NYC Heat Wave: Food Cart Workers Brave Sweltering Temps

As New York City experiences a significant heat wave, workers in food trucks are facing extreme internal temperatures, often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. These mobile kitchens, with their metal structures and cooking equipment, become intense heat traps for employees.

Many food truck operators, such as Cindy Qiu, lack air conditioning, with some relying on small fans and cold rags to cope. Bharat Jayram Venkat, director of UCLA's Heat Lab, noted that even on temperate days in Los Angeles, food truck interiors could reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit due to absorbed ambient heat, internal appliances, and body heat.

Organizations like the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center are actively working to protect these vulnerable workers. They distribute heat safety information and connect vendors with city resources like cooling centers. Efforts are also underway to promote the transition from gasoline generators to electric alternatives to reduce additional heat.

While some vendors, like Aczel Prado, see increased business due to people avoiding cooking at home, others, like Louis Jachero, report slower sales. Some workers, like Frank Sukonta, are considering not opening their businesses on particularly hot days, although personal comfort is not always the primary driver for closure.