Mayor promises food truck rules crackdown after joint investigation

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pledging to crack down on traffic violations by food trucks after an investigation by the ABC7 I-Team and Chicago Sun-Times.

Monday the mayor acknowledged what he called a problem that needs to be fixed.

"The problem you identified in the story, which is appropriate, is the enforcement side. That is the lion's share of what the story talked about," the mayor said.

The I-Team's investigation uncovered two city departments are not enforcing food truck laws. Jason Knowles, the I-Team and the Sun-Times consistently caught trucks in tow zones, bus stops and inches from crosswalks.

Operators said space is limited and they have no choice but to break the law.

"I think the food truck industry has been a good addition for the city of Chicago. It has not been the threat the restaurant industry originally talked about. That said, the department must enforce the rules otherwise there is a breakdown in the system," Emanuel said Monday.

Food truck operators say if current rules like the two hours parking limit are enforced, they won't make any money.