Farm Truck Registration

[jinman]

It would seem from yours and Kyle's comments that if a farmer/rancher is only able to afford one vehicle that he dang sure better never have to get a side job to make ends meet or he better keep regular tags on that truck. Ridiculous.

Yep! Ridiculous or not, that's the law. Specifically, the state website says,

"May not use a vehicle registered under this section in connection with gainful employment other than farming or ranching."

A part-time job is gainful employment.

Here's the link to the website and it's pretty clear that if the vehicle is used for other than farm use or family necessities, it needs to have regular registration.

 

[bglz42]

I work at a refinery in Texas City. Lots of farm tags in the parking lot. Not mine. Not worth the hassle...

 

[wsp617]

Duffster: Yes you can haul machinery and farm supplies with a CMV w/o a CDL.

As far as me driving through parking lots to look for farm plates, how else do you catch these violations? It's not something I do on a regular basis but I do check places from time to time. Again, citations are not issued. I give the people the chance to change the registration. I don't think I've issued more than 5 tickets for this in the last 20 years. Most of those were people who were warned and then violated the law again. Like I said before, most people change their plates because they know they were in violation and don't want further issues. That's what we're looking for....compliance. I've had a few people call and asked for clarification on the law but I've had just one person complain about this in 20 years. Basically she admitted she was in violation but she thought we were "picking on farmers". And yes she was just given a warning. How do I prove by where the truck is parked that there's a violation? It's not difficult. Most places have areas where employees park. It's not like I'm driving through the Walmart lot.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I swear the views do vary depending where people are from in the USA.

I don't run farm tags on my F150 but I do run them on my FL70. I only use the truck for hauling hay and sawdust, etc. and do on occasion take drive it to my paying job when I need to pick something up or simply to run it at least once a month.

What I am not doing at this time is running my farm as a business. I suppose that makes me a criminal. However, if you ask the man I buy hay from, my vet or the local feed store, or my neighbors, I don't figure you would get much of reaction. I know that the places that get my business and their employees are glad to have it.

Glad I chose to live in an area where the police have bigger issues and the neighbors mind their own.

 

[two_bit_score]

Yep! Ridiculous or not, that's the law. Specifically, the state website says,

"May not use a vehicle registered under this section in connection with gainful employment other than farming or ranching."

A part-time job is gainful employment.

Here's the link to the website and it's pretty clear that if the vehicle is used for other than farm use or family necessities, it needs to have regular registration.

Not very many JP's are going to convict any one of driving a farm tagged truck to a a secondary job occasionally or in an 'emergency' or if the have a valid reason. No matter how much you don't like it they won't be paying a fine in almost any case.

 

[RobertBrown]

I have a pickup i don't drive on the road, I've been using it for 15 years with out a tag or insurance, like a tractor. Saved a bundle on tags and insurance....I hate insurance, and insurance companies. I love that old truck 84 f150.... I just whistle and it starts up and comes to me.

 

[RTII]

So what is the background for having two different plates and prices for farmers vs everyone else? Is the law antiquated? This may not be a popular sentiment on a tractor forum (which I assume means quite a few farmers/ranchers) but why would farmers get to pay less to use the same roads everyone else does. Just trying to learn here, not trying to say it isn't right if there is a justification for it.

 

[Duffster]

So what is the background for having two different plates and prices for farmers vs everyone else? Is the law antiquated? This may not be a popular sentiment on a tractor forum (which I assume means quite a few farmers/ranchers) but why would farmers get to pay less to use the same roads everyone else does. Just trying to learn here, not trying to say it isn't right if there is a justification for it.

Presumably the farmer would be using the truck much less and it is just a "gimme".

 

[wsp617]

So what is the background for having two different plates and prices for farmers vs everyone else? Is the law antiquated? This may not be a popular sentiment on a tractor forum (which I assume means quite a few farmers/ranchers) but why would farmers get to pay less to use the same roads everyone else does. Just trying to learn here, not trying to say it isn't right if there is a justification for it.

It comes down to politcs. WI is a very "farmer friendly" state. As I stated earlier that farmers pay 25% of the regular truck fee. That is now even less as auto, truck and motorcycle reg rates continue to go up and the farm plates have not gone up in 10 years! 10 years ago farm plates were $45 for two years and auto plates were $45 for one year. Now auto plates are $75.

Logging is also very big in WI. Loggers are allowed to carry additional weight just because....it's politics.

 

[Duffster]

Duffster: Yes you can haul machinery and farm supplies with a CMV w/o a CDL.

So I can haul new machinery.

I can haul used machinery.

But I can't haul used junk machinery?

 

[two_bit_score]

It comes down to politcs. WI is a very "farmer friendly" state. As I stated earlier that farmers pay 25% of the regular truck fee. That is now even less as auto, truck and motorcycle reg rates continue to go up and the farm plates have not gone up in 10 years! 10 years ago farm plates were $45 for two years and auto plates were $45 for one year. Now auto plates are $75.

Logging is also very big in WI. Loggers are allowed to carry additional weight just because....it's politics.

Man, you have a real sorry attitude toward the people who produce this nations food supply.

 

[wsp617]

No I don't. I grew up working 12-14 hours a day on a farm....BEEN THERE..... DONE THAT!

The guy that rents my land had truck plates on all three off his trucks. When I asked him why he thought he was restricted to farm use only if he had farm plates. I told him he could get farm plates on all his trucks. He thanked me because it saved him a ton of money. There have also been a number of guys I stopped that had regular truck plates when they were farmers. When I asked them why, they said the dealer was under the understanding a farm plate was farm use only. I told them to get farm plates, called the dealers and explained the law to the dealerships. Ya I hate em.

2-bit, maybe you should come up and do a ride-along. That way you'd have more time to tell me how to do my job.....

 

[dcyrilc]

You guys have it too easy. Here you're allowed up to 15 miles between farms. No exceptions. I can't even run my vehicle with the farm plates to the gas station to fuel it up. I got farm tags because the large truck I use for maintaince has to go on the road to get from the north end of the farm to the south end and the state wants $400/year for regular tags. I make the 2000 foot trip a couple of times a year. The farm tags cost me $35 and never expire, but the down side is I have to haul my fuel.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Presumably the farmer would be using the truck much less and it is just a "gimme".

Bingo.

Our F700 with farm tags may see 1000-1500 miles a year. I may take a tractor to the shop (trailers require no tags) or I may pull the backhoe over to my sister's farm. For a storage building I used it to pick up some blocks, cement and 16" stuff. I used it with the 25" equipment trailer to pull the kids old swing set in one piece to the family we gave it too.

I know they do not do this in WI but in KY 75% of the pick up trucks parked at the high schools in our end of the state will have Farm Tags with FFA etc printed on them.

The limitations of farm tags make them worth less too.:thumbsup:

Yes we have farmers with tractor trailer rigs working for hire and when they get caught and they do it ain't cheap. I will not even do For Hire jobs with our truck but I may do it without charge which is OK with my insurance company but not for payment.

 

[RTII]

Presumably the farmer would be using the truck much less and it is just a "gimme".

You guys have it too easy. Here you're allowed up to 15 miles between farms. No exceptions. I can't even run my vehicle with the farm plates to the gas station to fuel it up. I got farm tags because the large truck I use for maintaince has to go on the road to get from the north end of the farm to the south end and the state wants $400/year for regular tags. I make the 2000 foot trip a couple of times a year. The farm tags cost me $35 and never expire, but the down side is I have to haul my fuel.

Bingo.

Our F700 with farm tags may see 1000-1500 miles a year. I may take a tractor to the shop (trailers require no tags) or I may pull the backhoe over to my sister's farm. For a storage building I used it to pick up some blocks, cement and 16" stuff. I used it with the 25" equipment trailer to pull the kids old swing set in one piece to the family we gave it too.

Ok, Makes sense now. Basically used less on the road so smaller fee for the tags. Thanks.

 

[aczlan]

Ok, Makes sense now. Basically used less on the road so smaller fee for the tags. Thanks.

Yep. Doesn't make sense that the semi which is used twice a year (to haul the trailer with seed/fertilizer in the spring and the grain trailer in the fall) should have to pay the same registration rate as the semi which is run down the road 300 days a year delivering stuff.

Aaron Z

 

[Duffster]

Doesn't make sense that the semi which is used twice a year (to haul the trailer with seed/fertilizer in the spring and the grain trailer in the fall) should have to pay the same registration rate as the semi which is run down the road 300 days a year delivering stuff.

But on the other hand does it makes sense that the farmer that uses his truck everyday should pay less than a guy that might use the truck a few times a year to tow a camper?

The price difference is actually more than what super trooper has let on. Basic farm plate are good for 12k @ $22.50/year and the equivalent truck plate runs $209.

 

[aczlan]

But on the other hand does it makes sense that the farmer that uses his truck everyday should pay less than a guy that might use the truck a few times a year to tow a camper?
The price difference is actually more than what super trooper has let on. Basic farm plate are good for 12k @ $22.50/year and the equivalent truck plate runs $209.

True. Perhaps there should be a limited mileage plate where you are charged a prorated amount of the full registration price based on how many miles you drive per year up to 8000, after which you pay full price.

Aaron Z

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I keep wondering if governments are loosing more money in other areas than farmers driving to other jobs in their farm trucks and that those other areas should be getting more attention with our limited funds. Pissing contests tend to leave everyone smelling the same.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

My trailer has farm tags. I'm allowed 30 miles on the roads on farm business. I exceeded that once, by a bit. Got away with it, though, perhaps because three cubic yards of fresh horse manure carries a certain agricultural legitimacy with it.