Tulsa City Councilor Raises Concerns About Lack Of Ice Cream Truck Regulations

The sound of an ice cream truck can be welcome on a hot day, but one Tulsa city councilor is bringing up concerns about the summer treats and regulations.

The joyful jingle of an ice cream truck is what many summer memories are made of - a way for kids to cool off on a hot day.

But a recent incident in her neighborhood has Councilor Connie Dodson concerned about the way trucks are monitored.

"I recently had a driver in my neighborhood that I knew for a fact wasn't even licensed to drive," she said.

So Dodson started asking around the city and found out the business has to have a permit, but the truck does not, and those operating them do not have to be licensed by the city.

Parent Tanya Dillingham said, "If they are someone that may or may not be harmful to your child, that's very concerning as a parent."

CJ Jenkins runs an ice cream truck for the summer and said, as a father he understands, but worries about more restrictions.

"This is something me and my son decided to do for the summer that we need, and so more regulation puts, I think, a stronghold on the small businessman," he said.

Jenkins got his truck through a local service company where he had to show a valid driver’s license and go through a background check before he could rent it out.

"It allows us to make the kind of money we need to do other things, so it's a business opportunity," Jenkins said.

While the topic is still just in the discussion phase, Dodson said the city is looking at options - those range from a license similar to a chauffeur with an independent city permit, to possibly even treating the vendors similar to a food truck.