Where Knoxville has four distinct seasons – winter, spring summer and fall – the City’s Public Service crew has two: leaf and brush. 

Leaf season finds crews sucking up literal tons of leaves between November and February. During brush season, which begins Monday, March 4, crews will collect brush to support residents in their routine yard maintenance efforts. 

Drivers and their trucks with knuckleboom arms will visit neighborhoods on a two-week rotation. Residents should learn their pickup week (week 1 or week 2) and set out their brush piles on the Monday of that week for pickup during that week. 

“This week-of schedule allows crews to respond as brush volume changes over the season,” says Public Service Director Chad Weth. Crews may choose to run their routes earlier in the week, leaving time for work in other areas.

Brush comprises one household’s worth of yard clippings, leaves, sticks and small limbs, placed next to the street in an unobstructed area that’s separate from trash. Brush setouts should be no larger than a single 6' x 6' x 6' pile. 

Contractors are responsible for removing yard waste they generate on site while performing their services. 

Residents can assist in the successful pick up of their brush by following these tips: 

• Keep brush piles away from low-hanging cables, wires and tree limbs that could get hit or caught in the knuckleboom arm. 

• Set piles away from objects such as fences, light poles and mailboxes which could be damaged by the equipment during collection. 

• Brush piles shouldn’t include trash, recyclable items, bulky waste or construction debris.

Learn more or view the brush collection calendar at KnoxvilleTN.gov/BrushPickup. If you believe the truck has missed your address, please wait 24 hours before calling 311 or using the MyKnoxville app to report a missed pickup.