>>> HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE AWAY YOUR GARBAGE?

YOU MAY WANT TO GET TO KNOW THEM BETTER AFTER THIS STORY.

EVERY YEAR THEY SELECT A DRIVER OF THE YEAR FROM 80,000 GARBAGE TRUCK DRIVERS.

THE DRIVER WHO ROSE TO THE TOP OF THE HEAT THIS YEAR IS MARTINEZ WHO DRIVES A COLLECTION ROUTE FOR REPUBLIC SERVICES.

HE IS KNOWN ALL AROUND THE CUL-DE-SAC .

WE MET UP WITH MARTINEZ, THE TRASH MEN WHO SAY HE IS A COMMUNITY MEN.

>> IT SMELLS LIKE MONEY TO ME.

RICHARD S. >> MOST NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T EAGERLY ANTICIPATE THE WEEKLY ARRIVAL OF THEIR SANITATION ENGINEER, COLLOQUIALLY KNOWN AS THE GARBAGE MEN.

>> I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED WHAT I'VE DONE.

>> BUT MOST NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T HAVE A NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING SANITATION ENGINEER LIKE FELIX MARTINEZ TAKING WHERE THEIR TRASH.

>> IT'S A HARD JOB.

IT'S A BENEFIT TO OUR WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE NAMED RESIDENTIAL SANITATION DRIVER OF THE YEAR?

SAFETY COMES FIRST AND WHAT CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS JOB.

I YOU LEFT.

HOW YOU PUSH.

HOW YOU PULL.

THIS STUFF BACK IN THE DAY, YOU JUST GRAB IT AND THROW.

>> OF COURSE, PUNCTUALITY IS A VIRTUE.

>> WHERE MARTINEZ REALLY CLEANS UP IS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE.

-- FIRST MET MARTINEZ WHEN HE SPOTTED HER DRAGGING WATERLOGGED ITEMS OUT OF HER BASEMENT.

>> HE AUTOMATICALLY GOES OUT OF HIS WAY AND THAT'S HOW OUR RELATIONSHIP STARTS.

AND THEN I WROTE A LETTER TO THE PUBLIC AND I TOLD THEM HOW WONDERFUL FELIX WAS.

NEVER WHAT I'VE DREAMED THAT DOWN THE ROAD HE WOULD'VE WON THIS NATIONAL HONOR.

>> WHEN FRED INJURED HIS BACK HE SAID MARTINEZ WENT THE EXTRA MILE TO GET HIS TRASH OUT.

NOW THEIR FRIENDS.

>> -- GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER CONSIDERING THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP -- OUR AGREEMENT WAS ONCE A WEEK.

>> ONLY IF HE DOESN'T COME OUT, I'M CALLING HIM.

>> Reporter: HE BEGAN WORKING IN TRASH COLLECTION RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

ABOUT 27 YEARS AGO.

>> WHAT'S GOING ON, BUDDY?

>> Reporter: A GREGARIOUS COWORKER NAMED LEROY TOLD HIM HE COULD COLLECT FRIENDSHIPS AS WELL AS TRASH.

>> YOU REALIZING NOW YOU'RE A LOT LIKE HIM.

IT MAKES ME PROUD.

>> Reporter: IT IS 26 YEARS WORKING FOR REPUBLIC SERVICES MARTINEZ SAYS HE FOUND ALWAYS HELPING CONNECT WITH PEOPLE ON HIS ROUTE.

>> I TOLD THIS ELDERLY LADY, YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK SLOW.

WE GET A CHUCKLE OUT OF IT.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS TAKING A MOMENT TO MAKE A FRIEND IS NEVER A WASTE OF TIME.

>> I JUST NEED A MINUTE OF YOUR DAY TO TALK TO YOU.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES , THIS