Class A with tag axle - beware of $1000. fine in AZ!

Francesca Knowles wrote:

jlabr2 wrote:
So why in the world, when writing a law, do they not make it clear to all whether a privately owned recreational vehicle is or is not exempt from the higher fuel tax!!

They did.

I really do not understand why this is so hard to grasp. In plain English, and mostly in words of one syllable, the Law states that anything with more than two axles is subject to it. I'm going to bookmark this discussion and refer to it in future when we old geezers get into one of those "When I went to school..." rants.

Didn't anyone with a diesel motorhome learn to READ when they did their time in that ol' one room schoolhouse????

Pretty sure I know how to read. Also spent 28 years in law enforcement with 17 of that working directly in the County prosecutors office. I have a masters degree in the stuff and was a college professor too teaching criminal law courses among other criminal justice courses. In a nutshell, I know how to read laws, and the way this one is written is not clear at all. If it has me confused, than it's a confusing law.

Well, all I really know is that I and my coach are non-profit. Exempt?

lbligh wrote:

Bob,

I will guarantee you that the posting at each pump exists and it is very clear. The posting details ALL exceptions. An example would be non-profits. A non-profit is exempt. They could be driving a tank and as long as it is registered to a non-profit organization, they are exempt from the tax. If they had intended to include RVs they would have listed them just as they did all other exceptions. They also detail exactly what is included. Any vehicle over 26,000 lbs or more than two axles.

Well God bless you if you read everything that is posted on gas pumps every time you pull in to fuel up. I have to admit that I usually look for Diesel #2 and the credit card slot. I do not really expect to find notices that I cannot use a given pump. And maybe the stations we used in Benson and Yuma were legal for us. Like I said, I just don't really spend a lot of time reading fuel pumps. I never realized there was a financial risk to just pumping fuel. I do now.
Bob

Bob&AnnaMarie wrote:

Executive wrote:

Really folks, this issue can be beat to death but it really only boils down to whether you feel lucky when you're refueling. The purpose of the post was to alert unsuspecting RVers of the law. According to the guy I talked to, they are stepping up enforcement of the tax law. If you feel it doesn't apply to you, go ahead and fuel up wherever you want. That said, if YOUR INTERPRETATION differs from the person with the ticket book, don't complain about your vacation being ruined....just sayin....Dennis

Dennis,
I, for one, thank you for bringing this to my attention. The signage, if it truly exists on the pumps (because we never noticed any) needs some serious improvement given the horrific nature of the fines here. We will certainly take this into consideration the next time we cross Arizona. What's sad is that the convenient places are off limits to us now.

Bob,

I will guarantee you that the posting at each pump exists and it is very clear. The posting details ALL exceptions. An example would be non-profits. A non-profit is exempt. They could be driving a tank and as long as it is registered to a non-profit organization, they are exempt from the tax. If they had intended to include RVs they would have listed them just as they did all other exceptions. They also detail exactly what is included. Any vehicle over 26,000 lbs or more than two axles.

Executive wrote:

Really folks, this issue can be beat to death but it really only boils down to whether you feel lucky when you're refueling. The purpose of the post was to alert unsuspecting RVers of the law. According to the guy I talked to, they are stepping up enforcement of the tax law. If you feel it doesn't apply to you, go ahead and fuel up wherever you want. That said, if YOUR INTERPRETATION differs from the person with the ticket book, don't complain about your vacation being ruined....just sayin....Dennis

Dennis,
I, for one, thank you for bringing this to my attention. The signage, if it truly exists on the pumps (because we never noticed any) needs some serious improvement given the horrific nature of the fines here. We will certainly take this into consideration the next time we cross Arizona. What's sad is that the convenient places are off limits to us now.

jlabr2 wrote:
So why in the world, when writing a law, do they not make it clear to all whether a privately owned recreational vehicle is or is not exempt from the higher fuel tax!!

They did.

I really do not understand why this is so hard to grasp. In plain English, and mostly in words of one syllable, the Law states that anything with more than two axles is subject to it. I'm going to bookmark this discussion and refer to it in future when we old geezers get into one of those "When I went to school..." rants.

Didn't anyone with a diesel motorhome learn to READ when they did their time in that ol' one room schoolhouse????

So why in the world, when writing a law, do they not make it clear to all whether a privately owned recreational vehicle is or is not exempt from the higher fuel tax!!

dodge guy wrote:
According to the statute a MH is a "light class" motor vehicle. The statute clearly states that the "use vehicle" tax is subject for commercial vehicles!

"“Light Class Motor Vehicles” are defined as any motor vehicles using use fuel (diesel) on the highways of this state except for use class vehicles. Use class vehicles include a road tractor, a truck tractor, a truck, having a declared gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds or having more than two axles or a passenger carrying motor vehicle designed to seat more than 20 occupants."

They are clearly saying that if a truck has a 26k lb declared weight or more than 2 axles. Or a passenger carrying motor vehicle designed for 20 or more occupants. This clearly is reserved for tour bus/transport buses. A MH does not seat 20! If it did then it would be a tour bus!

They are clearly using the law to try and get more taxes out of people!

Unfortunately, YOU didn't copy the FULL text correctly. Please refer back to the section, to wit:

AZ 28-5601

17. "Light class motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that uses use fuel on the highways in this state but EXCLUDES a road tractor, truck tractor, truck or passenger carrying vehicle having a declared gross vehicle weight of more than twenty-six thousand pounds or having more than two axles.


37. "Use class motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that uses use fuel on a highway in this state and that is a road tractor, truck tractor, truck or passenger carrying vehicle having a declared gross vehicle weight of more than twenty-six thousand pounds or having more than two axles.

Says nothing about 20 or more...sorry, an RV in excess of 26,000# or more than 2 axles is a Use class motor vehicle.....

Really folks, this issue can be beat to death but it really only boils down to whether you feel lucky when you're refueling. The purpose of the post was to alert unsuspecting RVers of the law. According to the guy I talked to, they are stepping up enforcement of the tax law. If you feel it doesn't apply to you, go ahead and fuel up wherever you want. That said, if YOUR INTERPRETATION differs from the person with the ticket book, don't complain about your vacation being ruined....just sayin....Dennis

NeverHome2 wrote:
I don't know much about this new law but having owned and operated class 8 trucks in all 48 states, I know that the Federal DOT exempts privately owned Recreational Vehicles from USDOT regulation. You don't stop at scales, DOT stops, or have to comply with Motor Carrier reporting and enforcement. You also are exempt from needing to comply with the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). The amount of tax levied is set by each State but due to the above exemptions, RV's have fallen into the same tax group as passenger cars. If AZ. is allowed to challenge this exemption then all the other states will to. This law needs to be challenged and defeated in court.

What you are citing here has nothing to do with the State of Arizona fuel tax issue, nor is it a new law.

Now, as we own property in AZ, I have written to our State Senator, who is also the President of the State Senate asking why AZ has taken this position when I am not aware of any other state that doesn't classify motorhomes as noncommercial vehicles. Anxious to hear what he has to say.

Safe travels.

According to the statute a MH is a "light class" motor vehicle. The statute clearly states that the "use vehicle" tax is subject for commercial vehicles!

"“Light Class Motor Vehicles” are defined as any motor vehicles using use fuel (diesel) on the highways of this state except for use class vehicles. Use class vehicles include a road tractor, a truck tractor, a truck, having a declared gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds or having more than two axles or a passenger carrying motor vehicle designed to seat more than 20 occupants."

They are clearly saying that if a truck has a 26k lb declared weight or more than 2 axles. Or a passenger carrying motor vehicle designed for 20 or more occupants. This clearly is reserved for tour bus/transport buses. A MH does not seat 20! If it did then it would be a tour bus!

They are clearly using the law to try and get more taxes out of people!