Parsons USD 503’s food service deliveries to schools have become simplified with the acquisition of a box truck.
The district took on managing its own food service operations the 2021-2022 school year amid rising costs of food. Maintenance director Eric Bortz said prior to getting the truck, the district was delivering meals in two vans requiring two drivers.
Superintendent Lori Perkins said this required multiple accommodations to the food vans, such as removing the seats, adding rails and hooks, and adding a lift.
“This has also meant multiple trips delivering food to the buildings because it can’t all fit in a van,” Perkins said. “Eric Bortz suggested looking into a box truck that would be able to transport all the food and trays, preventing multiple trips and costly modifications to a van.”
“I stressed the efficiency and how it is a lot safer,” Bortz said.
Finding a box truck that fit the district’s needs and budget was not easy, but Bortz said he and Transportation Director Rick Giefer finally found one in Tulsa, Okla. After getting it, maintenance added a back up camera and alarm for enhanced safety around the children.
“That was the first thing, because box trucks are harder to see around,” Bortz said.
Food Service director Marla Kirkpatrick said they rearranged schedules and put all schools on the same lunch schedule.
Now, using the box truck, one driver picks up trays and food carts at Parsons High School and Parsons Middle School and delivers them to all the elementary schools and St. Patrick Catholic School in one trip.
“The box truck is almost full by the time he gets everything in,” Kirkpatrick said, referencing the trays and hot and cold food carts for each school.
Cleanup is also much easier with the box truck if anything spills.
“Try cleaning gravy out of a van,” Bortz said.
What is especially nice is when the truck is not in use by food services, maintenance can use it for other purposes, too.
“It has been tremendous. Like this morning we had to haul risers to the Municipal Building. Before we had to get out a 12 to 16 foot ramp. Now we can just back up to a loading dock and unload the risers right into the Municipal Building,” Bortz said.
“They took it to Joplin last Friday to pick up a reach-in refrigerator I needed for the middle school. It saved me about $500 or $600 on a delivery fee,” Kirkpatrick said.
“So it really benefits us,” Bortz said. “Any way we can save money and be efficient, we are headed in the right direction.”
The district hired Wright Signs to wrap the truck and it was completed Wednesday.
“It looks great,” Perkins said.