PMAA Sends Joint Letter to FHWA Regarding Food Truck Operations at Rest Stops

On Wednesday, PMAA joined 10 other like-minded associations in sending a letter to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in response to its issuance of a non-enforcement directive that allows food trucks to operate within the Interstate right-of-way for the remainder of the coronavirus health emergency. Click here to read the letter.

Since the 1950’s, Congress has banned the commercialization of rest areas to protect local businesses and jobs which has overwhelmingly been successful. However, FHWA’s recent announcement that it would temporarily suspend enforcement of the long-standing ban has temporarily allowed food trucks to operate at rest areas in some states (if adopted by the state). In the letter, our associations specifically state, “We hope that FHWA’s non-enforcement directive does not result in foodservice transactions being redirected to food trucks from nearby rest area vending machines or struggling off-highway businesses, but rather that food trucks operate solely at rest areas that are located on stretches of the Interstate where there are no open foodservice operations in close proximity that are available to truck drivers.”
 

From PMAA