Gov. Gavin Newsom has given approval for food trucks to serve meals at rest areas in California during the COVID-19 public health emergency, KTLA sister station KTXL in Sacramento reported Monday.
Truck drivers have been delivering essential goods and critical medical supplies all across the country.
“Imagine yourself on a long road trip. You’re logging a thousand miles and you’re delivering items that we all need now more than ever. This program allows food trucks to operate in rest areas and provide these truckers a warm meal they otherwise might not have,” said California Department of Transportation spokesman Chris Clark.
But as restaurants rely on takeout or drive-thrus, the size of truckers’ rigs excludes them from enjoying some those services while on the road.
“They can’t drive through drive-thrus or it’s not convenient for them to just pull off over anywhere to pick up food,” said Lisandro Chando Madrigal, the owner of Chando’s Tacos.
“It’s made it a little harder, especially the ones that drive nighttime,” said Charles Roebuck, a trucker from Alabama.
The governor’s decision to make food trucks accessible to them is welcome news.
“We would like that all around the United States,” said Thomas Statham, a trucker from Missouri. “It’s really handy right now because with a vehicle that’s anywhere between 50- to 70-foot long, it’s extremely hard to get into places.”
Statham said there have been people who have made food at their homes and fed hot, homemade meals to drivers at truck stops.
“Anything that’s out here to help us be able to basically just keep the energy going, it helps,” he said.
“It’s about adapting, getting creative and just working really hard, twice as hard,” Madrigal said.
Madrigal said truckers are not the only ones to benefit from the temporary setup at rest stops.
“I love the fact that the governor and the state as a whole is coming together and helping us as much as they can in terms of small business support,” he said.
“So, this is in solidarity with them and also giving food trucks another business opportunity they wouldn’t have during COVID,” Clark said.
