dc food truck lotteryWASHINGTON DC – This week, Washington DC implemented new rules for food trucks that operate in the city. The requirements include dedicated spots for food trucks, and a lottery system by which the locations are assigned. There are 95 spots available in eight locations, including Farragut Square, Franklin Square, George Washington University, L’Enfant Plaza, Capitol Riverfront, Metro Center, Union Station, and Virginia Avenue/State Department.

The new rules are not popular with some, even resulting in a critical response from the Editorial Board of the Washington Post, who said of the rules “Now District regulators are threatening to choke

[the food trucks’ industry] growth…

“Food truck associations from across the country wrote a letter to the D.C. Council warning that the regulations “would transform the District overnight from a leader in mobile vending to one of the worst food-truck cities in the nation.” Some food truck operators are threatening to bolt the District for what they see as more hospitable environs in Arlington, while others fear they may go out of business.”

Supporters of the new regulations point to its smooth roll out. “By and large, we’re very pleased with the way this has rolled out so far,” said Doug Povich, co-owner of the Red Hook Lobster Pound trucks and chairman of the DMV Food Truck Association, to the Washington Business Journal. “The trucks I’ve spoken with here are happy they don’t have to get here at 9:30 [a.m.] and fight for spaces.”

According to the Washingtonian, the regulations are backed by strict penalties, “Approximately 200 food trucks are licensed in DC, 107 of which have been allocated spots.

Find the entire article at the Washington Times <here>