Maryland MV owners are in trouble

[Nonotagain]

Unless they have put some teeth into the law, there was no fine for using a historic vehicle for daily transportation. There also was no provision for removing the historic designation from the vehicle.

Just another money grab for the State of Maryland.

Here is the Maryland histroic and street rod application .

 

[DieselBob]

Hmmmm.........so does that mean that those that bob their trucks have to register them as Street Rods? Then they can use them for occassional transportation.

Registration - Special Use Vehicles
How do I register a vehicle as a street rod?
To be registered as a street rod (class N), your vehicle must:

1. be 25 model years old or older; and
2. have been substantially altered from the manufacturer’s original design.

A vehicle registered as a street rod cannot be used for general daily transportation, or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways. It can only be used in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation and similar uses.

That's the way it reads to me.
So going by the letter of the law if I want to keep my deuce as original as possible I can't drive it except under very restrictive conditions. If I want to hack it all to he** I can use it all I want as long as it isn't my daily driver. So if I stretch the frame, put a M36 bed on it, make it a crew cab and add a third drive axle I'm good to go as a street rod. Go figure.

 

[3rdmdqm]

Let's dissect this for a moment:

"(I) WILL BE MAINTAINED FOR USE IN EXHIBITIONS, CLUB ACTIVITIES, PARADES, TOURS, AND SIMILAR USES;"

It says "maintain", not use or drive. Don't we all maintain our trucks for this purpose? Paint and mark them so they look like and represent the trucks as they were used? Try to keep them as original looking as possible etc.? I do not see any real restrictions here.

"(II) WILL NOT BE USED FOR: GENERAL DAILY TRANSPORTATION; OR
ANY COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION OF 5 PASSENGERS OR PROPERTY ON HIGHWAYS; AND

What is the definition of "general daily transportation"? Every day? 2 times a day? 3 times a week? I see the intent of this to apply to those who were using the vehicles as the primary source of transportation, to and from work, to and from the store on a regular basis etc. I still don't see any real restrictions for driving on Sundays or to the ice cream store. It also says for use in club activities and "similar uses". What are "similar uses?" Steel Soldiers is a club, so if you drive your truck on Sunday to the local ice cream store to display the truck and generate interest, isn't that a club activity or similar use? As long as you are not hauling gravel, sand, or going to the dump etc. I don't think this is really going to jam anyone up just out for a Sunday drive, although I suppose the potential is there. It also prohibits commercial or for hire transportation of people or property which is really the true intent.

What does perplex me is the below section that says that you must have collector car or antique insurance. While usually cheaper than regular policies, most contain a garage requirement that many cannot do so they choose to purchase regular insurance. Maryland has minimum insurance requirements for all vehicles, it should not matter what the name/type of the policy is. What should matter is the coverage itself. What is next, they are going to dictate what kind of health insurance we have to buy? Oh, wait a minute........................

(III) IS INSURED BY A HISTORIC VEHICLE, A SHOW VEHICLE, OR AN ANTIQUE VEHICLE INSURANCE POLICY.

 

[F18hornetM]

I also dont see a problem with "occasional" use, I need to road test, get fuel etc. A road test is "maintaining" it. It needs to be driven some or won't run when you want it to.
What I dont like is laws like these start the ball rolling for more laws. For the most part, Have you ever saw any laws make things better?

 

[3rdmdqm]

I also dont see a problem with "occasional" use, I need to road test, get fuel etc. A road test is "maintaining" it. It needs to be driven some or won't run when you want it to.
What I dont like is laws like these start the ball rolling for more laws. For the most part, Have you ever saw any laws make things better?

I like your definition of "maintaining" and driving to maintain. The answer to the last sentence I would have to say yes. However you are correct, these usually get the ball rolling for additional nonsense and over restriction, which is why when this happens it's time to vote out the individuals that started it. Politicians seem to think they always have to change things to help someone's cause and rather than using some common sense they go with the shotgun approach instead of dealing with the problem makers. Frankly from what I've been seeing, if they are in office now I will vote for someone else. Once the reality sets in that they will truly be held accountable for their decisions, maybe things will actually get better.

 

[CoderBrown]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but what options are available to us Marylanders now to register a deuce or 5 ton? Since I want to use my vehicle for non-commercial activities such as running to Home Depot, taking stuff to the dump, occasional ice cream runs, etc. I will not be able to register it as Historic since these kinds of uses are explicitly forbidden. What are the ramifications to other types of registration?

 

[big1096]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but what options are available to us Marylanders now to register a deuce or 5 ton? Since I want to use my vehicle for non-commercial activities such as running to Home Depot, taking stuff to the dump, occasional ice cream runs, etc. I will not be able to register it as Historic since these kinds of uses are explicitly forbidden. What are the ramifications to other types of registration?

If you wanted to use the truck as a regular, every day truck, you would have to register it as a Class "E" vehicle. You would have to pay $5.00 for every 1,000 lbs. of weight up to the maximum weight limit. That would run you about $250 for a two year registration for a deuce at 25,000 pounds. Then you would have to get regular insurance for a vehicle of that size.

Now with a 5 ton, it would cost you considerably more in registration fees, and you need a Class B, non-CDL to drive it for personal use. If it's in the furtherance of a commercial venture, you need a class B CDL.

To use a vehicle with a valid historic registration for "occasional transportation" is well within the legal use of a historic plate. You can't use it for general daily transportation, or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways.

 

[CoderBrown]

Thanks, this is exactly the information I was looking for.

Unfortunately the "occasional use" term has been removed from the latest Historic registration form:

The vehicle is a Truck with a GVWR in excess of 10,000 pounds, Tractor, or Motor Home; and is 25 calendar years or older, and has not been substantially altered, remodeled or remanufactured from its original design.

NOTE: HISTORIC VEHICLES IN THIS CATEGORY MAY NOT BE USED FOR OCCASIONAL TRANSPORTATION. THEY ARE LIMITED TO THE ACTIVITIES CONTAINED IN THE CERTIFICATION BELOW.


I/We, certify under oath that the vehicle will only be maintained for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, and similar uses. I/We further certify that this vehicle will not be used for general daily transportation or any commercial transportation of passengers or property on highways; and is insured by a Historic Vehicle, Show Vehicle, or Antique Vehicle insurance policy.

 

[hunderliggur]

When I look up the LAW in Maryland I find:
http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/getfile.aspx?file=11.15.06.05.htm
[h=3].05 Registration Requirements and Plate.[/h]A. The owner of a vehicle to be registered under this chapter shall also certify on the Application for Historic Motor Vehicle Registration that the historic motor vehicle:
(1) Shall be maintained for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation, and similar uses; and
(2) Will not be used for general daily transportation or primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on highways.
B. For each vehicle registered under this chapter, the Administration shall issue special, historic registration plates of the size and design that the Administration determines.

I don't see anything in the law which authorizes the language listed in the post above. An interesting paradox - did MVA overstep their authority? Of where did I miss something. If you search on "Antique Vehicle" you get no matches in the COMAR.

 

[big1096]

In reading back through the posts, I forgot about the end run, super secret passing of the HB last year. They made the separate historic category for over 10,000 lbs. They made it a 25 year requirement, and removed the occasional transportation wording. The restriction is more geared towards commercial use of historic plates, which was prohibited before, it's just more clear now. In the long run, it only prohibits "general daily transportation," which means just that. You can't drive it every day for your daily transportation. It's one of those charges that is almost impossible to prove, unless you're obviously using the vehicle for commercial purposes. And to all the guys using historic tags on their bobbed trucks, that is expressly forbidden. I haven't seen a big push for historic tag enforcement, but I haven't been at that level in quite some time….

 

[CoderBrown]

It seems there is a discrepancy between the law and what the MVA says. I see the MVA form is dated 10/12. Not only does the MVA not allow "general daily transportation" it also clearly forbids "occasional transportation," so you can't use it for casual use either except when involved in the activities listed. I can understand not allowing commercial uses with historic tags, but the way it's written now it impacts non-commercial uses too. The big unknown is how much this will actually be enforced.

And to all the guys using historic tags on their bobbed trucks, that is expressly forbidden.

Could bobbed trucks be registered as street rods? It's the same registration form.

 

[big1096]

The actual law as passed can be found here:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2012rs/bills/hb/hb0668t.pdf

If the link doesn't work for you, you should be able to copy and paste it into your browser's address bar. The law itself does not prohibit occasional transportation; it only states that you can't use the vehicle for "General daily transportation." It seems that MVA has taken it upon themselves to add that little tidbit to the paperwork. Unless it's in the actual law, it's not prohibited. We'll have to see how things go. If anyone gets a ticket, please let me know. I'll do likewise if I hear anything.

It looks like a Street Rod registration would fit a bobbed deuce that was more than 25 years old. That looks like your only legal option in that department.

 

[tow2gunner]

question for the group....
i have an m923a2. -1990. so i miss the historic tags by 2years (dang). it has to be inspected - what is the truck inspection like? i already found one place trying to screw me arund - fee plus charges because they have to remove the tires/rims to inspect the brakes.... the second place gave same fee and said everything is included.

 

[Hoefler]

Classic solution looking for a problem.
From the uber taxed state of Minnesota.
Pete