Since my two sons were small boys, an ever-present part of any family vacation or outing was watching out for portable restrooms. Wherever we traveled, Henry, now 28, and Wilson, now 25, would shout out when they saw a construction unit along the highway. They were also not shy about using a portable restroom at a fair or festival from the time they could go off to the bathroom on their own. 

“That’s a Satellite Tufway,” I would explain as they would pass by a unit at a park or playground, not really so impressed that the old man could identify any restroom we would encounter. On a few occasions, I photographed them coming out of a unit for one of our “Where’ the Restroom?” features in Portable Restroom Operator magazine.

In short, portable sanitation has been an important part of our family’s lives for the past 20 years after I took over as editor of this magazine. I think you can understand this, as many PRO readers and their families have grown up with and put dinner on the table through working in this small, but close-knit industry.

WE’RE IN IT TOGETHER

I would observe that service contractors in this industry share a closer bond than those in other similar trades, such as plumbing, electrical and the like. That’s because many in the general public hold either a dim view of the work or pokes fun of what we do for a living. We have to remind and reassure ourselves that the important work we perform helps enhance sanitary conditions for everyone.

We’re serving the greater good, but we constantly have to endure being the butt of poop jokes freely shared by those we encounter. Though I have worked in many fields over a long career as a writer and editor, I feel the greatest kinship with portable restroom operators. Unlike most folks you meet, I have grown to understand the value and professional rewards you derive from working in an important service industry. And even though I’m not handling a suction hose or driving a vacuum truck, I’d like to think I’m a part of the crew.

All of this is to say that I’m not sure how I and my family are going to react in the coming months and years when we see a brightly colored portable restroom along the side of the road. That’s because I’ll no longer officially be a part of the portable sanitation industry. This is my final issue of PRO serving as your editor. Moving forward, Tim Dobbins will take over as your journalist, supporter and advocate in the wastewater world.

IN THE BEGINNING

I cut my teeth in the world of trade publishing with this magazine. Half a career ago, I left newspaper journalism and university public relations jobs when COLE Publishing bought the existing PRO magazine and I was charged with tracking the progress of an industry that was still in some respects in its infancy.

In October 2004, portable restrooms were not yet seen as a prerequisite on every construction site or special event grounds. Convincing event organizers to rent the appropriate number of restrooms and adding hand-wash facilities to match was not a given. The connection between restrooms and worker satisfaction or special event success was not well understood, so PROs had to become experts in sales and marketing as well as educators in best sanitation practices.

I’d like to think attitudes have changed over the years. Construction contractors are either required to provide or accept that portable sanitation services are now a necessary component of every job. And the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in new standards for hand-washing, with many more orders of units including a sink or sanitary station, and more event planners choosing VIP restroom trailers with heat and running water.

I have watched a continual striving for professionalism among portable sanitation providers. Every year when I attended the Pumper & Cleaner Expo (now the WWETT Show), more and more contractors would be hungry to learn about new software technologies and better equipment to serve their customers. As the years passed, I saw a growing number of PROs walking the show floor in snappy uniforms. At the same time, I saw fewer new vacuum trucks carrying poop jokes or graphics that demean the work and degrade the value of the services you provide.

SIMPLY THE BEST

Today I would put the professionalism of PROs up against any other service industry. The resulting enhanced image means restroom companies are more often shown the respect they are due for providing a necessary and clean service. As you build revenues, restroom operators are able to pay their workers competitive wages, provide benefits more in line with other established trades and buy better, more efficient and safer equipment to get the job done.

I have been most proud of being able to shine a light on hundreds of successful PROs over the years, to produce feature stories and cover photos you would be proud to display on your office walls and share with your customers. It’s gratifying to think that a little of my work as editor will live on in those framed stories or the collected magazines you’ve saved and reread over the years. 

It’s also great to think back on all of the featured contractors and be thankful for the times they’ve shared tips and experiences that may have helped others succeed in the industry. PROs have shown me over the years that they’re a great group of people who want to help each other — and in so doing helped improve the entire portable sanitation industry. Those many folks who’ve taken the time to be interviewed by our writers should be proud industry ambassadors, and I would encourage more of you to reach out to Tim at editor@promonthly.com to share your success stories. 

My job as editor has been great fun over the years and I don’t take that for granted. Thanks to each and every one of you who have taken time out of your busy schedules to talk to me. I’m sure I will pause and reflect on all those good experiences when I pass a restroom on life’s highway or seek relief in a clean, well-serviced unit at a park or special event.