Food truck owners might have to get moving or land in jail

Fans of taco truck fare might have to do a little more driving  to hunt down their favorite meal on wheels. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering a new law  that could leave the owners of taco and catering trucks facing jail time if they park in the same spot too long.

Currently,  the food trucks that overstay the 30-minute limit in unincorporated Los Angeles County  are subject only to a fine. But, as the San Gabriel Valley Tribune notes, the ordinance proposed by Supervisor Gloria Molina makes the violation a misdemeanor, which can carry jail time.

The  proposal, which received a preliminary OK on Tuesday subject to a final vote next week, comes in response to long-standing complaints about the trash, traffic problems and other nuisances related to all types of catering trucks, not just those selling tacos, said Aaron Moreno, a legislative aide to state Assemblyman Charles Calderon, who has sponsored legislation clarifying the role of cities and counties to regulate the vehicles.

"There are vending trucks that sell Chinese food or sandwiches or tacos," Moreno said.   "The goal is to make sure they don't stay parked for hours on end and bring up public safety issues."

Under the proposed ordinance, the county would actually increase the time trucks can park in any one spot in a commercial area to 60 minutes from 30 minutes, making it consistent with the City of Los Angeles.

However, as any street food diner will tell you, taco trucks have become such permanent features in some neighborhoods that many residents use them as navigational landmarks. That’s what the blogger behind Son Mis Locuras discovered when someone sent her directions to a favorite Boyle Heights taco truck:

“Go south on Soto, take a left at Olympic, and then look for three taco trucks.  The first truck has the best ceviche.”

-- Jesus Sanchez

Photo: Bandini / LA Taco

Comments

[sobelle]

IN THE 60'S WHERE MY HUSBAND WORKED THESE TRUCK'S WERE REFERED TO "HERE COME'S THE GARBAGE TRUCK"! WOULD I EAT FROM ANY OF THEM ? OH..NO AFTER I LEARN THEIR SANITARY CONDITION'S!!!! NEVER !
BAN THEM FROM THE STREET'S FOREVER !

[Andre]

Please oh please get rid of these trucks. I live in a Residential area an EVERY night one of these trucks parks for hours on end, not only taking up valuable parking space in a an area with limited street parking, but also puts out chairs for patrons. At times they make it impossible for one to walk on the sidewalk.

[Vanessa Ortiz]

I can understand if they are blocking traffic and what not but in my neighborhood they set up in the parking lots of corner store with the owners permission because when people buy tacos they can walk directly to the corner store and get their favorite cerveza......Dont ban the taco trucks...Just set some conditions....

[Marcos El Malo]

Taco trucks should be a source of civic pride. Los Angeles has the BEST tacos of any city, North or South of the border. This proposed law is stupid, and will harm businesses that are NOT nuisances. As for the trucks that are causing problems for neighbors, there are already laws that can be enforced to shut them down.

Taco trucks are a cultural ASSET to our city. Sobelle needs to acquaint herself with hygeine laws put into place since the 60s. Failing that, she could just go to the busiest trucks.

[AAAAANDRE]

Uh, I don't get it?

I mean how hard is it to make a taco?
All these so-called Mexican's can't even make their own tacos at home???
Even I, a 55yr old white guy can whip up a few killer tacos in minutes.
(and yes, they will burn your face off too!)

[Freddy Fender]

Well...I just want to say that the city needs to come up with legislation to ban people like AAAAANDRE and Andre....stop fronting and begin your minutemen endorsements already. Hey Andre, is it too hard to walk around the lawn chairs? Or do you think you're too good. And AAAAANDRE, no white-boy will ever make a "killer taco"...maybe a "killer, mexican-inspired concoction", but NEVER a killer taco..people like you need to vanish.

[Freddy Fender]

Well...I just want to say that the city needs to come up with legislation to ban people like AAAAANDRE and Andre....stop fronting and begin your minutemen endorsements already. Hey Andre, is it too hard to walk around the lawn chairs? Or do you think you're too good. And AAAAANDRE, no white-boy will ever make a "killer taco"...maybe a "killer, mexican-inspired concoction", but NEVER a killer taco..people like you need to vanish.

[Freddy Fender]

Well...I just want to say that the city needs to come up with legislation to ban people like AAAAANDRE and Andre....stop fronting and begin your minutemen endorsements already. Hey Andre, is it too hard to walk around the lawn chairs? Or do you think you're too good. And AAAAANDRE, no white-boy will ever make a "killer taco"...maybe a "killer, mexican-inspired concoction", but NEVER a killer taco..people like you need to vanish.

[eternal summer]

are they paying taxes? are they being regulated?
i have a small business downtown & am being taxed out the a$$. i would really hate to think that some a$$hole is making more $$ than I am as well as being a blight in the city as well and getting away scott-free.

that being said, my husband loves these roach-coaches

[Taco Taster]

Rolling roach coaches serve a purpose, but there comes a point at which they become a nuisance. Like all things in the cash/underground economy of LA, these vendors often survive because they don't have to pay the same overhead or tax levels (I said levels - they all pay _some_ minor tax, just not much) as the restaurants they might compete with.

The rest of us already deal with massive, mind-numbing government regulation and taxation (Thanks Eric!), so I understand how these "businessmen" might feel they're being picked on, but frankly, its unfair when they blight the neighborhood, monopolize public space while undercutting more legit operations.

So let the more popular sellers make arrangements for private space, and lets encourage the county/city to be flexible/consider in issuing CUP's for those sites, where they can stay more than 30 minutes. And everywhere else, they can just move on.

I get a chuckle though, seeing Molina complain about this stuff, after she's worked so hard to enable them.

[Xavier J]

So this is what we waste legislation on? Not the health codes of these places but on the amount of time they can park on any specific spot? Rather stupid thing to linger on.

As for taxes and taking away from your personal business, perhaps, just perhaps, they can make more money because they provide a service that is actually called upon. The old saying goes Water seeks its own level. If these places caused sickness or were unhealthy, people would stop eating from them and they would go under. Only the quality survives and I've seen many taco trucks who parked in one spot eventually make enough off word of mouth to open up a brick and mortar location on the very spot they have been parked at week in and weekend out.

Not to mention that we should take pride in the diversity and taste that these places provide. Take that away and what do you have? Taco Bell as your official choice for a late night "taco" ? No thank you.

Give me taco trucks, let them park, as long as they follow no liter laws and other zoning laws properly. This is unneeded legislation in a time when schools are cutting back cost.

[Ay caramba]

For years we've seen hot dog stands and those candy or ice cream trucks, business succeed where there is a market for them. We the people want Tacos, their will be Tacos. I also agree that if bussines owners have to pay legal permits, taxes, and rent they should too. We are all here to share the land so share the cost to keep and maintain. Yo quiero tacos!

[jesus]

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS.
1. THE ECONMY. JUST TODAY L.A MAYOR SAID THEIR IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 700-800 LAYOFFS IN THE CITY. THAT'S NOTHING COMPARE TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF BUSINESS.
2. ALL CATERING TRUCKS PAY HEALTH PERMITS OF $700. AND PAY THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE. THE VEHICLES ARE ISPECTED REGULARLY. THEY ALSO STORED THEM AT A COMECERY AT NIGHT WHICH COST $375 PER WEEK SO THEY MANTENCE THEM. WE PAY TAXES TOO. AND THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS, THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED.
3. HOW DO YOU THINK KING TACO OR TACO MEXICO RESTAURANT STARTED. THEY BEGAN WITH CATERING TRUCKS. ALL BUSINESS START FROM THE BOTTOM UP. DON'T YOU THINK WE WANT OUR OWN RESTAURANT. DO YOU THINK WE ENJOY WORKING LONG OURS STANDING UP. WE DON'T BUT WE HAVE TO, LIKE YOU DO AT YOUR WORK. DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU BEGAN. EITHER SWEEPING, CLEANING, HELPING OUT FOR FREE, LEARNING THE TRADE. ALL POLITIANS STARTED IN THE BOTTOM IN THEIR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD THEN LITTLE BY LITTLE THEY MOVED UP.
4. LAST TIME I CHECKED WE LIVED IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. WHAT NOW THE CITY IS GOING TO TELL US WHAT TO SELL, WHEN TO SELL, WHERE TO SELL, AND TO WHO. IF PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THE CATERING TRUCK FOOD THEY WOULD NOT EAT THERE AND SOONER OR LATER THEY WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS. HOW MANY BUSINESS DID STARTED FROM THEIR BACK YARD AND NOW ARE WELL SUCESSFULL BUSINESSES.
5. NOW THEY WANT US TO BE MOVING EVERY 1/2 HOUR. DID THEY THOUGHT THIS TROUGH. ARRIVING, PARKING,OPENNIG THE SERVICE DOOR, TAKE AN ORDER, CHARGE AND GIVE CHANGE , COOK THE MEAT, WRAP IT UP, AND GIVE THE OUT THE WINDOW. IF WE TAKE ANY ORDERS THEN WE HAVE TO GET DOWN CLOSE THE SERVICE DOOR, AN GET TO ANOTER LOCATION. HOW DO YOU EXPECT US TO SELL IF ANY. THEY ARE SETTING US UP FOR FAILURE.
6. EVERY 1/2 HOUR MOVING! ALL THE POLLUTION.
7. IF LAPD DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT. DID WE GOT THERE AT 11:00AM , 11:01,11:02,11:03 HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE TIMMING US? WHO IS GOING TO REINFORCE IT? LOS ANGELES MAYOR JUST SAID HE WAS GOING TO LAY OFF 800 EMPLOYEES.
8. WHO ARE WE HARMING? WE ARE APPROVED BY THE L.A HEALTH DEPARTMENT ONE IF NOT THE STRICKTEST DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION.
GIVE ME STATISTICS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HARM LAST YEAR BY OUR FOOD OR ANY ACCIDENT. AND COMPARE THEM TO ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
9. THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED IF THIS PASS.
YOU JUST DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S FACT MOST OF US ARE HISPANIC AND AREN'T IN A UNION OR WELL REPRESENTED.

10. REALLY WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST IT? RESTAURANT OWNERS.
JUST REMEMBER THAT THE WAY THEY STARTED.

[Aaron]

Led by District 1 County Supervisor Gloria Molina, the L.A. Board of Supervisors has passed new restrictions that will effectively eliminate taco trucks from our streets. Under Supervisor Molina’s new rules, taco trucks will have to change location every hour, or face a misdemeanor charge carrying a $1000 fine and/or jail. Yes, jail.

Taco Trucks are a special facet of Los Angeles, and something we don’t want to lose.

Let’s send Gloria Molina and the L.A. Board of Supervisors a message that we cherish our local vendors and don’t want to see them move away.

Go to SaveOurTacoTrucks.org to sign the petition!

[james]

Well to start things off i happen to own a few of these so called "Roach coaches" a business that me and my family started 5 years ago. The funny part is that we are all AMERICAN CITIZENS and also have a great education. I beleive we are cleaner and better than a lot of restaurants in town ill explain why... 1. We wash and sanity morning and night from top to bottom (mandatory by law) 2. we get 3 times more health inspections than restaurants 3. We cook and prepare all of our foods daily. And it is far more expensive to maintain and to run this business than restaurants. We pay $300.00 a week per truck at the yard. $200. per week to wash and clean each truck we pay quartarly taxes and yes we have city, state and health dept permits. All these people are just being paid off by the restaurant org to move us. Lets face it $$ makes people work on their side como dise un dicho latino " con dinero baila el perro"

[Ron]

Exactly how did a Catering truck operator ever become "Entilted" to operate for hours at a time on City streets? Any operator that stays in place for more than an hour has been breaking the law long before this ordinance. Any government official will tell you that if you sell food from a fixed location for a certain amount of time you are a "Restaurant" and have to abide by a whole different set of rules including providing bathrooms. Personally I find people pissing on my wall offensive... wouldn't you? Maybe it's just a difference in cultural standards. Catering trucks were invented as service for construction sites to provide food at break time. They are invited. They leave. They were never meant to be a cultural fixture on the street. In northern California, Redwood City has a law that actually says the property owner must INVITE the catering truck. And even then, they can only stay for an hour. This has been allowed to go on here because there has been no reasonable way to enforce the existing law. Let's hope this works. Get legal, become a legitimate business, play by the rules, or go home. PERIOD. And there is a reason they are called Roach Coaches. I think it because they are just as hard to get rid of!!!

[a businesswoman]

I really want to know details and be fair in my attitude about this.
I don't want anyone's hard work to be disrespected. I think I have had many misconceptions.

Please tell me what criteria and regulations a truck owner needs to follow.
I have been trying to find out and I admit I think I am ignorant on this issue.
And please be honest, are the majority of taco truck businesses legitimate?

I really want to know the truth and be fair in my opinion on this.
I know how difficult it is to have a business. I also know how great I feel when I see someone working hard and it pays off....

[Roberto]

Give me a break...Right On Andre!! Do these taco trucks exhibit culture? Are they paying property taxes, state taxes, charge taxes for food like they do in America? Are they inspected for cleanliness? The State of California imposes restrictions to protect consumers....this is not Mexico.