The City of Grand Rapids has paid out over $35,000 in small claims damages this year alone after its vehicles struck parked cars, mailboxes and other roadside objects, according to City Commission documents published Monday.
Of the 33 claims paid out by the city from January through March of 2026, just 8 claims were unrelated to collisions caused by city vehicles. Those unrelated claims, which mostly concerned repairing damage to city utilities, totaled just $5,042.
Over half of the damages came from city snowplows that struck parked cars and mailboxes. These collisions collectively cost the city $20,758.
One claim which cost $10,060 happened when a snowplow struck a parked vehicle, damaging the “left rear and side” of the car. Other collisions between a plow and parked cars forced the city to pay out $5,359 and $3,805 each.
Snowplows weren’t the only city vehicles to damage parked cars, however. One claim for $3,584 came when a police cruiser “struck claimant’s vehicle damaging driver side door.”
A garbage truck also caused $2,942 worth of damage when it struck a parked vehicle, causing damage to its “fender and side view mirror.” Another collision between a garbage truck and a trash compactor racked up $3,619 in damages.
One claim for $67 came after a garbage truck “sped around into illegal lane striking claimant’s passenger mirror,” the document reads. Another garbage truck “damaged portion of vinyl fence when it set bin down,” leading to a $930 damage claim.
Another collision between a Grand Rapids Fire Department vehicle and a parked car caused $1,334 of “bumper damage.”
City vehicles also caused over $1,000 in damage just by hitting mailboxes. The two most expensive mailbox claims were for $330, caused by a garbage truck, and $257, caused by a snowplow.
Last fall, the City of Grand Rapids contemplated a proposal to become the sole trash hauler in the city, meaning residents would not be permitted to use their own private trash haulers. Amidst public pressure that proposal stalled.
A representative of the city told The Grand Rapids Herald via email it is “committed to safe operations, continuous training and strong oversight to help reduce future damage.”
“Although these incidents are never the intent, each one is thoroughly reviewed,” the statement reads. “This includes evaluating on‑board camera footage and conducting internal follow‑ups.”
The statement also highlighted the steep workload that faced plow drivers over the winter.
“This winter delivered more than half of a typical season’s snowfall in a short period of time,” it continues. “Crews worked 12‑hour shifts, providing continuous 24‑hour coverage for 22 straight days. Throughout the season, drivers logged 23,625 hours and covered 382,500 miles while managing plowing, salting, traffic, pedestrians, carts and roadside obstacles in challenging conditions.”
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