The Best Rotation Cycle for Your Cans (According to Haulers Who’ve Been There)

If you’ve ever scrolled Reddit at 2 a.m. looking for advice on how often to rotate cans, you’re not alone. Haulers across the country argue about this one like it’s the last donut at the yard. Some say “weekly or bust”, others brag about keeping the same can in place for months. Truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all, but there is a smarter way to figure it out.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. The Goal: No Cans Sitting in the Yard

One hauler on Facebook put it best: “The best cycle would be for the dumpster to never touch your yard. After you dump it, it goes right to the next customer.”

Cans don’t make money parked. Every hour they’re sitting, you’re losing revenue. The dream is a straight line: landfill ➝ customer ➝ landfill ➝ next customer.

2. Keep a Few in Reserve

On the flip side, some folks insist you need a cushion:

“You should always have at least one of every size in the yard. That way, if a repeat customer calls and needs a can ASAP, you don’t lose the job.”

In today’s “instant gratification world,” no availability can mean lost customers.

3. Sub Out What You Can’t Handle

One veteran hauler put it plain: “Never hold cans hoping for a good customer. Promise a can to everyone and sub out what you can’t deliver.”

That way your reputation stays solid, and you’re not losing sleep over cans that aren’t moving.

4. Cleaning: To Wash or Not to Wash?

This one’s all over the map:

Some say: “Clean? Never. At most, rake out the loose stuff at the landfill.”
Others argue that leaving cans dirty hurts your brand, especially with residential jobs.
A middle ground? Rotate cans quickly so they don’t sit and get gross, and give them a clean when you’ve got downtime.

5. Factor in Seasonality

Construction slows down in winter. Clean-outs spike in spring. Junk removal folks know fall means yard waste city. Your rotation cycle should flex with the seasons. A can sitting too long in January might be fine, but that same can in July? It’s gonna stink like a high school locker room.

6. How Many Turns Should You Aim For?

The real-world numbers vary:

“From one customer to the next, no rest in between.”
“1.3 times per month average with 100 cans in our fleet.”

Your rotation rate will depend on your market, customer mix, and how much buffer you keep. What matters is tracking it so you know if your cans are actually working or just sitting.

5. Use Tech to Track Your Rotation (the Easy Way)

Sure, you could keep a whiteboard in the shop and hope nobody erases it. Or you could let software do the heavy lifting.

With roll off software or dumpster rental software, you can:

Track how long each can has been at a customer site
Prevent lost cans (and lost revenue)
Keep your fleet working, not sitting

Bottom Line

Some haulers say never let a can touch the yard. Others say always keep extras ready. Some clean every can, others just rake them out. The truth? There isn’t one best cycle, there’s the best cycle for your business.

The trick is knowing your numbers, keeping your cans moving, and having a system that makes it easy to stay on top of it all.