U-Haul rental trucks taking up city streets and college students pushing their belongings in large laundry carts are out in full force across Boston, as Great Move-In Day has arrived.
Officials on Thursday offered their do’s and don’ts on how students can have a successful weekend free of headaches as they move into their new living quarters.
Though a great bulk of moves will be taking place Friday and Saturday, officials say they’ve been busy for days and weeks prior to Allston Christmas, the notorious “holiday” in which students flood the city once more and apartments turn over, leaving heaps of furniture, mattresses and decorations for thrifty shoppers to pilfer through.
The Department of Public Works has picked up 38 tons of trash, since Saturday, on top of the 200 tons that its residential team averages daily, said Mike Brohel, superintendent of street operations.
Trucks are picking up heavier loads at the curb more often than just regular scheduled trash days, and they will continue to do so for at least the next handful of days, Brothel said. Residents can be cited for placing trash out illegally, he added.
“We will be deployed over the weekend with trucks and resources,” Brohel said, “but understand that we will also have code enforcement out to handle any trash that is put on the wrong day or in a manner that’s (illegal).”
This is the first major moving weekend since state environmental protection regulations went into place last November that ban residents from throwing mattresses, clothing and shoes into the trash. Those items now must be recycled or donated.
Brohel is asking residents to schedule mattress collection by contacting the 311 hotline. More than 1,700 beds have already been picked up since last weekend, he said.
The Transportation Department is working diligently to keep streets clear for emergency and sanitary vehicles, said Nick Gove, deputy chief of streets for transportation. More than 2,400 moving permits were issued in August leading up to this weekend, he said.
“These areas are posted with temporary parking restrictions to keep space clear for moving trucks,” he said. “The BTD parking enforcement team will be deployed citywide this weekend to help things move smoothly. We do not want to ticket and tow.”
Fire Marshal Patrick Ellis is urging students to have multiple plans of action in case a fire breaks out at their apartment and to check whether there are working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, if so, don’t mess with them.
A new trend Ellis said he is seeing is with the emergence of e-bikes and scooters, some students are leaving lithium-ion battery powered devices charging for extended periods of time.
“If you are going to charge it, charge it and unplug it,” he said. “What happens with these lithium-ion batteries, they overheat, go into thermal runaway and they explode. They’re like little bombs. They start fires all across the country. I know we will see them in the city.”
