How to Retrofit a School Bus Into a Mobile Cafeteria School Meals on the Move

Paul R. Rodgers, MS, SNS Colleen Carter, MS, RDN, SNS Child Nutrition Supervisor School Nutrition Specialist Caesar Rodney School District Brandywine School District

• School Bus Criteria….must have’s ⎻ Air Conditioning ⎻ Interior / Exterior / Running Condition ⎻ Reasonable Price • Hilton Bus Company ⎻ Current Bus Contractor for the District ⎻ Positive Relationship with District Transportation Supervisor ⎻ Willingness to Conduct Routine Maintenance

• Blue Bird Bus ⎻ Air Conditioning ⎻ Air Brake Control System ⎻ Diesel Fuel ⎻ Handicap Bus / Lift ⎻ Bus Seats ⎻ Three Feet Shorter ⎻ 150,000 Miles ⎻ $4,900.00

• Wrap Company / Quotes ⎻ Mimesis • $9,600….Custom Art Design, Wrap above/ on the Windows ⎻ Brandywine Graphics • No Bid…..Scope of the Project to Large ⎻ Extreme Graphics • $10,000….No wrap on the Windows ⎻ JD Sign Company • $9,000….Art Concept was a Copy & Paste

• Interior Equipment ⎻ Cafeteria Tables • Virco Mobile Table • Converts into a Bench • Eight (8) Feet Long • Four (4) Tables • $3,400

• Interior Equipment ⎻ Cambro Insulated Carts • Seven Full Sheet Trays • Removable Cutting Board • Cambro Chill Packs • Four (4) Carts • $2,000

• Interior of the Bus ⎻ Air Conditioning ⎻ Every Seat is a Window Seat ⎻ Library Books ⎻ Tablets…..Paint by Numbers ⎻ Music • Loading Meals on the Bus

• Pro’s • Con’s ⎻ Relatively Inexpensive ⎻ Limited Cold Holding ⎻ Indoor Dining ⎻ No Hot Holding Capabilities • Air Conditioning ⎻ No Cooking Capabilities • Free of Bugs • Learning Experiences • Free of Weather ⎻ CN Employee / CDL ⎻ Mobile Learning Center ⎻ Wrap Installation ⎻ Limited Utilities, Limited Risk

• Total Cost: $20,000 • Paid for in Three to Five Years • Seats Roughly 25 to 30 Students • Great Way to Market Summer Meals Program • Pro’s Outweigh many of the Con’s • Life Expectancy is Five to Seven Years

• Goals ⎻ Extend Reach of Summer Feeding - Bring Fresh Meals to Communities ⎻ Increase our Total Summer Meals Served ⎻ Expand into School Year for Service - Serve High School one day per week - Serve Field Trips - Provide for Special Events

• School Bus Criteria….must have’s ⎻ Low Miles ⎻ Running Condition ⎻ Interior / Exterior in Good Condition ⎻ Full Size Bus ⎻ No Cost to BSD School Nutrition

• Retrofit / Quotes ⎻ Local DE Food Truck Company • $78,500… Incomplete Bid; Had never converted a bus, only prefab cabinets/tables/equipment and wrap would be additional ⎻ NJ Food Truck Company • $152,460… Had worked with buses, custom option available, and wrap included ⎻ VA Food Truck Company • $278,400…Had worked with buses and wrap included

• Interior Equipment ⎻ Cooking Equipment • Flat Top Grill • Conveyor Pizza Oven ⎻ Holding Equipment • Hot Holding Cabinets (3) • Refrigerated Cabinets (2) • Insulated Cooler (1) • Hot Serving Line (1) – shared • Cold Hold Table for prep area

• Unforseen Problems ⎻ Formal Bid Process ⎻ Lengthy Build Time ⎻ Body Work • $5,000 in body work costs ⎻ Brake Line Issues • $2,000 in brake repairs plus towing

• High Tech Options ⎻ Tablet PCs (2) • Used for POS at the bus ⎻ Music Sound System • 2 indoor / 2 outdoor speakers ⎻ Flat screen TV Display • 1 Outdoor display

• Marketing & Social Media Campaign ⎻ Official Launch 2 end of May • Served Lunch at Two High Schools ⎻ Backpack Flyers • Distributed the Last Week of School ⎻ Posters in All Buildings ⎻ Social Media Campaign • @BSDBrandyDine And Facebook • Advertise Dates/Times for Bus Locations

• Pro’s • Con’s ⎻ More Expensive than Standard ⎻ Full Cooking Capability (40 ft) Food Truck ⎻ Hot Holding (cabinet and ⎻ Very Large & Difficult to Drive into serving line) smaller parking lots ⎻ No Shelter for Students Beyond ⎻ Cold Holding (insulated box, the Window cold top, and refrigerator) • Learning Experiences ⎻ Health Department Approval ⎻ Bid Process Hand Washing Sinks ⎻ Timeline Stretch (1 year late) 3 Compartment Sink ⎻ Created new SN Position (driver) ⎻ CDL License

• Total Cost: $156,280 • Serves 50 meals per window in 15 minutes • Ability to Cook Onsite / Greater Use Options • Life Expectancy is 15 Years or Greater

• Paul Rodgers ⎻ Employee: State of Delaware, Caesar Rodney School District No Disclosures • Colleen Carter ⎻ Employee: State of Delaware, Brandywine School District No Disclosures

• This session provides one (1) CEU ⎻ Key Area: Operations - 200 ⎻ Key Topic: How to retrofit a bus into a mobile cafeteria/kitchen

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