Texans, Don't Throw In The Towel Just Yet!

The 25 year loop hole was added just so car enthusiast could bring in collector vehicles from around the world. From wikipedia:

25 Year Rule[edit]
In 1989, NHTSA granted vehicles over 25 years of age dispensation from the rules it administers, since these are presumed to be collector vehicles.[32] However, there are two exceptions to the rule. One is California, where vehicle emissions requirements make it difficult to register a classic vehicle from overseas.[35] (California Smog Check is mandated for automobiles 1976 and newer.) In 21 states, mini trucks (JDM market kei trucks) of any age can be legally imported and registered as a utility vehicle with on-road use and top speed restrictions varying by state, although states that allow mini trucks to be operated on public roads prohibit their operation on Interstate highways.[36][37]

32. "NHTSA Importation and Certification FAQ". Nhtsa.dot.gov. 1989-09-01. Archived from the original on 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
36. O'Neill, Chris. "Japanese Kei Trucks Are Weird, Tiny...and Legal in the United States". Auto Trader. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
37. ^ "Mini-Truck State Laws". Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.

Note 37 is the lobby thats convincing the states to make the illegal for registration/licensing.

 

Did you ever get redirected after talking to someone in December?

An off-road plate would be cools or even better a Classic plate. I’d like to come up with a plan of action to get these bad boys plated.

 

No. I was going to wait another month and then take a different course.

 

Done

 

Perhaps I should buy a few more minitrucks so I can claim that I am 'collecting' them?!?! Thanks for posting.

 

Washington state permits licensing for on road use as well. There are quite a few of them all around the state.

 

Good to know. Most of the info sites haven’t update since 2019/2020.

 

Texas should pull an Oklahoma and use this Fuel Crisis to get these trucks TX legal.

 

Received a call from TxDMV, Legislative Analyst, last week. Seriously caught me off guard, since it was a real person, a knowledgeable person, and a somewhat compassionate person. Like I said -- caught me off guard! We talked for about 20 minutes regarding my prior email submissions (read in prior posts) requesting I be allowed to be issued "off-highway vehicle license plates" for my minitruck.

The quick answer: no.

The quick reason: current Texas law does not allow for it.

The not-quick solution: change Texas law.

I still feel our best bet is to get these vehicles defined in the sections that define "all-terrain vehicle, off-highway vehicle, utility vehicle" (Section 551A-001). Once a definition is included that covers minitrucks, then all the EXISTING laws/provisions of these vehicle types would apply (e.g., limited use on certain public roads).

Here's what is amusing: a minitruck ALMOST meets the definition of a "utility vehicle", except it fails the "designed for off-highway use only" criterion. Thus, current law essentially says, "if your vehicle was designed for off-highway use only, we will allow you limited public on-highway usage. However, if your vehicle was NOT designed for off-highway use only, we will NOT allow you any public on-highway usage because the vehicles don't meet on-highway safety and/or environmental standards."

When I read the prior Texas attempt earlier in this thread, it appears they were trying to get minitrucks full rights as a passenger vehicle. That is what incurs all of the safety and environmental roadblocks. However, if we get our minitrucks to be categorized (i.e., defined) alongside all these other off-highway vehicles (ATVs, UTVs, Golf Carts, etc), then we can legally operate minitrucks in scenarios that, quite frankly, are more appropriate to their design.

 

Try for full licensure and title. Then you can fall back to Off Hwy Use registered as an ATV/UTV.

Try contacting the states in which they are licensed for street use, and see if you can get accident records to demonstrate that they are at least as safe as the rest of the legal vehicles. That gives you something to push back against the “Opinion” from the Association of State Motor Vehicle Registrars, which says they are unsafe.

Point out that the ASMVR document was written in the 90s, when vehicles which had been re-engineered to not exceed 25-mph, and in many instances were not equipped with tires designed for street use, were actively being imported. They are the ones with actual VIN numbers, and typically left hand steering. And, yes they are offroad vehicles not intended for street use.

The ones which are legally imported now after they are 25-years old, are imported under the collector vehicle exemption. And it important to point out, that they are imported as “Collector Vehicles”, which are by intent, exempt from the Federal emissions and safety standards, and see if you can get them classified as collector vehicles.

Good luck.

 

We are already in 'fall back' mode. Prior attempt for full licensure and full title failed miserably.

 

You have been trying to deal with the bureaucrats. Who can’t change the laws.

At this point you need to get the law changed, as the current statutes don’t have any path to licensure, even as off road vehicles. so, you need to make a push through your elected representatives. At least your not starting with a statute which actually bans them. At this time, there just isn’t a statute which allows their registration and classifies them. So, you need to look at the statues on other vehicles and write up something similar to get a statute passed which recognizes them.

So research accident and safety records in the states where they are street legal, and then armed with facts on the safety, have every owner in the state, pass petitions to get them legal. if you make a push for full street legal, and hit resistance folks have wiggle room to compromise and end up as Off Highway vehicles which can be driven on State, County and City roads, but not Federal aid highways.

 

@Jigs-n-fixtures, I confess, your posts come across rather condescending. I'm not sure if you are not reading prior posts, or if I am just not following you?

The prior attempt for full licensure was not through bureaucrats. A bill was drafted, introduced, and died after being referred to Transportation. I don't expect you to go back and read all the prior posts of this thread, but I think you should before you continue asserting what others should or should not do.

When I write: "The not-quick solution: change Texas law", and you follow up with "At this point you need to get the law changed", I think, "is there a parrot in the room?!?" And then you continue by restating what I already said? It's confusing me.

As a matter of strategy, I simply disagree with you. The prior bill submission for full licensure already failed, as it should, because none of the vehicle manufacturers are advocating these vehicles are appropriate for full licensure. So all the safety data and environmental data in the world will be met with a simple "so what?" Thus, to repeat that exercise seems silly, futile, and resource intensive! Instead, it is time to realize we are at the "fall back" phase, we have already "hit resistance folks" (I am one of those), and we should now "compromise and end up [with] Off Highway vehicles." Which, again, seems like you restating to me what I already wrote?: "I still feel our best bet is to get these vehicles defined in the sections that define all-terrain vehicle, off-highway vehicle, utility vehicle (Section 551A-001). Once a definition is included that covers minitrucks, then all the EXISTING laws/provisions of these vehicle types would apply (e.g., limited use on certain public roads)." Have you added new or different information? If so, I am not yet following your thought.

What I am proposing seems entirely simple and more probable to be enacted: (1) demonstrate minitrucks are on par or superior to all of these other permissible off-highway vehicles, and (2) add definition verbiage to the law allowing minitruck inclusion. No safety reports needed. No environmental reports needed. No insurance reports needed. No collector car provisions needed.

Additionally, what I advocate will also allow newer minitruck to be included, which seems like an advantage to local state distributors. I'd like them to also be included in this push, and what I advocate provides them an impetus. What you advocate does not.

 

The vehicles manufactured less than 25-years ago are banned by federal law. Unless someone has sprung for the magic pot of money, to get them emissions and crash certified. So, technically they can’t be included.

The entire issue with getting them legal goes back to the opinion document first published in the late 80s, which goes through an entire diatribe about them not being designed for use on roadways, and being manufactured solely for industrial and agricultural use.

Some jackwad is going to get that document into the hands of the legislators. And, unless you have an authoritative counter statement you are dead in committee.

This is what you are up against. https://www.aamva.org/getmedia/8623...ation-of-Off-Road-Vehicles-Best-Practices.pdf

And, you need to counter every point it makes against registering mini trucks. legislators are not the brightest bulbs. You have to give them factual counterpoints, or what the last guy told them is the facts. And, that will include safety statistics in the states which allow their use, is restricted to low speed roadways, or they have full highway rights. All of that data helps make your point the the AAMVA are blowing smoke up their shorts.

 

It's hard to read past your first sentence, since it is so wildly incorrect. They are sold as off-road vehicles all over the place, likely in all 50 states, definitely in Texas. They are not banned at all. So why do you say that?

The document you referenced supports registering mini-trucks as off-highway vehicles. Which, in Texas (the subject of this entire thread), would allow me to plate them and use them on certain roads, legally. So why do you think I am against that document? That document paves the way.

 

I think jigs means banned from any federal roads. He is correct that the AAMVA is lobbying to restrict them from any road use at all. That document does not help in any way and t he newer versions are basically telling states to not allow them on the road at all. This is all driven by various behind the scenes by various interests that do not want these to be on the road at all. Imagine Ford trying to build a competing product to this quality and selling for less that $10,000, won't happen but if they can get all the foreign ones banned then folks will have to buy the expensive pickups. Then theres the golf cart/side by side folks who don't want them here at all. I would think Texas should allow them to licensed as antiques but IANAL.

 

I think y'all are still missing it. I completely agree with the overall intent of the AAMVA guidance document. But that seems to be where y'all stop reading -- completely missing why that document utterly helps.

The scope of the AAMVA guidance is SEVERAL vehicles, not just minitrucks. Yet, in Texas, ALL of those several vehicles, EXCEPT minitrucks, are legally allowed on prescribed roads (based on alternative guidance in the AAMVA document). The logic strategy is simple: treat minitrucks in accordance with the AAMVA document, just as you currently do with all the other vehicles contained in that AAMVA document. Revise the law to include minitrucks in the definition scope, just like in the AAMVA document. Now all of the other existing laws would include minitrucks, just like in the AAMVA document. I would be able to get off-highway plates for my minitruck, just like I can for golf carts, sand rails, UTVs, etc, all in accordance with the AAMVA guidance document. Sorry to be so repetitive, but...not sure how else to say it?

The huge problem is any strategy of getting these trucks fully licensed and registered. I've said it before and I'll say it again: bad idea. Because then you do incur the wrath of the AAMVA, NHTSA, Insurance Institute, EPA, lobbyist, bureaucrats, whatever else. Which is why jigs confused me: he suggested the bad idea, then detailed why it would be so hard to succeed, further justifying how bad of an idea it is. (And, in Texas, that proposed law was already tried and failed miserably.)

I'm not a fan of trying for other licensing loop holes, like collector's cars, antique cars, et al. Any success with those provisions would be short term at best...and is currently evidenced by some states starting to revoke prior registrations.

 

Why would you agree with that document? Its the cause of all the states making the revocations and such.

 

Reading this thread is a bit discouraging. I had hopes of trying to get a bonded title to register the cheap little suzuki carry I found recently that came with no title or import documents. Seems like it may not be as easy as I had hoped.

Not that I had intended to use it for much road use but it would be nice to legally be able to run into town or pop over to the local mtn bike trail in the mini since the roads are all 45mph or below.

 

Well then, allow me the pleasure of giving you the good news from last month.

https://www.theautopian.com/texan-b...-to-win-the-battle-against-imported-car-bans/