Guidance for Cities

A vibrant mobile food vending industry benefits everyone. It provides consumers with a wide variety of innovative, inexpensive cuisine that they might otherwise not get to enjoy. It gives would-be entrepreneurs who are long on ideas but short on financial capital a way to pursue their dream. It can activate underused spaces, bring new life and energy to communities and make them safer and more enjoyable places to live.

Need to create or change existing code? Elected officials who want to make their cities better would do well to encourage food truck entrepreneurship. Any cities interested in creating or updating their municipal codes, regarding mobile food vending, should look at some of the other cities in Washginton that have succesfully implemented new codes, and then consider if similar ordinances would work in their jurisdiction. The WSFTA can provide you with examples of other Washington State food truck related ordinances, code descriptions, give general guidance, or answer any industry-related questions.

Want to run a pilot program? A Pilot Program is the best way to test the viability of proposed new mobile food vending regulations, in a real-world setting, prior to officially changing any existing codes. Because the size of a city, the layout, parking availability, and the amount of dining options can vary greatly from one city to the next, regulations that work well in one city may not be as well-suited for other cities. A Pilot Program is quick and easy to establish and helps lawmakers to make better laws, based on better information. We suggest running a 1-2 year pilot program so you can see what will be the best fit for your city and take the necessary time to gather community feedback before making any changes to code. Assisting local governments with the management of pilot programs is a service we can provide. We have successfully run pilot programs for: Seattle’s Department of Transportation (ROW vending), City of Everett, City of Bellingham, City of Puyallup, City of Des Moines, City of Arlington, Vancouver C-Tran (Clark County transit authority), and more. Learn more about pilot program services here.

Why you should consider having the WSFTA manage food truck vending locations in your city? Some cities may already have underserved areas and/or well-trafficked locations that could benefit from the addition of more dining options. We can provide our lot management services at no charge: screening and vetting of all food trucks to ensure they have the required L&I insignia, county health department permit, city business license, proof of a recent (within 12-months) fire inspection, and the proper liability insurance (naming the city as the additionally insured). Qualified food trucks can schedule themselves at predesignated locations. The WSFTA will carefully monitor the activity of all the locations and will make any necessary changes regarding cuisine types, days and times of service, pricing, etc., and we will actively market and help to promote these vending locations.