Driver, Food Rescue
The Food Rescue Driver is responsible for driving a defined route each day to collect, inspect, load perishable and nonperishable food products from vendors and deliver the food to Lovin’ Spoonfuls beneficiaries. The Food Rescue Driver is responsible for maintaining positive relationships with vendors, beneficiaries, and the community as a whole. The Food Rescue Driver is the face of our organization and as such must be committed to our mission.
Responsibilities
- Drives a medium duty truck (non-CDL), following all Lovin’ Spoonfuls safety protocol, including all US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Massachusetts Department of Transportation regulations as well as company regulations related to company vehicles and general safety.
- Collects prepared, perishable, and other rescued foods from retail stores, farms, and wholesale partners; informs supervisor of any problems or issues in a timely manner.
- Inspects the product to be donated following food safety guidelines and refuses donations if the product doesn’t meet stated criteria.
- Delivers food to non-profit beneficiaries; informs supervisor of any problems or issues in a timely manner.
- Collects and delivers all product following all state and federal food safety handling guidelines.
- Following the completion of the day’s route, comes back to the office to accurately records all collections and distributions in our inventory system by 4 PM of the same business day. Also records all information pertinent to food rescue operations.
- Completes and submits weekly reports in a timely manner.
- Develops and maintains positive relationships with vendors and beneficiaries; maintains positive relationships with all Lovin’ Spoonfuls staff.
Requirements, Experience, & Skills
Job Requirements
- Acceptable motor vehicle report (MVR) with no accidents in the past 3 years
- Possess or ability to obtain current DOT physical card per state and federal regulations
- Effective customer service skills
- Ability to learn computerized data input technology
- Willing to move between the aspects of the job that involve driving in the community and those that require an in-office presence at the Lovin’ Spoonfuls office
- Ability and desire to relate to and work with individuals of various age, economic, racial, and ethnic groups.
- Ability to communicate in English
- Ability to obtain a safe food handling license (ServSafe)
- COVID-19 vaccinations and up-to-date booster shots for all employees.
Education & Experience
Formal education or special training required:
- High School graduate
- Valid Driver’s License with at least 5 years of relevant experience driving box trucks or refrigerated trucks is preferred.
- Food Handling experience preferred
- Previous customer service and/or grocery retail experience preferred
Hours, Work Environment & Physical Demands
Hours
Full-Time: Must be available 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, though schedules vary day to day; evening shifts required June - November, weekend hours rarely. Mandatory break during the workday. Minimum 36 hours worked per week.
Physical Demands:
- Ability to stand, walk, sit, use hands, reach, climb stairs, stoop, kneel, climb in and out of a dock-high vehicle, talk and hear clearly
- Ability to perform moderate to heavy physical labor (lift or maneuver up to 50 lbs repeatedly and loading and unloading a total of approximately 2,000 lbs to 3,000 lbs on a daily basis)
- Ability to navigate the Boston metro area and/or use a GPS
Work Environment
This job requires the ability to:
- Operate in an enclosed box truck or commercial van on a daily basis, both alone and with another driver/assistant.
- Work outdoors while loading and unloading product. Work indoors while driving or filling out paperwork.
- Be exposed contaminants such as fuel or exhaust
- Wear protective gloves daily (discretionary)
- Sometimes being exposed to hot or very cold temperatures while working inside (including refrigerated areas, coolers, or freezers) or outside
- Occasionally get into cramped positions to reach workspaces, such as the back of a truck.
- Occasionally being exposed to whole body vibration when driving a truck.
- Sometimes dealing with sounds or noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable.
- Working close to others, especially when unloading trucks and 2-3 days/week enclosed in a box truck or commercial van.
- Handle and sort through produce and other food products that are close to, at, or past expiration, or may be opened
- Use of hand-trucks or two-wheel dollies, and U-boats for moving, loading, and unloading product
- Additionally, this role uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones
About Lovin' Spoonfuls
Lovin’ Spoonfuls is an organization that facilitates the recovery and distribution of healthy, perishable food that would otherwise be discarded. Lovin’ Spoonfuls works efficiently to deliver this food directly to the community organizations and resources where it can have the greatest impact. Lovin’ Spoonfuls is committed to addressing the health, environmental and economic impact that food waste has on our community. Headquartered in Boston, MA, Lovin’ Spoonfuls is a 501c3, nonprofit organization.
At Lovin’ Spoonfuls, we are proud of our culture, where we are grounded in our Core Values. We foster open and honest dialogues among staff, and we prioritize opportunities for professional development, team connection, and engagement with the communities we serve.