How kmG Hauling's fleet of reliable Macks keeps D.C. clean

No matter your thoughts on politics and politicians, there's always plenty of garbage in D.C.

kmG Hauling would know. They’ve spent nearly 25 years providing waste removal services in the Washington metropolitan area. Founded by Hugo Garcia in 2001, kmG (a name formed from the initials of his children (Kyle, Miranda, Kaylie and Konner), with the G being for Garcia) now employees 120 people and provides waste disposal services across the D.C. , Maryland, and northern Virginia area. Whether it's from touristy areas, upscale hotels, or trendy restaurants, kmG Hauling is maneuvering through tight spaces and cramped alleys to retrieve and haul off the District's waste. And Mack Trucks are the perfect solution for a city layout that wasn't designed with trash collection in mind.

"D.C. is built without much thought about where the trash should go. When you're working in these tight alleys, you're dealing with trash being thrown off rooftops and from basements," says Garcia. And then, he says, there are unwieldy inefficiencies created by the District's labyrinth of roads — like a hotel in a very touristy area that should have a dumpster but instead uses 20 household 96-gallon toters. While kmG drivers measure most stops in seconds, the 96-gallon toter location is one they measure in minutes.

"We service those seven days a week," Garcia says.

Macks make D.C. manageable .

kmG didn't begin with Macks. There was a period of building the business that began on a shoestring. But eventually, Macks were added, the first being procured in 2008 (that first Mack is still in service, logging 150 miles a day). Today, Macks make up about a third of kmG's 90-truck fleet. And that proportion will grow as other trucks age out — for kmG, there's no going back from Mack.

"Mack is the Cadillac of trucks," Garcia said, adding that driving a Mack is a dream of any truck driver or truck business owner.

kmG's drivers agree.

"I have been driving Mack trucks for more than twenty years, and I can confidently say they are the best in the industry," says kmG driver Jose William Del-Cid, adding that they are especially adept at handling downtown Washington, D.C., which requires navigating tiny alleys and making sharp left and right turns.

"And Mack handles it all with ease. For me, there is no better option. I truly love driving Mack trucks," says Del-Cid. Meanwhile, while Del-Cid drives, the Mack takes the beating from anything denizens of D.C. can throw at it.

Garcia takes pride in the durability of the Macks, saying it can handle anything the denizens of D.C. can throw at it.

"People think trash is trash and you can throw everything in — construction debris, grease, oil,” says Garcia. “It's a dirty business, with rodents in D.C. the size of cats."

"But we know Mack trucks can take the beating and handle the trash," Garcia says, adding that the trucks are hauling 8 to 12 tons every time they are out in service to their 6,000 customers. But the Macks keep going, and that is crucial to their business.

"Having a broken-down truck would give our reputation a hit. When they do break down, Mack has always been quick — back up and running in no time," Garcia says.

Osmar Mendoza, director of maintenance for kmG, attests to Mack's durability.

With a regimen of regular maintenance, including oil changes, suspension, and electrical checks every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, the Mack fleet stays on the road.

"Mack gives our maintenance department barely any headaches," Mendoza says, adding that the Macks rarely need new parts.

Mendoza backs his Macks with extended warranties on the rare occasion something malfunctions.

"This gives us cost savings and top-notch quality service when needed," Mendoza says.

Hauling more than just trash: hauling hope

kmG sets itself apart by devoting a growing number of its trucks to spreading hope. The company has selected 12 causes — from brain cancer to pancreatic cancer to mental illness — to feature prominently on their trucks, turning them into rolling billboards of hope. The trucks can touch people's lives without kmG knowing they've ever made a difference, planting seeds of sunshine that Garcia hopes will germinate.

kmG's altruism earned it a spot on the 2026 Mack calendar for its TerraPro that is spotlighting Hemophilia B, a rare, lifelong blood disorder caused by genetic defect that inhibits clot-producing protein production.  The truck was inspired by Dominic Tarasi, a teenager battling the disorder. Garcia met the Tarasi family by chance during a visit to Key West and was inspired by their story.

In Greater D.C., it's not uncommon to see a bright pink front-loader, emblazoned with breast cancer awareness, emptying a dumpster.  Or the Hemophilia truck hauling off recyclables.

The bold trucks spark conversations, raise awareness, and let people know they aren’t alone.

“Growing up I watched my father build his own waste hauling business from the ground up. He told me it wasn’t just about collecting trash; it was about serving your community with pride and integrity,” Garcia says. The billboard campaign is one of the ways that Garcia and kmG give back. The community gives kmG trash, but kmG gives hope back.

A Mack relationship that is a partnership

And kmG’s robust relationships extend beyond the community and to their dealers.   When two people know one another well enough, they know what the other wants. And when it comes to the Mack dealer in Manassas, they know what kmG wants.

"They know the look of our truck. They know we like everything chrome, all power seats, and top-notch radio. These are all spec'd out, and they make it so easy with the trucks we want," Garcia says.

Garcia marvels at the Mack's ability to take a beating, and that's why he'll be adding more in the years ahead. kmG is based in Sterling, Virginia, making it a 45-mile drive from the District and back, so his trucks are regularly racking up 150 to 200 miles a day and starting and stopping constantly. But the Mack absorbs it all.

"As long as you are giving Macks the love, it will give you the love right back," Garcia says.