Road Use Regulations Roundup – November, 2011

Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:

• A lot of action the past few months on ordinances allowing ATVs, UTVs, mini-trucks and modified and sometimes un-modified golf cars on public roads.  While some concerns about safety still persist, we may be looking at an expansion of the type of small, task-oriented vehicles that are allowed on public roads.
• With Nebraska passing a LSV law and Pennsylvania in the process of passing one, only Connecticut, Mississippi and Montana (no LSV but an MSV law) have not passed an LSV law.
• Higher ordinance activity areas:  Minnesota which is usually active and Ohio which is a relative newcomer
• Some more activity at the county level in the past few months

State Level Regulations

Pennsylvania - State House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that

“…authorizes travel in NEVs on roadways with a posted speed limit of no more than 25 mph and allows NEVs to cross roadways posted with a higher maximum speed. They can only be operated during daylight hours. NEVs will be required to be equipped with most basic safety equipment, such as brakes, mirrors, seatbelts, windshield and wipers, speedometer, odometer, headlamps, stop lamps, turn signals and reflectors, and a slow-moving vehicle emblem. In addition, NEV drivers must possess a valid license certificate of title, registration and insurance.”

The state is one of only a few that have not passed a LSV law yet.

Nebraska - The governor signed a law allowing NEVs/LSVs on low speed roads.  LSV owners will be required to have a valid operator’s license and liability insurance coverage. The vehicles will be subject to titling requirements, a registration fee of $15 and a new alternative fuel fee of $75 for vehicles using a source of energy not taxed under the motor fuel laws. The alternative fuel fee will replace the alternative fuel tax.

Louisiana - State legislature is debating allowing mini-trucks on public roads.

 Municipality Level Regulations

Wapello, IA – City council is discussing allowing golf cars and utility vehicles on city streets and receiving a mixed reaction from residents.

Sunman, IN – City council will allow golf cars on city streets. Vehicles need to be inspected and have safety features like turn signals, safety belts, reflectors and slow moving vehicle emblems.

Marathon, FL – City allows modified golf cars on low speed streets.  Under the auspicies of the state statue, any golf car meeting the safety and speed requirements will be able to use streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less.  A city ordinance with different requirements would of required the city to do their own licensing and other onerous administrative duties regarding the vehicles.

Dundee, IL – Village Trustee is pushing the town to revisit the idea of allowing NEVs and LSVs on low speed village roads.

Lauderdale-by-the-sea, FL – The town is creating four parking spaces in their commercial area specifically for use by NEVs.

Augusta County, VA – Supervisors passed an ordinance allowing golf cars and utility vehicles on country roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less.

Bryan City, OH – Initiated ordinance that allows “neighborhood electric vehicles, urban electric vehicles and golf cars/carts” which have been modified to meet certain criteria to use roads with speed limits up to 25 mph.   Driving hours on public roads for the vehicles is limited to daylight hours.

Findlay, OH – City is considering allowing modified golf cars on low speed city streets.

Tecumseh, NE - Town council allows the use of ATVs and UTVs on city streets.  The ordinance allows ATVs and utility vehicles during daylight hours for licensed drivers with liability insurance. Vehicles must be equipped with a bicycle safety flag and not exceed 30 mph.

Riverside County, CA – The governor of California signed legislation that lets Riverside County open up more low speed roads for low speed vehicles.

Mankato, MN – City passed an ordinance that allowed UTVs and mini-trucks on city streets.  Lower speed golf cars were removed from the ordinance.

Canyon Lake, CA – LSVs/NEVs will not be allowed to use Railroad Canyon Road because of safety concerns related to the vehicles mixing with faster traffic.

Polk County, MN – County commissioners passed an ordinance that authorizes the use of four-wheel ATVs, mini trucks and golf carts on county roads.

Morris, MN – City council is considering an ordinance that allows ATVs, UTVs, mini-trucks and golf cars on city streets.

Reedsburg, WI – City council amended an ordinance to now allow gas as well as electric LSVs on public roads.

NEVs On The Increase In Hawaii

A recent story reports that Hawaii currently has 268 registered taxable electric vehicles in use. Approximately 250 of the vehicles are NEVs and the remaining are highway capable vehicles.  In the last year the total number of electric vehicle grew 51% which works out to be about 90 vehicles.  The state government has established a goal of using clean energy for 70% of the transportation needs.  Since it is an island, Hawaii is a good fit for NEVs and other electrics because of the shorter travel distances required, a mild climate which improves battery performance and a less expansive area for building out EV charging infrastructure.  Learn more:  Dailyjournal.net &  Hawaii.gov

Flight Systems Industrial Products Acquires Controls Business From GE

Flight Systems Industrial Products (FSIP) recently announced that they were acquiring certain product lines and equity interest related to a joint venture with GE.  The joint venture located in Patillas, Puerto Rico manufactures and distributes controls used in electric vehicles such as forklifts, neighborhood electric vehicles, golf carts, walkies, tuggers, go-carts and personnel carriers.   FSIP remanufactures over 45,000 controls annually for forklifts, aerial lifts, golf carts, scrubbers/sweepers, personnel carriers and mobility controls and has relationships with many OEMs.  Under the twelve year old joint venture arrangement FSIP had provided manufacturing and warranty services for GE.  - Marc Cesare

Learn more:  MHIA.org

South Korea Opens Roads To NEVS

In line with a previous announcement to target the development of electric vehicles, the Ministry Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs posted revisions to road use regulations that will allow for the operation of NEVs on public roads.

…NEVs, electric vehicles with less than 60 kilometers per hour maximum speed that weigh less than 1,100 kilograms, will be allowed to run on roads designated by the mayors of local administrative authorities…

In addition, NEV crash tests will be conducted at 40 km/hr instead of the standard 48.3 km/hr.  Learn more:  Koreaherald.co.kr

Road Use Regulations Roundup – September

Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:

• Some cities and states are expanding road use regulations to include mini-trucks and other off-road vehicles
• LSV/NEV road use ordinances continue to be passed by local municipalities although safety concerns, usually raised by the local police department, remain an issue
• In some localities the new LSV ordinances prohibit the use of golf cars which previously had been allowed
• Texas MSV and Massachusetts LSV laws went into effect

Boonville, Ind - Warrick County officials have taken the first steps to allowing ATVs to use some county roads.

Baraboo, WI – City Council approves ordinance allowing NEVs to be used on most city streets.

Minnesota – Minnesota House of Representatives passes bill allowing the use of mini-trucks on local streets and highways under a special permit issued by the local governments.

Ocean City, NJ – Ordinance banning the use LSVs on city streets which was supported by the police department failed to pass.

Peabody, KS – Local ordinance is passed allowing alternative transportation vehicles on city streets including ATVs, golf carts and mini-trucks.

Saanich, British Columbia, Canada – City Council bans the use of NEVs on city streets because of concerns about the safety of vehicles in crashes with highway speed vehicles.

Neoga, IL – City Council passes ordinance allowing NEVs to be used on city streets.

Wheeling, IL – Village Board passes ordinance allowing NEVs to be used on city streets.

Massachusetts – On July 31, 2009 the states NEV ordinance , which allows vehicles to operate on streets with speed limits of 30 mp or less, went into effect.

Colorado – State Senate passed a bill allowing NEVs and street legal golf cars to be operated on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less.

Texas - On September 1, 2009 the state’s MSV law, which allows NEVs to be operated on streets with speed limits of 45 mph or less, went into effect. In addition a new law stops the state DMV from registering golf carts but allows cities to pass their own ordinances governing golf cars.

Chesterton, IN – State LSV law went into effect on July 1, 2009 that excludes the use of golf cars on the city streets.  Chesterton previously allowed the use of golf cars on city streets.

Nebraska – State legislature is considering whether mini-trucks and other off-road vehicles should be allowed on public roads.

Abilene, KS – City passes ordinance allowing the use of work-site utility vehicles and mini-trucks on city streets except main thoroughfares.

DOE Announces Funding Awarded For Clean Cities Programs

Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Under the Recovery Act, the Clean Cities program will fund a range of energy efficient and advanced vehicle technologies, such as hybrids, electric vehicles, plug-in electric hybrids, hydraulic hybrids and compressed natural gas vehicles, helping reduce petroleum consumption across the U.S.  Many of the projects include installing recharging stations for electric vehicles and  purchasing electric vehicles. One such project is The Triangle J Council of Governments’ Carolina Blue Skies and Green Jobs Initiative which is planning to purchase 56 NEVs with some of the funds.  Learn more:   DOE

Tampa Allows Free NEV Service To Return

The Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission voted to rescind their earlier decision that effectively stopped NEVs from being offered for free transportation.  The vehicles charged no fee for short rides in the downtown area but sold advertising and allowed drivers to accept tips.  The service angered local taxi drivers and the commission passed an earlier ruling halting the service.  There is some disagreement over the commission’s right to regulate the vehicles since they may not technically be taxis since they are free.  The commission is trying to obtain a legal ruling in that regard, and establish some regulatory procedures.  While that process moves forward, they are asking NEV operators to voluntarily follow some safety and insurance guidelines.  Learn more:  Tampabay.com

Road Use Regulations Roundup – May

Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:

• Some cities are expanding road use regulations to include golf cars
• NEV road use ordinances continue to be passed by local municipalities although safety concerns remain an issue for some
• Demand is in increasing for allowing utility vehicles and mini-trucks on public roads
• Another state looking to adopt a medium speed vehicle law

North Carolina – Bill in the state assembly would add Currituck and New Hanover counties to a state law that allows golf cars on streets in several resort communities.

Pontiac, IL – Ordinance being drafted that would allow the use of modified golf cars as NEVs.

Normal, IL – Considering an ordinance allowing the use of NEVs on city streets.

Merrill, WI – City council passed an ordinance allowing the use of NEVs on city streets.

Colorado – House passed a bill that would allow NEVs on public highways.

Palm Desert, CA – Safety concerns have stalled a bill in the state legislature that would broaden the use of NEVs on city streets.

Minnesota – Legislation has passed both the state house and senate that would allow counties to permit the use of mini-trucks, but not on interstate and state highways.

New York – The state DMV issued an opinion that utility vehicles are not allowed on roads or ATV trails unless the law is changed.

New Strawn, KS – City council approved an ordinance that allows work-site utility vehicles and micro utility vehicles to be driven legally on city streets.

Cushing, OK – Passed an ordinance regulating the operation of mini bikes, golf carts, ATVs and utility vehicles on the streets and highways of the city.

Utah – Cities are debating allowing the use of mini-trucks on public roads. Since they are classified as street legal ATVs there is concern about allowing the use of all types of ATVs.

Oregon – Governor has introduced a transportation bill that creates a medium speed vehicle designation aimed at increasing the adoption of NEVs

Road Use Regulations Round Up

This round up features some action in Canada, Wisconsin, Colorado and some other states as well as signs of growing interest in medium speed vehicle regulations.

Grand Chute, WI – Town asking state for help regarding the use of NEVs on some of the many roads under state jurisdiction that criss-cross the city.

Loveland, CO – House Bill 1026, which would allow neighborhood electric vehicles on public highways, passed the Judiciary Committee and will be going to a House vote.

North Vancouver, Canada – City council rejects staff recommendations to wait for additional LSV safety standards before allowing vehicles on roads.

Sedona, AZ - Public transportation commission recommends feasibility study to look at NEVs as a public transportation option.

British Columbia, Canada – Motor vehicle regulations amended to allow incidental use of roads by utility vehicles during their normal off-road use.

Kennebunk, ME - ZAP Xebra three-wheeled truck doesn’t pass registration as a motorcycle and therefore cannot be legally driven. Amendment to address issue in process.

Flower Mound, TX – Transportation commission is urged to look at LSV regulations in anticipation of increased usage of the vehicles.

Denver, CO – State Senate bill aims to create uniform road use regulations for LSVs

South Daytona, FL – After a favorable feasibility study, city officials are moving ahead on allowing golf carts to be used on city streets.

Manitoba, Canada – Manitoba province is looking at enacting similar legislation as Ontario and Quebec to allow LSVs on public roads.

Merrill, WI - City officials are drafting legislation to allow NEVs on public roads with speed limits of 35mph or less

Medium Speed Vehicle Regulations – At the end of February nine states were considering medium speed vehicle laws: Hawaii, New Mexico, Kentucky, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Georgia and Colorado. Speed limits proposed ranged from 35mph to 50 mph with most at 45 mph. Five states who have already adopted MSEV laws include Washington, Montana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

Connecticut – Some State Representatives are pushing to legalize NEVs

NEVs Become A Point Of Attack On Stimulus Bill

Numerous blogs and websites are recycling the same political spin in opposition to the stimulus bill.  Typically the headline includes the phrase “$300 million for golf carts”. (Here is an example)  The story then highlights NEVs from a list of electric vehicle types that would be eligible for federal funding under the bill and conflates NEVs/LSVs with golf carts.

Whether you are for or against the stimulus bill, this is another example of how various media outlets and others are blurring the line between NEVs/LSVs and golf carts.  In the past, the blurring has had more to do with vehicle safety issues.  In both cases, the blurring is to the detriment of NEV/LSV manufacturers.  If this trend continues, NEV/LSV manufacturers may have to more aggressively and clearly delineate the differences between NEVs/LSVs and golf carts in order to protect the generic NEV/LSV brand and their specific brand of NEV/LSV.