DOTs Innovate

JAWS Debris Remover

Missouri Department of Transportation

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Video of JAWS in Action

youtu.be/K71hYQ6LVV8 Large debris, such as mattresses, ladders, and furniture, are a safety hazard to those who travel the roadways and especially dangerous for the maintenance crews who remove the debris from the travel lanes. To keep maintenance employees out of the roadway while clearing away debris, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDot) developed JAWS

JAWS or Julie’s Automated Waste Removal System was named after a MoDot employee who lost her life while removing debris from the freeway. The integrated debris removal system is a pickup truck outfitted with a drop-down skid plate, controlled with a joystick inside the truck’s cab. A camera activates when the skid plate is lowered, allowing the operator to see the debris on the roadway. The driver is then able to push the object from the roadway to an area where the debris can be safely be broken down and loaded into a vehicle for disposal.