Last week, the NYPD  announced a crackdown on the 120 private sanitation companies who pick up commercial trash across the city.

Seconds after we hit the streets, we spot a truck, with the driver hanging off the side.

"It's against the law. It's very very unsafe. That person who's hanging on there could potentially fall," said Capt. Bill Gallagher, the executive officer of the NYPD's 19th Precinct. 

The NYPD’s highway patrol checked the truck, including its tires and signal and issued several violations.

We drove up 3rd Avenue and see this truck run a red light.

This individual driver had a suspended license.

The man is arrested for driving with a suspended license; his company, Filco Carting, is fined for safety violations. 

On Lexington Avenue, we spotted a truck operated by Action Carting stopped in the middle of a lane.

He then crosses four lanes of traffic and backs up into oncoming traffic.

Police turn on their emergency lights, but the workers keep tossing trash. They are cited for safety and traffic violations. 

Action carting is the largest  waste management company in the city. They have 133 trucks and haul garbage from 16,700 businesses.

In 2017, an Action Carting driver ran over a cyclist and kept going.

According to the federal motor carrier safety administration, the city’s private carters experience three times more crashes per driver than the national average.

In the last eight years… the carters have been involved in at least 67 traffic crashes and 43 deaths.

The city’s Business Integrity Commission (BIC), has oversight of the private carting industry. But it’s done close to nothing to reduce these crashes and fatalities.

"BIC is a small agency, it takes a lot of people to do this. BIC has 11 investigators," said Dan Brownwell, the agency's commissioner.

But in its 16 history, it’s held just one company accountable.

Bronx-based Sanitation Salvage. BIC says the company is responsible for two deaths in the past year. BIC revoked their license to operate in new york city.

The NYPD hopes this crackdown will result in safer streets.

The crackdown resulted in 515 moving and 555 criminal court ticket, and the towing of 17 trucks, according to the NYPD.