NYC Must Make Changes to its Laws So that Food Trucks Can Operate without being Harassed and Fined!

I write this letter to urge New York City to change its existing parking laws to adapt to its peoples growing love and support for the food truck industry.

Attached to this letter are signatures I have gathered from the people of this City who:

*Own or work for a NYC Food Truck; and/or
*Love and support NYCs Food Truck Industry;
*Support my position as stated below;
*Believe that the City Council needs to address this issue as soon as possible;
*Want their voices to be heard by the City.

As owner of one of the fledgling food trucks in New York City, Big Ds Grub Truck, I believe the problems I am currently facing ring true for every single food truck operator in this City. I, like many others have invested much of my money, my life blood, and sacrificed many hours to start my food truck business. It is unfair that the City now chooses to enforce an antiquated parking regulation that prohibits "merchandise" vending from metered parking spots (which constitute 90\% of the parking spots in the City), yet at the same time sanctions food truck vending by issuing permits and licenses for it.

Since the Honorable Geoffrey D. Wrights recent interpretation of an antiquated parking regulation that prohibits the selling of merchandise from a parking meter, I have been repeatedly harassed, ticketed, and forced to shut down my business during peak business hours. As a result, I am doubly punished -- not only am I fined but I am forced to suffer the loss of a days business.

When vending in a metered spot, I never disrupt any traffic, whether it be on the sidewalk or in the streets. I also am respectful of local food businesses by parking at least 30 feet away from their storefronts. Despite this, local food businesses and corner food carts that feel threatened by my food truck are quick to abuse this parking regulation by calling the NYPD whenever I am parked in their neighborhood.

I understand that the NYPD is merely enforcing the law. However, I implore the City Council and Mayor Bloomberg to address this growing issue. Members of the City Government must push for changes in the law so that honest, hard-working individuals like myself can continue running our businesses without the constant worry of being shut down or ticketed.

I have often read and heard that the NYC Council Members are open to ideas and therefore propose the following: That the subject parking regulation be modified to permit food truck vendors to vend from a metered parking spot for an allotted and reasonable amount of time (approximately 4 hours). Any food truck vendor that stays beyond the allotted time can then be fined at that point. Additionally, any food truck vendor that parks directly in front of a local food business can be automatically fined or asked to move.

By making these changes to the existing parking laws, everyone wins. No metered parking spot will be exclusively possessed for an extended period time, food truck vendors can continue making an honest living, and the NYC food truck industry can continue providing the people of this City with diverse food options.