WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Saturday's snow notwithstanding, kids are already screaming for ice cream.

 

And as he has done for more than decade, Gary Martin will be making them smile by vending cones and novelties from his ice cream truck.

 

He just might not always see them smile.

 

"Quite a few kids have masks on," Martin said. "Not all, but quite a few.

 

"I have hand sanitizer, wipes to wipe down the counter after every sale and I have a mask in my truck."

 

That's the reality of selling ice cream during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

When he opened his season on April 11, Martin generated some inquiries on social media about whether such trucks are allowed to operate during the state of emergency, including one inquiry to iBerkshires.com.

 

Williamstown Town Manager Jason Hoch confirmed last week that, like other purveyors of pre-packaged, takeaway food products, the trucks are allowed as long as they observe social distancing guidelines.

 

Martin said he has a sign posted on his truck explaining the social distancing rules and that if he is standing on his truck vending his products, he tends to be far enough away from the customers to qualify.

 

"I don't usually have a problem with kids getting too close to each other," he said. "All the parks are closed, so it's just individual houses I've been going to … two or three kids with the adults."

 

Martin leases his truck from a company in Latham, N.Y., that also has trucks in Vermont. He said the New York trucks have had trouble getting on the road. Locally, the town of Adams has restricted him until May 8, but he is allowed to operate in North Adams and Williamstown.

 

And, he said, the response has been positive.

 

"A lot of parents say, 'Boy, I'm glad you're here,' " Martin said. "It's something different for the kids to do. The kids are bored at home, and this is something good for them.

 

"I've been doing it for 11 years. This is the first year I've had a challenge, the first year I've had to do things a little differently."