Over on Pegausus News, DFW Food Truck Foodie reported yesterday that the Dallas City Council has released the headlock they'd had on many North Texas food trucks by resolving a few code compliance issues.
The biggest change is to allow retrofitted trucks. Previously the code allowed only original food trucks and not re-purposed ones, like a retired FedEx truck. So, even if a vendor installed a professional kitchen with all the safety features of an original food truck, it couldn't get a permit to operate in Dallas. But neighboring cities, like Irving and Fort Worth, didn't have this provision, so folks like Scott Wooley of So Cal Tacos were crusin' their streets and not ours.
"This change is paramount for me," said Wooley today. "It's a great day for So Cal Tacos. We have tons of fans in Dallas and we're grateful to finally be able to serve them."
The second code adjustment allows for variance in how food trucks serve poultry and seafood. As it was, all raw poultry and seafood had to be frozen and then fried. Yum.
The third item actually tightens things a little. It requires that all workers on a food truck receive a food-handlers certificate. Previously just one person in the truck was required to have one, but now anyone who handles food and serves it to a customer must take a food handlers course.
All of these measures become effective this Saturday.
The changes in their entirety are below for your reading enjoyment:
An ordinance amending Chapter 17 of the Dallas City Code to: (1) allow a retrofitted or converted vehicle to be used as a mobile food preparation vehicle upon meeting certain standards and requirements; (2) provide standards and procedures for a variance to allow the preparation and service of raw poultry, raw seafood, and non-fast-cooked food items on a mobile food preparation vehicle; (3) require certified food handlers at a mobile food establishment where non-prepackaged potentially hazardous food is prepared or served; and (4) make certain nonsubstantive changes - Financing: No cost consideration to the City.
