Fresno Police say the driver never knew the man was in the back of his truck.
Officers arrived at the recycling plant in Southwest Fresno at around 6.30 in the morning to find the homeless man bloodied after being tossed around during the rough ride.
They say he was under the influence at the time.
Paramedics took him to the hospital but he's expected to be okay.
Just last week in Merced, another homeless person had to be rescued from a garbage truck after falling asleep in a dumpster.