The waste and recycling side-lifter truck will provide a more efficient kerbside collection, and improve waste and recycling services for residents, Delta says.
Dunedin-based Delta Utility Services Ltd won the Clutha District Council's solid-waste contract in 2011 to provide integrated solid-waste services.
The tender includes operation and maintenance of the Mt Cooee landfill, transfer stations and skip sites, as well as the kerbside collection of waste and the introduction of a kerbside-recycling collection.
The contract is for an initial period of five years, with renewal periods of up to a further four years.
Delta environmental engineer Dave Hanan said the ''innovative technology'' in the new truck would improve operator output, customer service and customer satisfaction.
The waste and recycling side-lifter was fitted to a fully automatic truck, and the vehicle replaced some of the older trucks in Delta's Clutha kerbside collections fleet, he said.
Australian company MacDonald Johnston supplied the side-lifter equipment, fitted to an Isuzu 1400A truck. The truck body was manufactured in Australia and assembled in Timaru.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan tested the automated system and said he was very impressed with the machinery.
''It's a neat truck and we look forward to seeing it whipping around the district.''
MacDonald Johnston export manager Stuart Clark, of Australia, said the side-lifter was the latest innovation in collection equipment with new safety features and efficiency improvements centred on the driver.
The most innovative was the push-button automatic bin lifting technology, he said.
''Once the auto-lifter is engaged, the bin is hoisted into the compactor bowl of the truck, shaken three times to ensure all the waste is discharged and the bin is placed back on the kerb exactly where it was picked up from. Customers love it. The system also avoids over-compaction of the recyclables.''
The lifter used three joystick movements instead of the previous minimum of 11, reducing repetitive strain injury, Mr Clark said.
While the lifter was automatic, the operator could take manual control at any time.
The truck also featured two cameras - one for reversing and the other on the hopper (rubbish container) - and six sensors.
Mr Hanan said the truck was part of more than $1 million of investment in Clutha.
In March 2012, Delta bought a 21-tonne Bomag waste compactor to use at Mt Cooee. At the time, Delta said the $465,000 compactor was the latest in technology and specifically designed for use at low-volume landfill sites such as Mt Cooee.
Staff spent yesterday afternoon training with the new waste and recycling side-lifter truck, which is due to start its rounds today.
