For the first time in a decade, Dallas’ High Five interchange was completely shutdown early Thursday June 21st in response to a semi-truck tipped over, delaying the commute for nearly a quarter of a million people. The crisis began at 4:20 am when a speeding trucker crashed on a ramp connecting US Highway 75 and Interstate 635. This seemingly routine accident turned into traffic hell when crews realized the semi was filled with highly flammable resin. Out of caution, officials shutdown the interchange to prevent any injuries in case the solution leaked, quickly taking to the news and social media as the High Five Shutdown.
12 hours after the incident, and many grunts and groans later, the roads were finally opened up again and DFW resumed it’s normal routine. However, while some jammed out to their favorite songs during the standstill, others ventured out for the comfort of food. Making one of the most Texan decisions ever, many hungry commuters actually parked their car and went to Whataburger, others were saved by the open doors of a local food truck.
The Heroic Food Truck
As North Texans took to twitter and expressed their frustrations, experiences, and other random thoughts, a tweet by Tracy Clark showed a food truck serving a few stranded drivers near the High Five interchange. An employee recognized the heroic truck as United Caterers, a local company that has been in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1955. Under the direction of Alfredo Pineda and Maria Aguilar, the company launched their first fleet of Hot Trucks dispatched across North Texas in 2003. Over the following six years, United Catering was the largest minority-owned commissary in Texas. Today, many other icons influential in the mobile catering industry run United with the same dedication and entrepreneurial spirit that built one of Dallas’ most recognizable food truck brands. The DFW company’s 4-acre site is now home to 75 company-owned Hot Trucks and an additional nearly 100 independently-owned trucks operating throughout the metropolis.
Whether you’re stuck in a seemingly eternal traffic jam, or simply taking a lazy day at the house, food is something that brings all of us together. While the High Five shutdown may have delayed thousands of people’s daily routines, it made it clear that Texans will forever love Whataburger, and reminded us that Dallas is full of caring people who will open their doors, their business, and their hearts to all those that ask.