Javier Vera
In an era shaped by technology and social media, many young people dream of building an audience online. A Morning Consult survey found that 57 percent of Gen Z respondents ages 18 to 26 said they would become an influencer if given the opportunity.
But while millions of young people are looking for something worth putting in front of a camera, 21-year-old Andrew Brysch found his subject long before he discovered social media: garbage trucks.
The North Texas native has been fascinated by garbage trucks and the waste industry since childhood. “I was that little kid who would always go outside on Tuesday and Friday mornings to watch the garbage truck,” Brysch says with a smile. “In fact, some of my earliest memories are of watching the trucks in front of my house. My parents like to joke that my first word was ‘trash.’”
His interest was anything but temporary. At just 11 years old, Brysch started his own YouTube channel, filming and sharing videos of garbage trucks he encountered throughout his neighborhood and surrounding areas. Today, his channel, Andrew The Trash Kid, has more than 4,000 subscribers and has accumulated more than 2 million views.
“When I discovered YouTube, I wondered if other people were posting videos of garbage trucks too,” Brysch says. “I was amazed by how many videos there were, and that eventually inspired me to continue with the channel and keep posting my own videos.”
Asking drivers for permission to film has become part of the experience. “There are always different reactions. Personally, I’ve filmed hundreds of drivers and helpers, and I can confidently say that 90 percent of them are nice enough to let me film,” he says.
Brysch has taken the hobby seriously. He frequently films alongside two friends who also create garbage truck-related content, traveling through neighborhoods and cities across Texas in search of different trucks and operations. Their travels have taken them from Corpus Christi to Longview, with stops in major cities including San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas.
But for Brysch, garbage trucks are no longer something he only observes from behind a camera.
From Behind the Camera to Behind the Truck
Brysch currently works part time for a small waste company, primarily as a helper on a rear-load truck. He has also gained experience in areas including marketing, sales, maintenance and analytics. After finishing school, he hopes to work full time in the industry.
And after more than a decade of watching and filming collection equipment, his fascination with the trucks remains intact. “The thing that excites me most about garbage trucks is just the functionality,” Brysch says. “All the moving parts working together, the bright colors, and the fact that every truck is different. Plus, who doesn’t love watching a giant machine in action?”
Among the different types of collection vehicles, he has a favorite: manual rear loaders. “I definitely enjoy manual rear-loader collection the most, since it is the most nostalgic and you get to see the trash get packed up close,” he says. Still, he is quick to point out that automated side loaders, or ASLs, have their own appeal. “An arm reaching out to grab something is obviously pretty cool too,” he adds.
After more than a decade of posting videos, the camera has also allowed Brysch to develop a unique connection with the people behind the wheel. He says many drivers recognize his content, and some are enthusiastic about appearing on camera and later sharing the videos with their families and coworkers. His channel has also given him opportunities to meet people from companies throughout the waste industry. “Many different companies have said they would love for me to come work for them one day,” Brysch says.
And that possibility may not be far away. “The waste industry is one of the only industries I can see myself working in,” he says. “It is such a complex and fascinating industry that I am still learning more about all the time.”
Brysch has already begun that journey from one of the positions closest to day-to-day collection operations: working as a helper on a rear loader. His goal is to eventually become a driver and, later, work his way into operations management. “Ideally, I would love to work my way up from helper, to driver, and eventually to some sort of operations manager, where I could get the best of both worlds and help run the operations of a company while still being out on a truck picking up trash,” he says.
From YouTube to a New Generation
The same social media platforms that once inspired Brysch to begin filming may now be playing an unexpected role in introducing younger people to the waste industry. Brysch has watched waste-related content grow considerably across social media. It is no longer limited to enthusiasts filming different makes and models of garbage trucks. Drivers, helpers and other waste workers are increasingly sharing videos that give viewers a glimpse of what their jobs are actually like.
“I think the rise of trash-related content on social media is definitely helping attract the younger generation,” Brysch says. “There is so much of it out there, and many different forms of it are gaining popularity. Aside from just videos of garbage trucks, many garbage men are starting to make videos of them at work, which has helped attract some new audiences to the world of garbage content.”
In Brysch’s case, a childhood fascination is already becoming a career. Ten years from now, he sees himself working full time in the waste industry, although exactly where that path will take him remains uncertain. Driving, management, truck sales and even owning a company are all possibilities he is willing to explore.
He also hopes to continue creating content, although he expects that content to evolve as he gets older. “I can’t say what my YouTube channel will look like in ten years, but I definitely hope to still be making videos, as that has always been my passion,” Brysch says.
For an industry continually looking for ways to introduce its work and career opportunities to younger generations, stories like Brysch’s offer an interesting glimpse of where some of that next generation may come from.
After all, social media did not lead Andrew Brysch to garbage trucks. Garbage trucks led him to social media.