GMU needs food truck deregulation

Maksim Tsvetovat writes to me:

I'm a fellow professor at Mason Fairfax Campus. As I was reading about Sodexo monopolist hold on food service at Mason and their despicable labor practices and working conditions, I started wondering if there was a way to deal with this WHILE improving food options on campus. The answer is actually pretty simple — FOOD TRUCKS! I can almost taste the fresh tacos and arepas, or bahn mi, or udon noodles or… you name it.

This worked very well on the campus of my alma mater (Carnegie Mellon Unviersity) where food trucks coexist peacefully with Aramark but forced Aramark to improve quality of food, lower prices and improve labor practices (they were not happy about it and sued but lost in court — there's good precedent)

I'm talking to owner of one tasty taco truck to see if he'll come and park near Enterprise Hall at lunchtime — just as a trial balloon, to see how Mason reacts. I'm wondering if you (as a well-known local authority on ethnic food as well as a fellow professor) might be able to lend your voice to this and rally some support behind it. Even a simple blog posting would be a huge help!

Here is Matt Yglesias on DC food cart deregulation.  Here is a good piece on black and grey market food on the other side of the Anacostia River.  Here is the latest on food trucks in DC.