Riverside County food trucks and transit

On Tuesday, June 25, The Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously asked its staff to write up a local ordinance that would permit food truck businesses to operate more freely in the marketplace. Supervisor Kevin Jeffries even organized a special festival that day in the parking lot of the downtown Riverside County Administrative Center where food trucks came; the public well attended the event. Currently, Riverside County only permits food trucks to sell their freshly cooked food only at organized events.

These trucks are certainly not the roach coaches of days past. Many of today's food trucks are in line with health codes and have evolved to offer a variety of great food on the go. Larger food establishments have even expressed interest in getting into the food truck business. Easing county restrictions would not only provide marketplace competition in Riverside County and provide additional restaurant-sector jobs, but will enhance the county's public transit system with some extra amenities.

During peak hours when a public bus transit or train station is full of people, a licensed food truck can park along the adjacent street and offer refreshments to the public. Care to grab a cup of fine coffee and a glazed old fashion doughnut during your ten minute layover at the Corona Transit Center? To be fair, regular health inspections and basic safeguards are necessary to eliminate the possibility of food poisoning and food truck waste must be disposed of properly to counter pollution. However with the greater range of food options and competition which will lower prices and enhance quality, both the marketplace and the public waiting for the bus or train stand to benefit. Transit riders can no longer be classified as a captive audience when it comes to food.

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