Philadelphia Food Trucks Could Soon Reopen Thanks To New Technology That Allows Social Distancing

Greg Argos reports.

THE UNION IS DEMANDINGPERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT,MEMBERS CANNOT CONTINUE WORKINGIN UNSAFE CONDITIONSBECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUSCRISIS, MANY BRICK AND MORTARSHUTTERED.GREG ARGOS EXPLAINS ONE SMALLBUSINESS OWNER IS HOPING TOREOPEN DOZENS OF LOCAL FOODTRUCK BUSINESSES USING NEWTECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS SOCIALDISTANCING.Reporter: LESS THAN A MONTHAGO YOU COULD GRAB DELICIOUSSTREET FOOD IN A FEW MINUTES.SINCE THEN, CITY COUNCIL BANNEDFOOD TRUCKS.THAT'S CAUSING MAJOR HEADACHESFROM MANY SMALL BUSINESSESOWNERS.MATT IS TALKING ABOUT THE MORETHAN FIVE DOZEN FOOD TRUCKBUSINESSES HE REPRESENTS ASPRESIDENT OF THE PHILLY MOBILEFOOD ASSOCIATION.RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE SITTINGHERE LOOKING AT WHAT IS LEFT OFOUR FOOD TRUCKS.UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS MY TRUCKGRAVEYARD.REPORTER: AN OWNER HE KNOWSTHE CITY'S BAD ON MOBILE SALESBECAUSE OF THE COVID 19 CRISISIS HURTING BUSINESS.THESE TRUCKS ARE OPERATED BYHUSBANDS AND WIFE'S.THIS IS THEIR INCOME AS A WHOLE,IF THEY LOSE THIS, THEY LOSEEVERYTHING.REPORTER: AFTER A SPAT OFWARM WEATHER, HE UNDERSTANDS WHYCITY OFFICIALS MADE DECISIONSOME TRUCKS WERE OUT THERELONG LINES OF PEOPLE.SHOWED THE POINTS THAT WEWEREN'T ADHERING TO THE SOCIALDISTANCING REGULATIONS ANDGUIDELINES.REPORTER: NOW HE'S WORKS TOINTRODUCE A WAY TO RE OPEN THERESTAURANTS, WHILE LIMITINGCONTACT BETWEEN CUSTOMERS ANDEMPLOYEES.THERE'S A VARIETY OF FOODOPTIONS.Reporter: BEST FOOD TRUCKS ANAP IS BEING USED IN OTHER CITIESDESIGNED TO LIMIT CONTACTSBETWEEN WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS.YOU'RE ABLE TO CLICK ON THATTRUCK, ORDER FOOD, ALERTED WHENYOU'RE FOOD WILL BE READY.REPORTER: PAYMENT IS REMOTEPOLICE NONCONTACT.Reporter: COUNCIL MEMBER ISWORKING TO REOPEN THE MOBILEBUSINESSES.FOOD TRUCKS ARE SMALL BUSINESSESTOO.WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'REBEING GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE TOEARN MONEY LIKE BRICK AND MORTARRESTAURANTS WHILE ALSO ENFORCINGSOCIAL DISTANCING AS MUCH ASPOSSIBLE, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THEPROPOSAL TO ADOPT THIS AP ANDWE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMERCEDEPARTMENT AND L & I.ROSSI SAID IFLY AND COUNCILAPPROVES THIS, FOOD TRUCKS COULDBE BACK IN BUSINESS AS EARLY ASNEXT WEEK.ALSO, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SERVEESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES IN FRONT OF