Governor allows food vendors at all 86 State rest areas as COVID-19 crisis continues

April 18, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In order to help provide access to safe food options for highway truck drivers and motorists, and in response to Friday’s Executive Order by Governor Gavin Newsom and a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rule change, Caltrans announced yesterday they will now be allowing temporary operation of food trucks at all of the State’s 86 rest areas during the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Governor’s Executive Order effectively suspended all restrictions of selling commercial food at the state’s rest areas during the COVID-19 crisis. The FHWA similarly suspended related federal prohibitions last week.

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According to the Caltrans, California Department of Transportation, and other State officials, the goal of allowing food vendors at rest stops throughout the state is to increase the number of convenient food options available to truck drivers who are continuing to work daily as “essential workers”, as they deliver the state’s much needed groceries, sundries, necessary supplies, and other essential goods.

Interested food truck operators can now apply for a temporary encroachment easement permit to operate at one or more of the state’s more than 85 rest areas, according to Caltrans officials; who stated that each food truck operator is responsible for all waste cleanup and removal, following all food-safety rules, and maintaining social distancing among employees and customers.

Operators interested in providing food at one or more of the rest stops need to specify which rest areas for which they are applying, and the permits will be valid through June 15, said officials.

However, because food trucks are licensed locally, each interested operator can only operate within the locality for which they are licensed and permitted by the local health inspector.

“Helping our truckers and facilitating the movement of essential goods during the COVID-19 crisis is a priority,” Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin said of the planned change. “We hope this gives truckers more food options to keep them and the economy moving.”

“We also hope this provides additional business opportunities for food trucks hit hard by stay-at-home health orders,” continued Omishakin.

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After hearing about the announced decision, California Trucking Association Chief Executive Officer Shawn Yadon expressed his approval of the change, saying, “We appreciate Governor Newsom and Caltrans for recognizing the vital role truck drivers play in keeping our communities safe and for working with trucking to ensure our industry has the tools necessary to respond to this crisis.”

“Access to a warm meal is as essential as the truckers on our roads who continue to transport basic necessities, medical supplies and emergency equipment to communities across the state,” Yadon continued.

Caltrans will begin accepting applications immediately and applicants can submit requests for specific rest areas at dot.ca.gov/programs/traffic-operations/food-trucks-rest-areas.

For details on each rest area, visit QuickMap at quickmap.dot.ca.gov. In the left-most QuickMap window, click on Options and then click the Rest Area box online.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.