The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is suspending enforcement measures under the Federal-aid Highway Program for states to permit commercial food trucks to operate and sell food in designated federally funded interstate highway rest areas.
“America’s commercial truck drivers are working day and night during this pandemic to ensure critical relief supplies are being delivered to our communities,” said FHWA Administrator Nicole Nason. “I am grateful to our state transportation partners for bringing this idea to the department and for their leadership in thinking outside the box. It is critical to make sure truck drivers continue to have access to food services while they’re on the job serving our nation during these challenging times.”
Normally, commercial activity in the federally funded Interstate right-of-way is prohibited with limited exceptions. However, given the extreme and unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nason is allowing food trucks to provide food to the essential truck drivers the duration of the national emergency declared by President Trump in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis.
Once the national emergency declaration ends, the usual regulations will go back into effect and will be enforced if states decide to not comply.
