Hearing on fate of Buffalo food trucks

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Time is running out on Buffalo's great food truck experiment and city officials are trying to figure out if they should extend the regulations that were passed a year-and-a-half ago or change them.

City officials set vendor fees at a thousand dollars a truck per year. The trucks also have to stay at least 100 feet away from the closest traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant.

At a Common Council committee hearing Tuesday, Buffalo's fees were compared with other cities. Rochester operators only pay $750 a year and in the nation's capital, it is only $100. New York City only charges food truck vendors $200 for a two-year permit, but there are additional costs, and the trucks are restricted to certain parking areas.

More than a dozen food truck operators were at the hearing to argue for lower fees, saying the high cost of doing business has shut down a few trucks already. But brick-and-mortar businesses counter their costs are higher than food truck operators, and it's unfair competition.

"Food trucks are here to stay, despite what some of you might think. So stop treating us like a thorn in your side because that will only cause you further frustration," said Peter Cimino, owner of Lloyd Taco Truck.

Restaurant owner Tucker Curtin countered, "As the president of the business association up by Main Street, I had a number of complaints from the brick-and-mortars up and down the neighborhood that they were losing a hundred bucks, losing a couple hundred bucks. Tucker what can you do about? I don't know what to do about it."

City officials have until April 1 to renew the food truck rules, change them or extend the deadline. Some brick-and-mortar restaurant owners are calling for even more regulations of their four-wheeled competition.