Ok so just sent some more emails... Looks like we have an interest in S.1687 which deals with the changes to registration laws and H.3070 which deals with changes to inspection laws - both for dual pickups.

In the Joint Comittee for Transportation. Send your reps and state senators emails/calls about getting these through the system.

 

Will do, and many thanks for keeping this on the burner.

 

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick update. Senator Moore's office informed me today that the MA Senate just adopted the 2013 version of the bill as an amendment to its FY14 state budget. The provision would have to be maintained through the conference committee, however it will be part of the Senate’s plan going in to those deliberations. That means we have another chance at the brass ring. Keep lobbying your state reps who will be participating in the budget negotiation process. That's where this thing will survive to a floor vote or get killed again.

Thanks for all your support.

SA

 

Gentlemen,

Do any of you feel it would be of any benefit if we could determine which day this bill would be brought up to the senate and those of us that can trekked into the city to show our support? Normally I would say bring the campers, etc But that to me would be harder than it sounds.



What do you all thinK?

 

Glen,
Hope all is well... That idea would be fun, at 41' long and 13' 3" tall the 5er would tie up lots of traffic.....

On the bill, send emails out again, and Mike Moore (Millbury) sent a letter on our behalf to the head of the transportation committee supporting the bill.

Here is hoping it gets through this time....

 

Well gang, the news is not good. The budget amendment did not survice the conference committee. Therefore we are back to square one.

Senator Moore filed Senate Bill 1687, An Act clarifying the definition of commercial motor vehicles. The bill’s text is identical to the budgetary amendment language that was recently excluded from the Conference Committee’s final report. Presently, S1687 is before the Joint Committee on Transportation. A public hearing has yet to be held on this piece of legislation.

I guess the nay-sayers are going to be right. This thing is probably never going to get out of some committee somewhere. Feel free to crank up the lobby machine again but I don't know how we will get out of committee and into a vote this late in the session.

Sorry for the bad news.

 

Just another example of taxation by fees!!!

 

Gang, I have not given up. I have been working with Rep Fattman as well as Sen Moore and we may have two more chances this year to get this bill passed. Sen Moore is still very supportive. Please, if you have a moment, follow-up with a note or call of support to your own legislators as well as to Sen Moore & Rep Fattman's offices. It's important that their offices hear from you encouraging support for this bill. I will continue to do what I can and keep everyone updated. The transportation committee has recommended this bill for action in the past so I think we can get them to do so again. It's been a slow process but we have not lost yet.

Thanks as always for your support
Steve

 

Any updates of late Steve?

 

Karl4Cat and others - Not much happening right now. I did meet with Rep Fattman a couple weeks ago and we outlined a legislative strategy if we can get the bill out of the Transportation committee again and through a senate vote. As always, keep your representatives & senators aware of our desire to see action on this and it will help us when it gets to a floor vote.

Thanks for asking
Steve

 

Taxachusetts is all about fees, fines and taxes.
Last year I took my Mercedes off the road and transferred the low number plates to my F350 Dually.
I got it inspected for both the state and the DOT.
I havent been stopped but if I was and given a ticket it would seem to me a case of double jeopardy.

 

Not sure how much it will help, but we have a hearing coming up on Sept 24 @ 1:00 pm on this bill. Lets hope this gets things moving along.

I have also sent the following along to the RMVCopy to Senator Moore)

Dear Sir:

This letter is to present an argument for allowing non-commercial users of 1-Ton Dually Pickups to return to using normal PAN (Passenger Plates). Thank you for your time to review this matter and possibly provide a change to current rules and regulations.
Currently Section 1 of chapter 90 of the General Laws defines any vehicle with more than 5 wheels on the road as a commercial vehicle. It is my understanding that this change was made to eliminate commercial interests (Landscapers, laborers, etc) from using normal PAN plates on their commercial vehicles, typically 1-Ton Dually Pickup trucks. The impact on non-commercial users of these pickup trucks has resulted in significant fees on vehicles that we use that do not generate income and in my opinion, unfairly impose a penalty on the faults of other users.
As a quick study I setup on a busy intersection within the towns of Millbury, Grafton, and Auburn on different days to view vehicle traffic passing by with the following results:
Town
Category Millbury Grafton Auburn
Pickup Trucks 123 156 187
Pickup Trucks with Work Trailers/Ladder Racks 45 35 55
Pickups with Business Name 15 12 26
Pickup Trucks with Commercial Plates 6 12 18
Dually Pickups 3 5 3
Dually Pickups with Work Trailers/Ladder Racks 1 0 0
Dually Pickups with Business Name 1 1 1

As you can see from a very quick (non-scientific) review of passing vehicles the trend has been for these very users targeted by this change, have changed their tactic to using Three-Quarter-Ton and Half-Ton pickups with their landscape/work trailers attached and still using PAN plates as a majority of them have done. A very small number of these users have actually adopted a commercial plate, instead just down-sizing to a smaller pickup truck to avoid the changes all together.
I use a 1-Ton Dually pickup truck to tow an RV that requires this vehicle to keep my family and those around us safe. Others have opted to just use single-rear wheeled 1-Ton vehicles in what could be considered unsafe tow conditions strictly on the basis of not wanting to pay the additional penalty of having Commercial Plates on the vehicle. As a weekend camper we are on the roads with our tow vehicle not more than 40 or so days as compared to a business owner who is on the road most of the time.
In my opinion it is now time for the Massachusetts DOT-RMV to review this regulation and adopt changes as defined in Senate Bill S.1687 by State Senator Richard T. Moore (President Pro Tempore) as their efforts to have commercial interests adhere to the spirit of these rules has failed by evidence of the number of commercial interests that have switched to smaller/single-wheeled pickup trucks and continuing to avoid the Commercial Registration requirements. Thank you for the time and attention to this matter. Below find the text of the changes to the general laws as is appropriate.

 

Thanks much for the update...

 

Looks like we got out of the Transportation Comittee and are back into the Ways and Means.... We need some connections in this comittee to get it moving along! Sent emails to Ways and Means Chair and local Senator who is on the Ways and Means.... still keeping my fingers crossed, but not holding my breath.

 

Just heard back from Senator Moore's (Millbury) office and he has written to the chairman of the Ways and Means committee urging to move this legislation along.