Drivers from left to right are:  Jeff Shuman, Mike Hasse,

Pablo Alonso, Jason Beu, David Skinner and Alan Wise

Day with a Driver

I had the pleasure this early Monday morning ( 5:30 a.m. ) of observing the daily routine of our Food Service Drivers.

The six Food Service Drivers, David Skinner, our Lead Driver, Alan Wise, Jeff Schumann, Mike Haase, Jason Beu, Pablo Alonso, all arrived at the Central Commissary with a smile and a friendly hello.

 

Each took on their responsibility of the job to get over 13,000 lunch meals loaded onto the five (5) Refrigerated trucks. Just watching was amazing. As Mike stated to me later, “they work together like a fine tuned engine.” Each doing their part necessary for the system to run smoothly.

Thousands of racks of lunches along with cases of cereal, bread, sporks and juice were loaded onto the trucks, not to mention bins of macaroni, cases of can fruits and a pallet of flour for Streamwood High School .

 

By 6:30 a.m. all the trucks were loaded to capacity and I was honored to continue my day driving with Mike.   Mike arrived at each stop and physically climbed in and out of the truck to unload racks of food to each elementary building.  All in a days work, yes, but not to be taken lightly. These gentlemen work hard and care about the job that they do for us.

 

After the elementary meals were delivered we proceeded to Streamwood High School to pick up salad items and cookies. The items we picked up were then delivered to the Middle and High Schools.

Just about 10:40 a.m. it was time for lunch break – Thank Goodness I needed coffee! Lunch is at Elgin High School. After lunch about 1l: 25 it was time to revise our route and pick up racks to be used for the next day's pack at the commissary.

Off again, in and out of the schools, in and out of the truck. By 1:30 p.m. our day was almost finished. We had a truck load of empty racks to return to the commissary. In between this time the drivers are required to fuel and maintain their own trucks if necessary.

Drivers are also required to go to the warehouse each day to pick up pallets of cereal and packing items. Jason picked up 6 pallets of cereal for a two (2) day breakfast supply. We will pick up at the warehouse again on Wednesday.  Wednesday and Thursday are the days the drivers also deliver snacks on their trucks along with all the other items.

If someone asked me to sum up my day, I would have to say “exhausting” and I did not even lift a single rack.  Each of us does our jobs to the best of our ability for the better of our schools, but until we walk in someone else's shoes we really don't know how they step (or something like that I'm always getting cliché's wrong.)

Let me just say, “Gentlemen you are doing a great job for us. Keep it up.”

Submitted by:

Cheryl Anders

Food Service Supervisor