THE FOOD TRUCK FILES

ROAD BLOCKS

 

There are potential road blocks for any food truck that must be considered, however social media can be used effectively to combat some of these challenges and keep the customer informed.

 

WEATHER

 

Living in a province with unpredictable weather, it is no wonder that weather is the number one challenge for food trucks. The winter time is described as the industry’s slow period, and it is unavoidable. Some trucks still hit the streets, but events are limited and people would almost rather eat at a restaurant and stay warm.

 

This is when owners take to their social media pages to keep their hype up during the slow seasons by giving their fans something to look forward to. It also enables relationship building with customers as well as with other trucks. With weather being a huge challenge, it allows trucks to stay visible to the public.

 

MECHANICS

 

With a total reliance on their trucks, if the truck isn’t working, food trucks can’t travel, and therefore can’t make any money. In comparison to a restaurant, this influences the reliability of constant customers. Mechanical issues are a challenge that food trucks are faced with constantly. Not only is there sometimes issues with the physical truck, but also the equipment.

 

Jenson describes this challenge perfectly, “Restaurants aren’t effected in the same way. If there oven goes they can usually make due with other equipment. But when your truck is broken down you are closed- and then you aren’t making any money.”

 

Social media is vital for real-time updates about mechanical issues a food truck may be facing, as well as a timeline for when the issue may be resolved or is finally resolved. For example, a truck may be delayed due to mechanical issues on the way to their event, but they are able to post on Facebook or tweet about their issue and their approximate arrival time so that those attending the event for that particular truck aren’t left in the dark about their attendance.

 

BYLAWS

 

Municipal Bylaws 

Another challenge faced by food trucks all over Ontario are the many bylaws within each city. Each municipality has their own guidelines in terms of where, when and how food trucks can operate. The biggest issue that the trucks face is where, as most municipalities are extremely strict as to where they can operate curbside. Due to the limitations placed on them, most of the trucks are forced to be on a rotating schedule of locations, if they are lucky to be permitted at any location at all.

 

Halton Region

For an example of bylaw implications, Southern Smoke Truck owner Terrilea Pitton discussed how trucks had a hard time getting permits for the Terra at Home Market in Milton. The regional municipality of Halton Hills decided to only send an inspector out once to issue bylaw permits, resulting in a rally amongst the trucks to be there on the day the inspector was, or else they would be left out of the market.

 

Hamilton

The City of Hamilton had extremely tight restrictions on food trucks until the summer of 2012 when city council voted to loosen a bylaw that would allow trucks to operate closer to fixed restaurants, and also remain in one place for three hours while operating. Even so, most of the food trucks did not believe this was enough to assist them with their businesses in Hamilton. "The bylaw is restrictive," said Gorilla Cheese truck owner Grame Smith to CBC. He argued that it stops a new industry from reaching its potential. "Food trucks do not steal business," Smith said.

 

Toronto

In Toronto food trucks are not allowed to park on most of the city streets and must set up a location with private landowners in the city or wait for food truck events such as Awestruck. They cannot operate out of public parking spaces or sell for more than ten minutes on a private parking lot. According to The Globe and Mail, Food vendors in Toronto are currently regulated by six separate, yet overlapping, bylaws, some of which date back to before the city’s amalgamation in 1998. A few areas, such as Scarborough and parts of North York, don’t allow any food trucks at all. However, this spring The City of Toronto is looking to loosen food truck restrictions by making permits more accessible and converting the current strict six bylaws into one.

 

Food trucks in Toronto also must have a Refreshment Truck License if they plan on preparing any of the food on the truck. In addition to every truck requiring an Owner’s License, the current by-law states that all employees that either drive the truck or service customers need to have either a Refreshment Vehicle Driver’s License or a Refreshment Vehicle Assistant’s License.

 

Types of Licenses - Toronto

There are three different license types for Refreshment Vehicles at varying costs:

• Motorised Refreshment Vehicle Owner: $ 1,030.25 for the first year, $690.01 for renewals

• Refreshment Vehicle Driver: $342.52 for the first year, $253.49 for renewals

• Refreshment Vehicle Assistant: $342.52 for the first year, $253.49 for renewals

 

After one of those licenses have been obtained, the truck must then go through regular Public Health Inspection that varies based on what food is being prepared on the truck and the type of equipment found in the truck. Next, the person handling the food in the truck must have the Food Handler Certification issued by Toronto Public Health. Lastly, a propane license is necessary for any vehicle with a propane heater, which is very common in the food truck industry.

 

It is evident there are an abundance of speed bumps that food trucks face in order to operate their businesses in any given municipality in southern Ontario.