High Insurance Costs Are Hitting Reno Food Truck Owners

I own a food truck in Reno. Every morning I load up the truck and get the grill going. I start near downtown offices and Midtown for breakfast, move to a construction site in South Reno for lunch, and finish near the soccer fields at a local sports complex for dinner. The truck is how I reach customers across the city, pay my bills, and keep two part-time helpers working. Every week I buy groceries, fill the tank, and pay insurance on the truck I use to serve people from the Riverwalk to Sparks. Lately the insurance bill has become one of my biggest and hardest-to-predict costs.

Nevada drivers already face some of the highest car insurance rates in the country. A big reason is lawsuit abuse. Staged accidents and weak lawsuits raise costs across the system. Those costs do not stay with the people who file them. They get passed on to small business owners and working families through higher premiums. When my insurance jumps, I have to raise menu prices or cut hours. That hurts the regulars who count on affordable food and the workers who count on the shifts.

This election, Nevada voters made clear that affordability has to be a priority. Rising insurance costs make it harder for food trucks, restaurants, and other small businesses in Reno to keep prices steady and stay open. Congress can help by addressing the lawsuit abuse that drives these rates higher.

I am asking Senator Jacky Rosen to support practical reforms that curb weak motor vehicle lawsuits while still protecting people with real claims. Lowering these costs would give small business owners like me more room to hire, invest, and keep serving our communities from Idlewild Park to the North Valleys.

Elena Vasquez