Either you’ll have to stump up for a full road use licence, or keep the vehicle off the road.
Feds’ spokesman on transport issues, Ian Mackenzie, says a specific agricultural vehicle class for tractors, combines, foragers, and other farm specific machines, is something Feds has been calling for to sort out “the grey areas” in making standard heavy vehicle regs fit such specialist machines.
However, “the compromise” for that will be removing truck and ute eligibility for E Class B, or the new agricultural vehicle class.
“It’s really just a loophole farmers have exploited over the years to get a cheaper rate for their ute, or maybe a truck they just use at harvest time,” Mackenzie told Rural News, noting the original exemption was granted to allow cartage of milk to railheads and dairy factories.
“From Feds’ point of view, it’s hard to argue against [it’s removal] if we want a class specifically for agricultural vehicles.”
The intention is quadbikes could be classed as agricultural vehicles, but motorbikes couldn’t. “Farmers always have the option of not using them on the road.”
Mackenzie says the Federation will be “engaging” with the Minister and Ministry of Transport over vehicle licensing in the New Year.
Meanwhile its submission on the Road User Charges Bill, which is expected to go back before Parliament in the New Year, was made earlier this week.
“There was a move to put tax back on diesel which would disadvantage the majority of farmers. We’re very much in favour of road user charges.”
