–Post updated (3:30pm, 1/13/2012)–
UPDATE #3: Mayor Vince Gray just tweeted me directly to say the following: @foodtruckfiesta No new enforcement actions are planned,@DCDPW and @DCPoliceDept assure me. New regs are moving forward according to law.
UPDATE #2: Mike DeBonis, from the Washington Post, just got word from a senior aide to Mayor Vincent C. Gray that the new regulations will be published in the Jan. 20 edition of the D.C. Register.
Over the past week, District officials have been visiting food trucks and telling them that beginning on Jan 13, 2012, they will be ticketing food trucks that don’t have a line formed in front of them. Specifically, if there is a lapse of more than 15 minutes between customers, the food truck will receive a $1000 fine! UPDATE #1: I hate to report this, but the news is even worse.. District officials were allowing 15 minutes between customers, but starting tomorrow, they will have no time frame! The fine is also set at $50, but escalates with every violation (so, I’m guessing that’s where the $1000 figure comes from). This means that if MPD rolls up and sees a truck with no line, they are immediately fined $50 and told to pack things up and go home. To add insult to injury, if a truck racks up 17 of these violations in one year, they can have their license revoked.
As you may know, DC food trucks are operating under decades-old ice cream truck regulations. District Mayor, Vincent Gray (email: eom@dc.gov), has new unpublished regulations sitting on his desk that would bring DC’s laws up to date with the current times. But, he is refusing to move forward with updating the food truck regulations, probably because he doesn’t want to ruffle the feathers of the restaurant association. So, even though 1,000’s of us residents and food truck fans love the food trucks and want to allow them to operate freely, our elected officials continue to ignore us.
Dessert trucks are likely to be hit the hardest with this new enforcement tactic since desserts are already prepared and lines move extremely quickly.
Enforcement is expected to be seen tomorrow at DC’s Farragut Friday and other popular spots, like L’Enfant plaza. So, if you see a lonely food truck without a line, why not walk over to have a chat with the owner so that you can reset that 15 minute time limit allow them to continue serving for the day? 😉
This is definitely irritating, and smacks of a payoff (or at least favoritism). I hope it’s one of those on-the-books laws that’s not really enforced.
However, I am surprised by the number of food truck operators who don’t bother to feed the meters… a few days ago a few trucks were ticketed in Franklin Park, and honestly I was glad to see it — EVERYONE must pay to park, and if you don’t keep a meter fed while you’re sitting there well then you deserve a ticket.
Dude that sucks!! Why can’t customers purchase their good in peace? Food trucks provide revenue and a tax base!!Some form of agreement between the trucks, restaurants and cart vendors needs to be worked out so that THE PEOPLE won’t suffer!
This is terrible. Do-nothing politicians being influenced by big money lobbies. Nothing new there unfortunately. Food trucks are a NECESSITY in DC, which is a city majorly lacking in good, cheap, fast lunch options. Most neighborhoods in DC you are forced to chose between an hour-long lunch for $20 at some overpriced sit-down restaurant, or grabbing a lousy pre-made refrigerated sandwich at a “cafe.”
Easy fix. Each food truck operator pays an extra employee an hourly wage to stand in front of the truck and pretend to be in line, playing the part of a customer. Most trucks are not parked for more than three hours max, so this translates to around $25 total for one day based on minimum wage averages.
To solve the immediate crisis, how about the food trucks work with the local homeless community since they are already around the area. If a parking enforcement officer is nearby, one of them would start a line as a customer. In return each day the trucks would provide their temporary employee a nice warm meal?
This is terrible. Hulagirl told me yesterday that she could lose her license after 3 violations, not 17.
Has anyone actually seen the ice cream truck regulations? They are not online.
This crack down is some BS!!!
Here is an excerpt from the DCRA food truck application.
“Once granted this license, you agree to operate according to the law. You can
only solicit customers who flag you down. The 35-year-old law was intended for ice cream trucks and obviously did not foresee social media playing such a vital role. Please understand that this is current regulations and we will enforce the rule for vendors who do not follow this rule, traffic and parking rules.
For example: If a Mobile Vendor parks on A Street NW for 5 customers who flag
them down or alerted the vendor they were waiting via social media, the vendor needs to find a legal parking spot to serve customers and then must leave once all customers are served. Anybody found not following these rules is subject to fines and possible revocation of their license.”
Wonder who lobbied for this nonsense?
It’s never about what the people want, is it?
http://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Gateway/ChapterHome.aspx?ChapterID=72767
The ice cream truck regs are section 24-516. License suspension/revocation is in 24-509.
Thanks, Fred, I was looking under Food and Food Operations.
we to had this as an big deal, I just rented a space in a parking lot in the town I am from. It solved the problem. Then created another problem. With insurance as to who is at risk. On the street if a customer stumbles and falls by your truck, but in a parking lot???
Just because the mayor says he has no plans of increased enforcement, it doesn’t mean DPW or parking enforcement is going to do this anyway. Afterall this is DC, home of plausible deniability
Police ticketed every truck at Metro Center today. BS.
@ 1215, none of the trucks were ticketed at Navy Yard. I was there about 20 mintues and talked with each of the trucks (Cap Greenz, Halal, Tops and Sol) I can’t speak to after 1230, but most of the trucks tend to close up shop around 1300.