The food truck business has been hot. According to Entrepreneur, the industry has grown by 8.4 percent between 2007 and 2012. If you have an interesting idea for a food truck and are ready to test-drive your business, here are a few tips to get you started.  

The Modern Truck

In the past, food service trucks were often seen as a necessary evil, especially at construction sites where access to a hot meal could be limited. Sometimes dubbed roach coaches, the meals served on these wheels were often very basic fare, such as hot dogs and hamburgers. Today's popular food trucks are very different. The most successful ones typically choose a niche, such as vegan fare or hot, fresh donuts made on the spot.  

Obtaining Permits and Licenses

Your first order of business will be to obtain your licenses and permits and to learn the local laws and regulations regarding food trucks. Unfortunately, as the popularity of food trucks has grown, so has the list of regulations governing these vehicles. Before you sink your money into a food truck, it's important to know where you can operate and what permits are required for your business.

Find a Kitchen for Prep Work

While you might want to save money by doing your food prep in your kitchen, it may not be legal. For example, if you want to obtain a retail food processing license in Wisconsin, you are required to have a commercial-grade kitchen. So if you want to use your own kitchen, you will have to build a separate kitchen area with equipment that is designed for the food business, such as commercial refrigeration and stoves. You could also consider renting space in a:

• Shared commercial kitchen. These large facilities are typically shared by a number of truck owners and other private chefs for their prep work. These sites boast such features as lockable commercial refrigeration space, dry storage, and specialty food prep equipment; some facilities even have parking spaces available where you can store your vehicle overnight. 
• Restaurant. Some brick-and-mortar establishments rent out food preparation space to food truck owners to make a little extra money. 
• Certified commercial kitchen. Many establishments, including private schools and hotels, boast certified commercial kitchens, and some of these sites may be willing to rent out space to your business. 

For more information, consider contacting Decatur Heat & Air, Inc., a local company that specializes in commercial refrigeration.

The Tweet Smell of Success

Finally, customers need to know how to locate your truck when you're out on the road, so make sure to create Twitter and Facebook pages for your new business and send out updates frequently. Many of the most popular food trucks on the road today credit their success to their Twitter and Facebook accounts. 

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