The three haulers under contract with the Augusta Commission to serve 23,000 new garbage customers are slated to start their collection routes early this morning.

Although customers scheduled for Friday pickup will be the only ones getting curbside service today, those with collection days Saturday through Thursday are expected to start seeing trash trucks outside their doors on their next regularly scheduled pickup day.

''We're prepared to begin the program on schedule,'' said City Administrator George Kolb. ''It's a first-time experience for all of us, so I hope people will be patient with us as we work through some issues.''

Those issues, thus far, have ranged from customers demanding to know why they weren't included in new garbage service areas to those asking why they're being made to pay a $195 tax for a service that many senior citizens say is more than they need.

Pickup questions Q: I have a trash can, but there was no information about my hauler with it. How do I find out what my days of pickup are? A: First, look in the bottom of your bin. Some of the fliers can be found inside your can. If there's nothing attached to the can or inside it, call the Department of Public Works at 796-5040 or the Augusta Cares hot line at 821-2300. Operators should be able to tell you who your hauler is and provide a phone number to contact them for pickup days.

But the most frequently lodged complaints in recent days have been from customers not receiving cans or from those who have received their cans but haven't gotten any information from their hauler about days of pickup.

The Department of Public Works reports receiving an average of 500 calls a day concerning trash service.

Until people get used to the change, haulers say, they're working to keep customers content and informed.

Augusta Disposal and Recycling workers spent Thursday driving through the National Hills neighborhood, picking up cans from outgoing customers slated to start receiving city-run service from Inland Services. Augusta Disposal primarily will be serving the Summerville area.

''We're going to accommodate anybody - even if they just have bags out, we'll get it,'' said Monique Woods, city controller for Augusta Disposal, which also is one of three haulers to be signed on with the city's new collection contracts. ''We're used to this.''

Reach Heidi Coryell at (706) 823-3215.