoice the municipality and/or residents or any combination thereof. Further still, as already discussed, the municipal resident may include a non-commercial resident, commercial resident and other entity within the municipality, such that it is possible, any of which, can be invoiced via the above noted transmitting group.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the system may include a “report” that can include recorded waste collection data by the hauler that relates to the municipality and/or residents or any combination thereof for waste collection. By non-limiting example, the above-mentioned report may include a summation of the recorded waste collection data relating to waste collection by the hauler for a collection period and/or for two or more periodic periods. Further, the report may include (based on recorded waste collection data) invoicing values, and an ability to monitor waste collection behaviors, so as assist in providing updated reports of waste collection credits for the municipality and/or residents or any combination thereof. It is possible the report may provide for a weight and/or a volume of waste collected by the hauler, associated with the recorded waste collection data from the RFID system and/or an GPS system by the hauler. Further, the report may provide for information relating to the waste collection behaviors of all the users, such that knowing the behaviors of users based on gathered recorded waste collection data, may promote corporate enterprise growth. For example, if the waste collection behaviors were known for the municipality and/or residents, then corporations utilizing collected waste for manufacture or some other product purpose, could be able determine the profitability (or non-profitability) for establishing operations/facilities approximate the municipality and/or residents. Thus, according to the instant invention, the system would be able to promote corporate enterprise growth approximate the municipality and/or residents, resulting in enhancing the economic well being for the municipality, residents and/or any combination thereof.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the report may including invoicing information that can have a transmitting medium group consisting of one of: email, telephone, text messaging, paper mailing, faxing, Internet and any other electronic medium. It is possible the above transmitting medium could be transmitted at real time, wherein the municipality residents can monitor at real time their waste collection behavior and/or services.
The report is not limited to recorded waste collection data gather by the hauler, such that the report can be combined with related municipal billing for the municipality and/or residents or any combination thereof (i.e., water, sewage, taxes, etc.). Further still, the report may be combined with information, such as telephone, electricity, gas, power, cable, insurance, banking, local-state-federal related information, or any information of interest to the municipality and/or residents. It is possible the invoicing and reporting or the municipality and residents or both, via the above transmitting medium, thereof can receive any combination.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the electronic means may include a GPS system can be used for monitoring, locating and providing real time data relating to the collecting means (i.e., trucks, vehicle, etc.) for transporting the collected waste. Further, GPS system can be used for providing a geographic optimization routing for one or more collection means for waste collection by the hauler. The GPS system can be used for monitoring, locating and providing real time data relating to one or more business associates related with the hauler, and/or one or more driving information (i.e., weather, traffic, emergencies, etc.), and/or other related driving information for routing the one or more collection means.
According to the instant invention, the system is not limited to merely to hauler's biding in response to new municipal new waste collection service contracts (RFP's), but the system can be used by an entity bidding on a contract that can benefit from recorded electronic data relating to individual services/items received from a user by the entity, and based on knowing user behaviors, the entity can receive a benefit.
It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
