A lightweight waste gathering vehicle is used to automate trash collection and removal from soft landscapes within recreation venues minimizing or eliminating damage to landscape. The lightweight vehicle can be used in crowded areas or areas where height, width and/or weight restrictions prevent the use of large refuse trucks. The lightweight waste gathering vehicle includes an automated arm, a tow-behind trailer and turf tires. In one implementation, the automated arm includes a lift arm type system. In another implementation, the automated arm includes a transport rail type system where the grabbers are mounted to a carrier and the carrier is mounted to a transport rail.