Jerry Coffland, director of the Public Works Department in Boston, knows how hard it is to keep busy streets free of trash and debris. “There are glass bottles, paper and nails all over,” he says. To keep litter from cluttering the downtown streets, the department has purchased vacuum trash collectors.

Before purchasing the vehicles, the department used two small hand-held mini-sweepers in the Downtown Crossing and the City Hall Plaza. Each machine had four brushes and a water hook-up to remove litter. Operating the machines was time consuming, as they were not easily maneuverable. Furthermore, with one worker per machine, keeping the downtown area clean was virtually impossible.

In 1999, the department purchased two vacuum cleaners from Quebec, Canada-based Madvac, and in June of 2000, it purchased two additional units. The vehicles, which are approximately seven feet long and four feet wide, move at about 30 mph. A driver can guide the machine's hose, which is eight inches wide and 12 feet long, with a maneuverable arm. The litter is deposited into a 55-gallon container on each machine.

The durability of the litter-removal vehicles appeals to Coffland. The soft gel tires allow the machines to roll over glass and nails without geting flat tires. Because of their durability, the machines require less maintenance than previous street cleaners that have been used by the city, Coffland says.