Big Idaho Potato Tour peels out behind T660 drives

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T660 Potato Tour1More trucking news here emerging from the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl like a shoot from a half-pound baker left on the windowsill. You’ll recall my post about the fine salute Women in Trucking delivered to the females of our industry during the televised contest — and now, check out the giant re-creation of one of those half-pound Idaho symbols of pride, set on a trailer and pulled by a Kenworth T660 supplied by the Kenworth Sales Company on a one-year rental contract.

T660 Potato Tour3Unveiled at the football game (the Ohio Bobcats won in a last-minute squeaker, making good on my predictions), the 6-ton, 28-foot-long potato was created over the course of a year and now sets off on a tour behind the T660 in honor of the Idaho Potato Commission’s 75th anniversary. While the eye-catching more-than-a-spud can’t be eaten, it will foster a lot of looks and photos, and that’s exactly why the IPC wants.

The Great Big Idaho Potato Truck, as it is known, will make stops at supermarkets, restaurants and trade shows and other high-traffic events as it rolls cross-country throughout the coming year. The truck will also raise awareness and funds for the Meals on Wheels Association of America, a non-profit organization that delivers more than one million meals each day to homebound seniors.

Planning for the Great Big Idaho Potato Truck began in early 2011, according to Laura Herrick, an account director for Foerstel Design and Marketing, who worked with the IPC on the idea. “Obviously a big part of the promotion is the truck, and we worked with Kenworth Sales Company and its PacLease operation in Boise. We immediately fell in love with the look of the Kenworth T660 and how it would represent Idaho potatoes in a great light.  And since we worked with Kenworth Truck Sales on a one-year rental program through their PacLease operation, they handle all the maintenance, over-width permits, and fuel tax reporting for the vehicle. We just provide the driver and go.”

To learn more about the tour, go to www.bigidahopotato.com.

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