Northern Colorado · 4 haulers compared
Before you pay another
trash bill — read this.
Four haulers. One honest comparison. Contracts, pricing, ratings, and who actually answers when you call — no spin.
You're paying for this service every month. You deserve to know exactly what you're getting — and what you're not.
The honest side-by-side
Contracts, pricing transparency, customer ratings, and who actually answers the phone — laid out so you can decide.
BBB data sourced from BBB.org · Google ratings sourced from Google Maps · Retrieved June 2026
| Dumpster DiverzFamily-owned · Since 2008 | Mountain HighCO roll-up | RAM WasteWaste Connections | Republic ServicesNational corp | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Local family | Colorado-based Acquired 2 companies | Waste Connections NYSE: WCN — national corp | Republic Services NYSE: RSG — national corp |
| Contracts | None — ever | ⚠ Auto-renewal clause | ⚠ Yes — corporate terms | City contract (FC only) |
| Monthly Price | $29/mo Posted publicly | Not disclosed Must call for quote | Not disclosed Must call for quote | City rate FC limits only |
| Customer Rating | ★ 4.4 30 Google reviews | ★ 4.1 1,754 reviews (Birdeye) | ★ 2.0 421 reviews | ★ 1.7 679 reviews |
| Who answers the phone | Real local person | ⚠ Varies | ✗ Call center | ✗ Call center |
Customer ratings sourced from Google and Birdeye · Retrieved June 2026
Worth knowing
"Local" gets used and abused
Every company calls themselves local — even the ones owned by Wall Street. At Dumpster Diverz, we actually are. Same owners since 2008. Give us a shot.
Sign Up TodayAbout each company
Ownership, pricing model, and customer history — plus what it actually looks like to be their customer.
Dumpster Diverz
Started in 2008 by the same owners who still run it today. No acquisitions, no outside investors, no corporate parent. Decisions get made locally, pricing is set locally, and the people answering the phone are the same people running the operation.
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You sign up online or by phone — no door-to-door reps. Residential trash starts at $29/mo for a 64-gallon cart, posted publicly on the website, no quote form required. There's no contract. If you want to cancel, you cancel. Service areas include Fort Collins, Windsor, Wellington, Loveland, Severance, Timnath, and surrounding Northern Colorado communities.
- ★ 4.4 Google · 30 reviews
- No BBB complaints on record
Mountain High Disposal
Based in Ault, CO — genuinely Colorado-based and family-operated originally. They've been growing through acquisitions: Bunting Disposal in 2024, and Step Up Disposal in June 2026. Their BBB public record shows a 1.25/5 customer rating from 16 reviews, with 19 complaints filed over the past 3 years — 13 in the last 12 months alone.
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A recurring pattern in BBB complaints: customers report being enrolled by door-to-door reps without clearly agreeing to service. Mountain High confirmed this enrollment practice in their own written response to the BBB. If a rep came to your door and you're unsure what you signed, check your bank or card statements. Pricing is not listed on their website — you'll need to call for a quote.
- ★ 4.1 Birdeye aggregate · 1,754 reviews
- ★ 1.25 BBB customer rating · 19 complaints (3 yr)
RAM Waste Systems
RAM started as an independent local hauler in Fort Collins in the early 1980s. It was acquired by Waste Connections — one of the three largest waste corporations in North America, publicly traded on the NYSE — and now operates as a fully-owned subsidiary under the RAM brand.
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The trucks still say RAM and the address is still Fort Collins, but pricing, contracts, and customer service protocols are managed at the corporate level. If you have a billing dispute or service issue, you're navigating a system built for scale across hundreds of markets — not a local owner you can call directly. Contract terms are standard for a corporate hauler.
- ★ 2.0 Google · 421 reviews
- Corporate contract terms standard
Republic Services
Republic Services is one of the two largest waste companies in the United States (NYSE: RSG). Fort Collins City Council voted to contract Republic as the exclusive residential hauler inside city limits, effective September 30, 2024.
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If you live inside Fort Collins city limits, Republic is the city-contracted hauler — you don't have a choice for that service tier. If you're in surrounding unincorporated areas or neighboring towns like Windsor, Wellington, Loveland, or Severance, you can choose your hauler freely and this comparison fully applies to you.
- ★ 1.7 Google · 679 reviews
- FC city limits residents: city-contracted — no choice
Have questions? Call us and get all the answers.
Real people. Real answers. No hold music.
Call (970) 888-7274Frequently asked questions
Who is the cheapest trash service in Northern Colorado?▼
Dumpster Diverz starts at $29/mo for a 64-gallon cart — and that price is posted publicly. Mountain High and RAM don't list pricing on their websites, so you'd need to call for a quote. Republic Services pricing is set by the city contract if you're inside Fort Collins city limits.
Does Mountain High Disposal require a contract?▼
Mountain High's specific contract terms are not published on their website. Industry standard for haulers typically includes auto-renewal clauses. Multiple BBB complaints from Mountain High customers mention difficulty canceling service.
Is RAM Waste Systems still locally owned?▼
No. RAM was founded locally in the early 1980s but is now fully owned by Waste Connections, Inc. — a national publicly-traded corporation (NYSE: WCN). It operates under the RAM brand but is a corporate subsidiary.
Can I choose my trash hauler if I live in Fort Collins?▼
If you live inside Fort Collins city limits, Republic Services is the city-contracted residential hauler as of September 2024. If you live in surrounding unincorporated areas or neighboring towns (Windsor, Loveland, Wellington, Severance, etc.) you can choose your hauler freely.
Why does the BBB accreditation rating not match the star rating for Mountain High?▼
BBB accreditation (the letter grade like A- or A+) reflects business practices and responsiveness to complaints — not customer satisfaction. The star rating (1.25/5 for Mountain High) comes from actual customer reviews. A company can have a good letter grade and terrible customer reviews. The two metrics measure different things.
How do I switch trash companies in Northern Colorado?▼
With Dumpster Diverz it's straightforward: sign up online or call (970) 888-7274, we deliver your cart, and your first pickup follows. No contract means no early termination fee from us. You may need to cancel your existing service separately — check your current provider's cancellation terms.
Were you a Step Up Disposal customer?
See our guide for Step Up customers →Ready to go local?
$29/mo. No contract. Family-owned since 2008.