I used to drive an ice cream truck a few years ago. It was a crazy gig. Do you have any questions for me? I would be glad to answer them!
What was so crazy about it?
I did that one summer. By the end of the summer I was heartily sick and tired of children who wanted ice cream. Started wanting to run down the little brats. I decided that I probably was not cut out for the business.
Assuming your truck was the same as the ones we have around here…how did you listen to the same song playing over and over and over and over again every working day of your life without losing your mind?
stripes or solid?
Good question. I’ve always wondered about that myself.
And did you have the one that says, “Hello?” at the end? What’s up with that?
Did you sell single cigarettes and matches like the ice-cream van that used to park outside my school?
Well:
-Half of the people had criminal records.
-One guy dropped his crackpipe in the break room
-Manager would greet me every morning smoking like a chimney
-Secretary at the depot was about 400 pounds
-Trucks were in really bad shape. Old jacked up personal vans donated to us. In some trucks, doors would get stuck closed. Others, the doors would fly open in mid-drive.
-If only one kid could afford a snack, other kids would fight him/her for it.
-I once ran to my car because it was raining, a co-worker walking in front of me drawed his fists, because he thought I was a random mugger.
-Had a co-worker named Poo Poo
-Guard dogs would get lose on a semi regular basis.
It didn’t bother me, in fact I would catch myself humming the tune when I was off the clock.
Huh?
Yes!
LOL. No.
Did you wear one of those coin dispensers on your belt? How much money would it hold? How long did it take to learn to operate it smoothly (if you wore one)?
Is it true that ice cream trucks only play music when they’re out of ice cream?
How many adults without kids would run up to buy ice cream? Was this a rare occurrence? If I ran up to an ice cream truck, would you make fun of me later?
Yeah…
Why the hell did you drive down my street at 8:00 on a school night, ringing your bell and playing that annoying music?
the shirt. for lots of companies it was a uniform part.
Why do you guys have to play the same tune over and over while you’re parked (breaking the law)? Do you ever get ticketed?
Do you have to fight other ice cream truck drivers over turf rights? I used to see trucks parked across the street from schools right before the kids got out just waiting for that sweet payday. I’d like to imagine there were some way to establish heirarchy among the ice cream men.
Also, I dont think I’ve ever seen white guy under 80 selling ice cream from a van whose face wasnt on Megan’s Law website 
Where I live, we have the paletero men hawking Mexican ice cream. I feel bad for them; they have to do their job on foot and seem more vulnerable to being robbed.
I’m short 5 cents, can I bring it tomorrow?
None of this really surprises me, however, I’m curious about local regulations, licensing, inspections, etc. I mean, in your city, can anyone just get a truck with a freezer and go around selling ice cream?
Also:
You didn’t really answer the question. What’s up with the demonic “Hello?” at the end?
For several years we got away with telling our kids “It’s just the Music Truck driving by” before they got wise.
Wait a second, there’s a some kind of an office for ice cream truck drivers? I thought they are individual private sellers who park their trucks at home every night?