Women of Waste Pro
Majeeda Bostic
Driver
Nashville, TN
“It just hit me all of a sudden.”
That’s how Majeeda Bostic describes the moment she realized a career behind the wheel of a garbage truck was right for her.
Majeeda had prior experience driving a truck – she worked as a delivery driver for FedEx for several years in Chicago.
“Thankfully, it doesn’t get as cold here in Nashville,” she said – a major appeal of Waste Pro for the safety-conscious driver.
Majeeda says safety is “number one” – she makes a pledge every day she and her helper will return safely at the end of the day.
“I’m always looking out for my helper to make sure there is nothing that can potentially hit him, whether it’s a tree branch or a vehicle,” she said. “I don’t ever let him cross the solid yellow lines. He calls me Safety 101.”
Majeeda has made a huge impression on the residents along her routes, despite being relatively new to the company – she joined in September 2021.
According to Nashville Division Manager Mark O’Brien, he gets calls and emails nearly every day from customers raving about her work ethic, dedication, and delivery of quality service.
“She is the ultimate example of being a Waste Pro,” Mark said.
He’s been so impressed with her work and her praise from customers that he awarded her with Waste Pro’s Franklin Award of $100, which is given to employees who go above and beyond to provide excellent service.
Majeeda credits her sons and father for opening her eyes to the garbage industry. One of her sons worked for Waste Pro until joining the military full time and said she would be perfect for a driver opening. Her other son just began his career as a Waste Pro helper in June.
“I never really thought about it, but I did a little research and decided to just go for it,” she said.
The best part of it, she says, is the feeling of driving a big truck.
“I’m short, so I feel tall when I get into it,” she joked. “I used to fear driving something that size but once I got behind the wheel, it was like second nature to me.”
Majeeda encourages other women who may be hesitant to drive such a big vehicle to put the fear aside.
“A woman can do the job just as good as a man,” she said. “If you can drive a small vehicle, you can drive a large vehicle. Safety needs to be your main priority.”
She also loves working a physically demanding job.
“When I started, I knew it would be a lot of physical work,” she said. “But I enjoy that aspect of the job. I love to get physical and exercise.”
Exercising is something she likes to do in her spare time, which helps her keep in shape for a physically demanding job.
She also enjoys spending time with her family going shopping, making big Sunday dinners, and hosting family movie nights.
“My kids and I are very close, so we spend a lot of time together,” she said. “But they live close enough that I can tell them to go home at the end of the night!”