Catching Up With Clean Team Lead Supervisor Antonio Ruiz

If you spend a lot of time in the Lincoln Square BID, odds are you’ve passed our Clean Team Lead Supervisor, Antonio Ruiz, on the street. After all, Antonio has been working for the BID for almost 5 five years now, as one of 15 members of the Clean Team. We took a few minutes this month to catch up with Antonio and ask him about his work in Lincoln Square!

Antonio makes the hour-plus journey from New Jersey to the Upper West Side five days a week. Here, he oversees our Clean Team and helps keep Lincoln Square spotless. From inventorying supplies to checking that the crew has their uniforms, name tags, and radios, it’s his job to make sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs effectively and that everything goes smoothly. He is also responsible for communicating and coordinating with Streetplus, the company through which we contract the Clean Team.

The job of picking up garbage, and sometimes, yes, animal droppings or even dead animals, is not for everyone, but Antonio finds the silver lining. He takes much pride in the work he does and enjoys the rewarding feeling of figuring out how to best accomplish his tasks. Plus, some days lead to unexpected finds – he’s found a few wallets while on the job that the BID has successfully returned to their owners.

Antonio’s favorite part of being the Clean Team supervisor is his office – the great outdoors. He considers being able to work outside, rather than in an office, a big perk. While it can sometimes be challenging to work in the elements, sunny days make it all worthwhile for him. He also enjoys being out there with the people – both his crew and the people he meets on the sidewalks. In particular, he enjoys being able to help visitors who ask for directions. Above all, Antonio loves how nice the people are in Lincoln Square – often saying good morning to him or thanking him for his hard work.

In Lincoln Square, Antonio’s favorite spot is the iconic globe at Columbus Circle. But when he’s off duty, Antonio enjoys spending time with his family, especially watching a good movie. When you’re out on the street and see Antonio – or any of our Clean Team members for that matter – be sure to say hello and tell them what a great job they’re doing – it really makes their day!