Food trucks, believe it or not, are an issue of contention for governing cities. In New York, their fumes and unsightly appearance contribute to the grungy and dingy attitude of some New York sites. In Chicago, food truck regulations have become so restrictive, so that spotting one in the heart of Chicago would be equivalent to a leprechaun sighting.

But in Champaign-Urbana, the food truck culture cannot be more different. In fact, it’s one many Chambanites embrace (and perhaps depend on post 2 a.m.).

Champaign City Council will meet at the end of this month to discuss what will come of the city’s Mobile Food Truck Pilot Project after it ends June 30. The pilot project, which started last year in May, was intended to be a test run to see how allowing mobile food trucks to vend at certain locations would impact the city’s businesses. We’ve seen the effects of such measures; our options in food truck dining have extended from Derald’s to Burrito King, Cracked and more. 

According to the City of Champaign’s website, it has issued six permits to mobile food vendors, including Cracked, Papa Johns, The Empanadas House, The Crave Truck and Burrito King, which has two trucks.

Due to the successes of the pilot project, Champaign City Council is likely to extend the initiative with a few changes, according to an article published in The Daily Illini earlier this week. As a University of Illinois student living in Champaign, it would be fantastic to see this initiative grow into an opportunity to shape the city’s landscape. The boost in numbers of food trucks has added to campustown’s dining culture, and with the upcoming facelift campustown will see in the next year, an increased presence in food trucks will add to Champaign’s efforts to become microurban. 

Cheap and often close in proximity to where we live, campustown food trucks offer a change in pace from the normal Potbelly, Panera and Chipotle diet we college students consume. The variety of food options we have in campustown do not change often, unless the city goes through development. Mobile food trucks afford us the chance at exploring new palates. 

One of the most concerning aspects about regulation mobile food trucks for city governments is monitoring food safety and ensuring these establishments follow local public health departments’ protocols. In cities as large as Chicago and New York, it’s nearly impossible to guarantee this.

Champaign-Urbana’s foodie culture takes its food safety seriously, and it’s much more manageable. You can understand our food truck culture, for instance, by stories about the food truck, “Dumplings for Davis,” fundraising for a boy fighting leukemia. The Crave Truck was started by a guy who was only in high school, but found enormous success locally by overcoming challenges to run his business at certain locations and hours, eventually garnering the community’s suppport. Or even consider Cracked food truck, started by two University alumni — the truck is an example of entrepreneurship and opportunity.

The city council’s new approach to mobile food truck business differs from its previous attitudes, and Champaign residents get to enjoy that. Keep up the pace, Champaign, and embrace your great strides into gastronautics.

Nora is a senior in LAS. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @NoraAIbrahim.