For about 300 homes in Westside, automated garbage collection will begin nearly six months ahead of schedule.

Garbage, recycling and yard waste carts will be delivered this week to homes in an area off Westlake Road to allow drivers to practice using the automated arm and learn to maneuver the new trucks in tight spots.

Automated garbage pickup will begin for the remainder of homes from Peachland north to Lake Country in February, 2009.

"We want to give the drivers a chance to become familiar with how the arm works, and of course, to trail new drivers how to operate the trucks," says OK Environmental Waste Systems owner, Lance Shaw.

"We want to ensure that all our drivers are well-trained beforehand, and on-the-job training is the perfect way to learn. We want everything to run smoothly when we do start collecting waste for the entire region in the spring."

The contract for the new service begins in March, however, Waste Reduction Manager, Carol Suhan, says OK Environmental proposed distributing the carts and starting the service a month earlier, at no additional cost.