NEWARK, NJ — As a new fleet of street sweeping vehicles hits the roadways of Newark this week, city officials are hoping that they will also help to sweep clean the memory of the municipality's last vendor.

Last week, city officials announced that Newark bought eight, "state-of-the-art" street sweeping machines in an effort to cut out the "middle man." The city plans to hire local CDL drivers to run the vehicles. The city's decision to purchase the new fleet came after "many resident complaints" about the company previously responsible for street sweeping, Newark-based Dejana Industries. According to a municipal news release, the move will save the city nearly $2 million per year and employ several local residents.

"We are currently preparing to bring on new CDL drivers," Director of Public Works Khalif Thomas said. "Newarkers know our neighborhoods and can appreciate the way that the streets should be cleaned. We are depending on their commitment to improving these services." "The city is committed to enhancing the quality of life for our residents," Mayor Ras Baraka said. "By eliminating the middle-man vendor, we will be able to respond more effectively to citizen's concerns about sanitation services."

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