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Legal to drive on roads

Discussion in 'General Truck Info' started by kmoneil, Jun 3, 2007.

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  1. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member

    Why is it that these trucks are not legal to drive on the road and that goofy smart car that is about 2 feet wide and its "US Safety approved"?
     
  2. larryn2o

    larryn2o Member

    drive

    there are quite a few on the road here . we just have to get the hyway patrole to inspect it ($75) and apply for a clear title.
    not sure how long it will go on ? our GOV! just vetoed a bill to alow ATV's to use the road!
     
  3. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member

    Thats awesome that you can drive them on the roads. I'm in Gilbert Arizona and my neighbor has a Gator and he got a tag, but I was told that you could not get a mini truck tagged .. but that was here say I really need to check with the AZ MVD to verify.
     
  4. larryn2o

    larryn2o Member

    tag for truck

    what if it was tagged in an other state ? then resold?
     
  5. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member

    I know that if you live in Arizona that you have 6 months to take your vehicles, or they fine you. They even setup a rat on you neighbor program ($500 reward), thats how desperate they are to make you get an AZ tag. I need to check with the MVD though.
     
  6. JRinTX

    JRinTX Moderator

    Registering trucks in Texas

    This is a great thread. We all need to investigate and share info on how to license these trucks for use on the roads. Being able to drive these on roads would be a giant selling point (even if they were only allowed on secondary roads). It would set mini trucks even further apart from UTVs. And think of the gas mileage!!
    I know of a guy in Texas that has registered one and I have been told that Mississippi and South Dakota allow them to be driven. I realize that there are limitations. For instance, I would never take off down Interstate 10 to Houston! :eek: But, for running around town they would be great. And they are safer than a motorcycle.
    What do ya'll think or know about registering these trucks?
     
  7. mark06

    mark06 New Member

    for real though i just bought one of these trucks and am in the process of getting a bonded title. if anyone knows anything about the laws on legalizing one of them, please tell me. thanks
     
  8. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    As a dealer I am concerned about this.
    Sure I sell them as off-road only, but then the customer goes out and bypasses the speed restrictor and finds a way to get a tag for it. (don't know how when these things don't have a US standard VIN). But then they drive it on the road. Sooner or later someone is going to get hurt/killed in one of the trucks on the road, and US Customs is going to put a halt to them, and stop allowing them into the US. And as soon as you bypass the speed restrictor, you violate EPA regulations. With all the GREEN people out there, this would be a great topic for them to jump on and get us shut down......

    Just my opinion.
     
  9. larryn2o

    larryn2o Member

  10. larryn2o

    larryn2o Member

    i do agree with abcminitrucks. if tomany folks break the laws ( we tend to think of them as recommendations here) it will cause a backlash. on the other hand we need to do something! i just filled up my geo metro & it cost me $32.00.
    these trucks have been on the street here for 8 or 9 years . long before this fad started. a 2 WD sells for $2,995 & it cost about $100 to get one tagged. and if you stay off the 4 lane it gets better mileage than my metro.
    i'm not sure what the tipping point is . but i'm sure one day it may all stop.
     
  11. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member

    I just was wondering about the taggin them, but really I would use it off road most of the time anyways, there is so many things they could be used for. A better choice than a gator, rhino and the others that I don't even know.
     
  12. mark06

    mark06 New Member

    I understand your concerns (abcminitrucks) however, do you think that a mini truck is any more dangerous than a motorcycle on the road. By this i dont mean to state that i think that a minitruck should be taken on the interstate or any major thoroughfair. Im just looking to go back and forth to work (here in town) and save money on gas. So, yes it concerns me also should any problems arise in the future regarding the minitruck and its legalities.
     
  13. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    Mark06,

    It's not really up to me to decide how dangerous they are. It is federal Law that they are not street legal. I suggest to call your congressman and make this argument to him/her. The way I look at it, if it is not any more dangerous than a motorcyle, then buy a motocycle and drive it on the road.

    One other difference, is when you remove the speed restrictors that were place on them in Japan, and approved by customs as they passed into the US, you no longer meet EPA regulations. Motorcyles all meet EPA regulations without being speed restricted.

    Don't take this the wrong way, I am not trying to be negative, just trying to save my business.

    Yesterday I noticed just about a mile from my shop, there is another guy with one of the trucks sitting by the road for sale. He has removed all the restictors and is selling it as a street legal vehicle. He is selling them from his house in a subdivision.....these guys are going to kill us legitimate dealers and ruin it for everyone else.
    Luckily he thinks there is allot of profit in these vehicles and he has this one priced way too high.
     
  14. ATVtruck.com

    ATVtruck.com New Member

    US Cutoms and Border Patrol allows these trucks to be imported because we importers acknowledge they will be sold and used as off road. NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Saftey Admistration) is going to tell on us. When that happens the US CBP will be pissed. They will cut off the imports or tax the heck out of them or go retroactive on the import taxes. Please do not discuss these as being used on road. Those of you posting info on how to get them tagged are going to cause problems. Please do not do it.
     
  15. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    I have to agree....you guys are cutting your own throats...and taking us with you.
     
  16. wolv1001

    wolv1001 New Member

    Sorry to say guys I think the cat is out of the bag,here in Michigan they are all over the roads. I have read that the feds are eventually going to take dot $ away from the states who allow them on the road.Also there are dealers here that are selling 2003's and up with no restrictors that is a double no no.
     
  17. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    How are they getting them tagged and titled when they do not have a valid VIN? How are they getting them insured. Does Michigan require insurance to get your license plate?

    Just seems that there is some seriously underhanded paperwork going on....bordering on FRAUD.

    Wait till someone gets killed or seriously hurt in one of these trucks, the Sh** will hit the fan then.
     
  18. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

  19. wolv1001

    wolv1001 New Member

    There are many other states that tag them,Indiana,Ohio,Missouri to name a few. Here in Michigan it is no differant than tagging a homemade dune buggy or hot rod car. There is a certain company that will issue a cert of insurance on these vehicles. I totally see your point that federal law say's you can't drive them on the road,but I think alot of people think well if my state will plate it then it's o.k. In the end the fed's will educate the states and there will be no mini's on the road. just my 2 cents.
     
  20. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    Yep, Its gonna come down sooner or later....so all you people that are thinking about buying one, better hurry up.

    I guess I will start looking for some other forms of retirement income.
     
  21. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member

    You would think they (Our Gov.) would want to make these trucks legal. There are tons of other vehicles that are legal to drive on the roads and probably not even close to be as safe as these trucks.
     
  22. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    Kevin,

    No disrepect here, but why would they want to make them legal? They would then directly compete with US companies...that just can't seem to make an effecient car.

    I for one would not want to drive one of these little trucks on the highway...I have been witness to some very serious accidents in my time so I drive a full size F-250 diesel when I am on the road with all the other idiots.

    I think the diesel market in the US is going to explode soon. I know for a fact that Mercedes Benz has developed a super efficent engine that they will debut soon. I am sure others will follow. I think that is where we are heading....not the hybrid route.

    Speaking of Hybrids, they claim to tbe very eco friendly....but have you seen the plants in Aisa that build the batteries for these cars? They are one of the worst polluting factories in the world...OH and what are we going to do with all the lithium in the battries as soon as some of the cars get a few years on them and these batteries get discarded


    Sorry for the rant....I agree there has to be a better solution to meet our fuel economy needs, but these little trucks are not it.
     
  23. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member

    Hey no disrespect here, I like to here everyones opinion. I too drive a full size truck for all the idiot drivers here in Arizona. I guess to me to make them legal is a not huge deal, its just funny to me that you can get a gator / rhino a tag and insured, but not these trucks.

    I really do hope someone does come up with a better eco solution, someone just needs to take the lead.
     
  24. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member

    You can tag a Gator/Rhino/Mule in Arizona? You can't in Georgia. None of our ATVs are tagable in Georgia. However, you can get a orange farm triangle and put it on the vehicle and it is legal to drive on the road.....as long as you can justify it as a farm vehicle. But the Federal law on these mini trucks superseds the state law. Thus making them illegal to drive on the public road/highways of Georgia.
     
  25. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    I could probably get away with the orange triangle route here in rural Wisconsin...especially as I'm technically considered a "farmer" by the USDA.. but I doubt I would. Nevertheless, I have to admit that if I were King of the World, I would think there would be a place for something similar to Kei Class vehicles in the US.

    Here's my idea: allow small, very simple, very inexpensive, pickup type vehicles like these mini trucks with certain restrictions. They could be limited to 1L or smaller engines, be catalyzed for emissions, speed limited to 55 mph to discourage use on major highways and/or illegal on Interstates and limited in dimensions (like the current Kei class vehicles). Heck, I suppose you could have airbags (again, like the Kei trucks being made today have). Will they be as "safe" as a full size pickup or car. No. But then, just the very small size and small engine are going to keep a lot of folks from buying them. I would only allow the pickup configuration for street use so that you don't end up with 8 teenagers stuffed into one. The sportsmen, farmers and others that the current trucks appeal to would be joined by urban folk that just want a small runabout. If they are cheap enough, people will buy them as a second or third vehicle and save gas and emissions.

    Now, having said all that, I agree with ABCMINITRUCKS that I think trying to tag the current import trucks will lead to problems. I see the chances of my scenario stated above happening as exactly 0% for a variety of reasons (safety, lack of profits for the BIG 3, etc). So, until the political climate changes to allow a "new" class of vehicles in the U.S., I think tagging the import Kei trucks may lead to them not being allowed at all.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2007
  26. abcminitrucks

    abcminitrucks Member


    I could not have said it better myself!!!
     
  27. kmoneil

    kmoneil Administrator Staff Member


    Yep, you sure can. My neighbor drives his back on the roads everywhere.
     
  28. Scott

    Scott New Member

    My two cents worth.
    When these trucks are imported, to keep down cost they are classified as farm vehicles. Therefore they are taxed as farm equipment not vehicles. If you would like to classify them as vehicles, put the check in the mail!
     
  29. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if all side by side UTV's (Mules, Gators and especially Rhinos) are limited to 25mph?
     
  30. wolv1001

    wolv1001 New Member

    No they are not. Rhino's,rangers,Rzr's,Prowler's are not limted in any way.
     
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