From the Associated Press:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gov. Bob McDonnell’s administration has awarded a contract to a Pennsylvania-based catering company to sell food, drinks and merchandise at Virginia highway rest areas.
CRH Catering of Connellsville, Pa., will pay the Virginia Department of Transportation about $2 million a year for vending and advertising rights at the state’s 42 rest areas and welcome centers. Most are along interstate highways.
I thought we were prohibited from installing vendor sales at our interstate rest stops because of federal regulations and that Governor Kaine has applied for relief from the regulations. How is it we can now have vendor machines at interstate rest stops? Actually it is a good idea but the bidding should have been limited to Virginia companies first. If no Virginia companies met the specs, then out of state companies could then bid.
Bringing in CRH Catering is supposed to add an extra million dollars a year to help offset the cost of keeping rest areas open. Rest stops should be open. To do otherwise is dangerous and irresponsible to travelers and it hurts the tourist industry.
