

Moving fast to make moving easier
Boston needed an easy way for residents to dispose of large items like mattresses or refrigerators. In a city with a large student population, these bulky items are often left on the curb. We partnered with the city’s Digital Services Team to create an online tool to schedule pickup.
Challenge
Boston’s Digital Team had to to provide a brand new online experience for residents to schedule bulky item pickup. They only had 3 months before it needed to be live.
Outcome
In only six weeks, Speedlane engineers launched two stand-alone web applications. One for mattress pickup and one for bulky items. Both seamlessly integrate into boston.gov.
Impact
Online booking cut down on phone calls and manual processes. It also streamlining scheduling for residents and city staff. Pickups have increased, reducing street trash.
Services
Front end development
Data architecture
Product strategy
Back end development
The apps
We developed the apps using React for the front end and Firebase for the back end.
The project also included React Router, Tailwind CSS and SCSS.
We also used TypeScript for both front-end and back-end development.

A tight timeline
The biggest challenge of this project was the deadline. We had three months to ship an application with complex requirements. Syncing the city’s address database and integrating functionally with boston.gov added complexity. As did extra time for QA.
We moved fast by integrating Speedlane and City of Boston teams. We collaborated in shared Slack channels and held daily standups. Bi-weekly demos also ensured everyone was on the same page. We completed the first MVP for mattress collection in six weeks.

~7000
Items picked up using the new system
Moving the system online has been a huge boost to government efficiency. The total number of pickups are up while the time spent by City staff is down.
“This week, the city is taking new steps to make it easier to recycle your old bedding. On Tuesday, the Public Works Department went live with an online system that allows residents to schedule mattress and box-spring pick-ups. Go to Boston.gov/mattress to get it done.”
“Boston goes to the mattresses” Dorchester Reporter, June 6, 2024![]()
Do you have a complicated project that absolutely, positively has to ship on time? Let’s talk about how we can help make that happen.

The project has been a huge win for the City of Boston and our partners at the Digital Services team. It’s becoming part of the fabric of the city.