Rep. Edwards Brings Mobile Office to Buncombe County for Federal, FEMA Assistance

The Carolina Cruiser, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards' black Thor Dodge Ram Class B van outfitted as a rolling district office, is parked outside Woodfin Town Hall today as part of a three-county Western North Carolina tour, giving Buncombe County residents a direct line to federal casework help and FEMA assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Edwards' staff is stationed at 90 Elk Mountain Rd. in Woodfin through the afternoon, available to walk constituents through disaster-related questions and connect them with federal agencies. The stop is one of three the Carolina Cruiser is making across the region today, March 10, with Buncombe County on the itinerary alongside two neighboring counties.

"I'm excited to be able to bring this type of vehicle to provide services to the constituents, the citizens in Western North Carolina in a way that we've never been able to do before," Edwards said.

The Cruiser has been making rounds across NC-11's 15-county district since at least early January, when staff stopped at the Weaverville Community Center on 60 Lake Shore Dr. on January 13 and again at Woodfin Town Hall on February 4. Edwards has framed the mobile model as a direct answer to what he describes as the inefficiency of maintaining scattered brick-and-mortar satellite offices.

"We've seen that the strategy of leasing a bunch of offices around 15 counties and staffing those offices comes at a great expense and is highly inefficient because we're looking for people to come and find us in the back room of a dark courthouse," Edwards said. "This mobile office will allow us to get out amongst the people and make it far, far easier for them to find us so that we can help them with their issues."

The van, which starts at roughly $134,000 for the base model, is leased by the office for around $1,400 per month. Edwards noted that cost compares favorably to what his office pays for its brick-and-mortar lease in Henderson County. Funding comes from his representational allowance, the pool of government funds each member of Congress receives for office operations, staff salaries, and vehicles used for government business. Edwards' office has described the Carolina Cruiser as the only mobile district office of its type in the country.

Inside the van, the setup includes a sink, mini fridge, stovetop, two beige couches, and a television mounted on a swivel arm extending from a faux wood wall. The exterior bears a banner reading "Congressman Chuck Edwards Representing North Carolina's 11th District."

Constituents who cannot make today's stop but need help with FEMA can call the office's dedicated line at 223-FIX-FEMA. For other federal issues, the office line is 865-EDWARDS. Edwards' Washington office can also be reached at (202) 225-6401, located at 1505 Longworth House Office Building.

"In keeping with my office's motto of being 'First in Constituent Services' and to help constituents post-Hurricane Helene, the latest mobile office hours are available," Edwards said. "I encourage folks to stop by to share their thoughts on issues that matter to them or ask for assistance with federal agencies.