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Tucson's food trucks create first ever Arizona Food Truck Association

By: Perla Shaheen

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Most food truck owners will tell you: their heart and soul go into the food, and on the side, their livelihood.

“We’re on our own," said Javier Castro, Owner of Cowpig food truck. "This is 100% funded by me myself. Any revenue that comes out of the truck goes into the truck.”

Castro says the state, county, and cities all have different rules and licensing fees for his business. This makes it difficult to move around and serve food, without breaking the bank.

“What is the difference between a peddlers license and a business license?" Castro said. "Places are asking for different health inspections, different cities are asking for that, but we’re already permitted through the county why do we need to do that. If we need a fire inspection, we got that through the city, but now we need that through your city.”

He’s one of many owners who want more transparency with the laws.

“Everybody that has a truck is willing to do what’s required, but if they’re not told what’s required then down the road, somebody’s knocking on the door saying ‘oh, what about this this and this,” said Les Baxter, a Partner of Bemo’s BBQ Truck.

That’s why 24 Tucson food trucks have banded together to form Arizona’s first Food Truck Association. This way, owners have a community to lean on when problems arise.

“The hope is that there will be some sensibility going forward for the people that have trucks now and the people that want to have a truck down the road,” Baxter said.

In the future, owners hope this association could lead to more open discussions over confusing regulations and licenses. Not only amongst owners, but also governing boards.

“It would just give us more of a voice and support hopefully from the community,” Castro said.

“We want it to be us working with them and them working with us. I think the association can make that happen,” Baxter said.

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