San Diego's New Mini Amrep MSL - Part 1

Eight years after showing the first Split Body Amrep automated bodies on YouTube, I’m proud to present the first video of a split body Amrep Manual side loader! This is one of (3?) units ordered by the City of San Diego to replace their Octo MSLs. It looks like they’ve worked with Amrep to create a customized body to fit their needs, which is pretty nifty if you ask me. The city uses these little trucks for public litter bins and some residential routes in the same day. I caught this one doing a small alley on trash week, but the driver did dump one extra full recycle cart so you can see the divider working. Hopefully I’ll be able to return for a video of the recycle sometime in the future. Pros: Not having to make 2 trips to the dump on recycle weeks The cart tipper is on a cylinder, so dumping a single cart is much faster Extra body space lets you pack a bigger load, even put trash in the 40 side if need be Cons: A single cart tipper means bringing 50% of the carts around to the other side of the truck The tipper and the cylinder are connected to the same hydraulic line, which means the rotary actuator and the cylinder are controlled by the same switch. Carts get caught between the tipper and the ground on the way down, and residents are stuck with the 75$ bill for a replacement. The best solution would be to make the cylinder and actuator controlled by separate switches so the operator could smoothly lower the cart and unhook it with the cylinder extended. The 40% hopper is ill equipped to handle large cardboard pieces, and the lack of a crusher panel on either side doesn’t help that The packer doesn’t penetrate the body very deep, which it easily could if Amrep just added multi-stage cylinders and a longer follower panel on the packer The driver couldn’t seem to cue up a set of 3 pack cycles, or any kind of auto-pack feature like on the old trucks. The packer would get stuck in the body and the driver would have to stop it with the emergency switch and then go in the cab to press the switch to retract it. For gods sake Amrep, just go back to the old school palm buttons. It’s be easier to just smack one of those than to wedge a glove-covered thumb into the tiny button. Enough ranting. Comment your thoughts on the design if you feel so inclined.