Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/535950
July 2015 | Overdrive | 61 DIVERSIONS HEALTH By Wendy Parker Former produce hauler Roger Gordon launched the Food Cowboy project to unite shippers and truckers with food pantries to help solve a problem that contributes up to half of all wasted food in the United States. It's profi table for retailers to refuse produce and food items, because it gives them a better selection to put in their stores and doesn't aff ect their initial cost – they only pay for what they accept. The people who take the fi nancial hit are the growers and wholesalers – as well as truckers who lose money in time and fuel shipping unwanted goods, as well as having to dispose of them. Often, a dumpster is closer and, depending upon fuel costs, more cost-effi cient than taking the goods to a food bank. FoodCowboy.com and its associat- ed mobile apps for iOS and Android devices have a solution. It's as simple as getting the right people connected, and taking food pantry technology to the level now used in the transporta- tion industry is the fi rst step. Most indigent food centers lack websites and online accessibility because the bulk of their monies go to feeding people. Something as basic as an app that allows these people to connect logistically on their cell phones to make it as easy (and profi t- able) to use the food as to dispose of it can make a huge diff erence. The app and Web-based dashboard was launched in March and is free for both donors and charities. A shipper or driver enters information about an available donation, e.g., type, quantity, location, temperature, pickup time, etc. on the app or by logging in to the Food Cowboy website. The system then alerts charities within 25 miles of the food's location via email. If the food is on a truck, the user can enter and search near a location where the truck may be heading. When a charity accepts the do- nation, the system sends the driver its address and phone number, and information about parking, local truck stops, etc. Only charities that can ac- commodate 18-wheelers are included in the system. After the food has been transferred, a receipt is generated and sent via email. Donors can generate and download reports to give to their bookkeepers. Finding a way not to waste excess produce It's time to lose the wait. Visit Drivewyze.com to begin your 30 day free trial and start skipping the scales today. 1-888-988-1590 Stop waiting in line and start bypassing the scales with Drivewyze,™ the nation's largest weigh station bypass service. Drivewyze works on your smartphone or tablet, instead of a traditional transponder. It's easy to get started: just download the app. ©2015 Drivewyze is a trademark of Intelligent Imaging Systems inc. The nation's largest weigh station bypass service. Works on smartphones, and on PeopleNet, Rand McNally and Zonar ELDs