BOISE - After seven years of touring the country, the Big Idaho Potato Truck has received a much-needed upgrade.
The iconic truck, which is the star of the Idaho Potato Commission's national advertising campaign, was recently retrofitted with a newer, lighter and more streamlined potato.
The old potato was made out of concrete and weighed in at a whopping six tons.
"So as you can imagine, over seven years, with contraction and expansion, the concrete was starting to show a little wear-and-tear," said Famous Idaho Potato Tour director Laura Martin.
So married couple Sharolyn and Chris Schofield - who designed the first potato - went back to the drawing board to design and construct the new "diet potato."
The new version is made out of fiberglass, and weighs two tons less that the original. It is also slightly thinner, making it more streamlined on the truck, and is more durable and weather resistant.
And there is no wasted space inside the giant tuber.
"They've created a lot of storage space as well as some living space for the team," Martin said. "There's lockers, there's changing areas. It's actually pretty slick, it's almost like a studio apartment in there."
New Big Idaho Potato Truck
With the overhaul complete, the new Big Idaho Potato Truck is ready to hit the road for its next tour. You can follow along by visiting potatotracker.com.
And in case you're wondering, no, the potato is not edible.
"The number one question we get in every state, even our own, is 'is it real?'" Martin said. "Everyone thinks it's a real potato, to the point where I even have event coordinators ask if they need to find a refrigeration unit to put it in at night."