Interpreting the Oklahoma law...

[LiveFreeOrDie]

Just looking for some opinions on the wording in the new Oklahoma law allowing the mini trucks on all roads except for the Interstates.

My question is in regards to this very vague and wide-open passage which helps to define what a "Mini-truck" actually is...

"...equipped with a bed or compartment for hauling, and having an enclosed passenger cab;"

If I read that corrrectly, a bed isn't required as long as a "compartment for hauling" is part of the vehicle. To me, that says a kei cargo van would also be acceptable. Also, since the term "enclosed passenger cab" gives no specification as to how many occupants can ride in that enclosed cab, there is nothing to preclude my cargo van from having four seats.

So, if I'm reading this correctly, this allows for not only trucks, but deckvans and minivans as well.

Thanks, and I look forward to your opinions.

[jtpc]

Hmm, well, that's not how I interpreted it, but perhaps you are right.
I think it was referring to the Kei-Trucks (with truck beds) and the Kei-vans with small beds. But maybe the little vans will not have any problems getting registered. You will probably just have to wait and find out come after Nov 1st.

But keep in mind, the law defines a "mini-TRUCK". Note that it is for "trucks". I am kinda thinking there is a difference between a truck and a van.

But anyways, e-mail Rep. Don Armes and ask him if maybe he knows.
But I'm guessing we'll just have to wait and see when all the paperwork to register is complete.
Here's his e-mail: donarmes@okhouse.gov

~Josh

[NorthTexasMiniTrucks]

I would guess that from a registration perspective they would never know - it's all paperwork and money for the most part. The local law enforcement might be the one with his or her own interpretation.

[jtpc]

Yep Jason,
I'm sure you are probably right. The paperwork on a Sambar van and a Sambar truck will probably not show the difference. It will just label it as a 'subaru sambar' more than likely.
If so, I guess I'll be seeing mini-"truck" vans driving around here as well.

[LiveFreeOrDie]

I was thinking along the lines of a 'vehicle class', instead of staying solely focused on the sheetmetal of the body.

I then realized that if anyone knew, it would be a manufacturer and so I called Tiger Truck in Poteau.

According to Tiger, all configurations, trucks, crew cabs/deck vans, and cargo and passenger vans are all street legal as of November 1st.

Looking back, it wouldn't make sense that they wouldn't allow Tiger to sell anything less than their entire product line. It was about that time that the light bulb went on in my head and I realized that if not for that Tiger facility in Poteau, it could have taken a lot longer for this to happen...

[LiveFreeOrDie]

And this brings me to my next question....

The illegality of importing anything other than a manual transmission truck has been mentioned around this site, but what now?

Now that all forms of these vehicles have a legal venue for operation in Oklahoma, would deck vans and minivans still be subject to potential seizure?

Also, without any legal need for a 25 mph governor, would there be any such restriction on vehicles with automatic transmissions destined for shipment to Oklahoma?

And if those details get sorted out in Oklahomans' favor...would there be anything that would keep me from buying a '08 Honda Vamos or '08 Daihatsu Atrai and picking it up at the Port of Catoosa and tagging it up? I wouldn't think so.

Think about it...

This isn't just your regular can of worms, gentlemen...this is the extra-large institutional-size 55-gallon can of worms that you can only get at Sams'.

[jtpc]

Hello,

I didn't realize deck vans and mini-vans had potential seizure risk. The dealer I got mine from gets in vans if you want without problems.

And as for your question about auto transmission-- the auto transmission trucks that come into the US will still need to meet the 25mph requirement, seeing how they aren't imported directly into Oklahoma (if only Oklahoma had a port to the ocean).
But I suppose if you could get the item shipped directly to the Port of Catoosa, maybe you wouldn't have to have the speed restrictor already in place. Unfortunately, I believe that they want the restrictor in place before it even leaves Japan if destined for the US, Oklahoma or not. But perhaps this will change come after Nov 1st, but I doubt it.

But my truck is an automatic transmission and it has no speed restrictor.
This is because I had the automatic transmission rebuilt by the dealer because it had a weak reverse. So now I have the original 3-speed auto that goes all the way to top speed.

But seeing that you know where Catoosa is, you probably know where Pryor is. In Pryor is the dealer I bought from. I recommend them if you want a truck from Japan. They have family that picks out their stuff so they can probably find whatever you are looking for (plus they can do all the work on it).
They are "All American Imports".

They have a mini-van that belongs to the owners' father with auto that he ordered. So I know they can get the vans in.

~Josh