It's changed now because of recycling. There is less to pick up. Typically, two workers go out together. Swamping just doesn't sound appealing, but Thompson enjoyed the companionship of traveling with a co-worker, and enjoyed the variety as well. You take turns driving and swamping.
Garbage is an interesting occupation.
No two days are the same. Something different always happens. There were 5.1 million people working in these occupations in 1998. Like usual, the OOH isn't very helpful at all. About 99,000 of them were refuse and recycling materials collectors.