HONOLULU -- Lunch wagons and food truck vendors are applauding a new bill that would allow them to park on public streets for two hours rather than the 15 minutes currently allowed.

The Bento Box is a new lunch truck that opened five days ago. Owner Scott Sato is a former bartender trying to get his new business off the ground.

"I just wanted to try it out and get out on my own," Sato said.

But it hasn't been easy. Officers cited Sato on Thursday, while he was parked in a curbside, metered space along Punchbowl Street.

Officers told him he was breaking the 15-minute law that prohibits vendors from operating on public streets for more than 15 minutes in one location.

"Fifteen minutes to make some kind of income is not a very good window. It makes it just a little bit harder," Sato said.

Sato added he's being shut down before he can even get his business off the ground.

Sergio Caneso runs Nicky's Lunch Wagon and said it's almost like a game of hide-and-seek with the police.

The 15-minute time limit has caused business to plummet, Caneso said.

"A lot of times we don't sell nothing. But we're just pretty much losing money. That's just the way it is, you know, we have to make a living. So we chance it. Hopefully, they (police) give us a chance sometimes," Caneso said.

Honolulu Councilmember Tulsi Gabbard said giving small-business owners a chance and updating an outdated law is what this bill is all about.

"Our role on the city council and in our role in government is to find ways to help people in their small businesses, how we can help them create jobs and how we can help them grow the economy," Gabbard said.

The growing numbers of mobile food vendors hope the measure passes and becomes law before they go out of business.

The bill goes before the council's transportation committee on Feb. 9.