Taking a page from a spy novel, London wants to put tracking devices on food trucks in a bylaw that could green-light the mobile eateries this summer.

The global positioning satellite (GPS) devices, installed at the operator’s expense, would collect information about where the kitchens-on-wheels park and make sure they’re following the city’s rules, said bylaw boss Orest Katolyk.

The controversial kitchens-on-wheels could hit downtown streets as early as this summer.

“It’s not that we don’t trust (the operators),” Katolyl said of GPS devicies. “It’s (also) a good way to verify, if there is a complaint, that there was no violation,” he said.

But it’s not just policing the roadside vendors that makes GPS attractive — it’s also a useful way to zero in on the most coveted parking locations and times for the trucks, which would fall under a control bylaw Katolyk will spell out Wednesday.

Katolyk will do so before a city council committee.

“It’s something we discussed and something that restaurant owners asked us — how will we know every night of the week where they are?” Katolyk said of the trucks.

“With a GPS, the city can monitor where they’re located” to make sure they’re followign the byalw.

Katolyk said he isn’t aware of any other city that requires food trucks to have GPS devices.

Common in major cities, but still not here, food trucks have been a contentious issue in London — mainly among traditional downtown eateries with higher costs — and were nixed by the last city council.

It’s widely expected the new council, made up almost entirely of rookies, will approve the trucks.

GPS devices are common in large vehicle fleets, such as transport trucks and transit buses, especially when real time information is needed about where the vehicles are located.

“It has become a bit of a normal thing in fleet management,” Katolyk said.

The public will be able to have its say when the bylaw is presented.

GPS would also allow food inspectors to know exactly where the trucks are when they visit them.

Operators would be responsible for logging their locations.

Some restaurants have opposed the trucks, saying they’ll eat into their already-tight business.

The report to council’s community and protective services committee will also include a map of where the food trucks would be allowed to park from among 200 parking spaces, in 32 distinct areas. They’d also have to keep to minimum distances from restaurants and schools.

“It would start as a pilot project,” said Coun. Josh Morgan, the committee chair.

“We want to make sure we get it right,” he said.

“Sometimes, you don’t know what’s working and what’s not until you try.”

kate.dubinski@sunmedia.ca

Twitter.com/KateatLFPress

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PROPOSED BYLAW