You’ve probably seen them hanging off the back of a white truck at 4:00 AM in a blizzard. It looks grueling. Honestly, it is. But when the filing period for the NYC Department of Sanitation exam opens, the city practically melts down. People who have spent years in high-stress corporate cubicles or grueling construction sites suddenly scramble for a chance to haul trash. Why? Because in New York City, being a "Sanitation Worker" is one of the most coveted titles you can hold. It’s a six-figure job with a pension that feels like winning the lottery, except you have to sweat for it.
The reality of the NYC Department of Sanitation exam is that it isn’t just a test of how well you can lift a heavy bin. It's a massive, bureaucratic endurance race. Most people think they can just show up, pass a physical, and get a badge. They're wrong. The process is a multi-year saga involving a civil service written test, a physical "superman" test, and a waitlist that moves at the speed of a glacier.
The Brutal Math of the Written Test
The written portion of the Department of Sanitation exam is managed by DCAS (Department of Citywide Administrative Services). It doesn’t ask you about the chemical composition of garbage. Instead, it measures cognitive abilities: situational judgment, map reading, and information ordering. Basically, can you follow a route and not get lost while making split-second decisions about safety?
Here’s the kicker: tens of thousands of people take this test. On the last major exam (Exam 2060), over 40,000 New Yorkers applied. If you get one or two questions wrong, your "list number" could be in the 5,000s or 10,000s. In the world of NYC civil service, if you aren't in the top tier, you might as well not exist. If you score a 95%, you’re likely never getting called. You need a 100%—plus residency credits—to even stand a real chance of seeing a truck within five years.
New York City gives a 5-point "residency credit" to people who live in the five boroughs. If you live in Long Island or Jersey and score a perfect 100, someone from Brooklyn who also gets a 100 will leapfrog you because they have a 105. It’s cutthroat. It’s essentially a competition of perfection.
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The Physical: More Than Just Lifting
If you are lucky enough to get called based on your written score, you face the "Physical Ability Test." This isn't a casual gym session. It’s a timed obstacle course designed to simulate a work shift. You have to drag heavy trash bags, navigate simulated snow, and lift "bins" that are weighted to mimic the worst-case scenario of a Monday morning after a holiday weekend.
I've talked to guys who thought they were fit because they hit the bench press twice a week. They failed. This test is about functional movement and grip strength. If you drop a bag or trip, you're disqualified. The DSNY doesn't want athletes; they want mules who can move consistently for eight hours without blowing out their backs.
The CDL Hurdle
One thing that catches people off guard is the Commercial Driver's License (CDL) requirement. You don't need it to take the written test, but you absolutely need a Class B CDL to be hired. Most candidates scramble to get this at the last minute. The city sometimes offers training, but relying on that is a gamble. If your number comes up and you don't have that license in hand, they skip right over you.
Why Everyone Wants This Job
Let’s talk money. It’s the elephant in the room. Starting pay is modest—usually hovering around $40,000 to $50,000—but the trajectory is insane. After 5.5 years, the base pay jumps to over $83,000 (based on recent contracts). But nobody makes just base pay. Between overtime, "chart days" (working your day off), and snow pay, many sanitation workers pull in $100,000 to $150,000 a year.
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Then there is the "Snow" factor. When a blizzard hits NYC, sanitation workers are the kings of the road. They switch from trash pickup to snow plowing. The overtime during a week-long snow event can equal a month's worth of normal pay. It’s exhausting, sleep-depriving work, but the paycheck is legendary.
- Pension: Retire after 22 years with half your salary for life.
- Health Benefits: Some of the strongest union-backed insurance in the country.
- Job Security: You are essentially un-fireable once you pass probation, provided you follow the rules and don't "go rogue."
The Grunt Work Nobody Mentions
It isn't all fat paychecks and sunsets over the Hudson. The first few years are rough. You start as a "floater." You might work a 4:00 AM shift in the Bronx one day and a 4:00 PM shift in Staten Island the next. You have no seniority. You get the worst routes, the oldest trucks, and the heaviest loads.
The physical toll is real. Knee replacements and chronic back pain are the "retirement gifts" many workers receive. You're dealing with hazardous materials, reckless NYC drivers who try to squeeze past the truck, and the literal stench of eight million people's waste in 95-degree humidity. It’s a job for people who are okay with being dirty and tired as long as their family is provided for.
The Misconception of "Easy Money"
People often call them "Strongest" as a joke or a compliment, but it’s a title earned. There’s a psychological grind to the Department of Sanitation exam and subsequent career. You are out there when everyone else is told to stay home. You are the reason the city doesn't descend into a plague-ridden mess. If you think this is a "lazy" city job, you won't last a week on the back of the hopper.
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Preparing for the Next Cycle
The exam isn't offered every year. In fact, it's often four to seven years between tests. This makes the stakes incredibly high. If you miss the filing window, you might be in a different stage of your life by the time it rolls around again.
- Monitor the DCAS Calendar: This is the only way to know when the filing period opens. They don't blast it on the news until it's almost too late.
- Study the "Common Sense" Questions: The written test is tricky. It uses "distractor" answers that look right but aren't the most right. Practice tests are mandatory.
- Get Your CDL Early: Don't wait for the city to call you. Having your Class B with an air brake endorsement makes you a "ready" candidate.
- Stay Fit: Focus on cardio and grip strength. If you can't carry 60 pounds in each hand for an extended period, start training now.
The NYC Department of Sanitation exam represents the last of the great blue-collar pathways to the middle class in New York. It’s a grueling, bureaucratic, and physically demanding process, but for those who make it through, it’s a life-changer. You just have to be willing to wait years for the call and then work harder than you ever have once it finally comes.
Actionable Steps for Candidates
If you are serious about joining the DSNY, stop waiting for "someday." Start by checking the DCAS Annual Examination Schedule online—it’s updated every fiscal year in July. Sign up for email alerts from civil service news sites like The Chief Leader, which is basically the bible for NYC city workers.
If the exam isn't currently open, spend your time getting your CDL Class B. Even if you never work for Sanitation, that license is a massive asset in the private sector. Lastly, keep your driving record clean. Serious infractions or a suspended license can disqualify you faster than a failing test score. This is a driving job first and a lifting job second. Treat it like the high-stakes career it is, and you might actually find yourself on the back of that truck in a few years.