by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
Representatives of the Kentucky State Police’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division met with area farmers in Dixon on Thursday to advice them of new regulations that would change the way they do business.
On October 21, 2013, the federal government adopted new regulations that changed the way certain federal motor carrier safety regulations apply to agricultural operations.
Chief among these changes are the MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress) exemptions for ‘commercial vehicles’ operated by farmers. Like many other states, Kentucky has adopted the same exemptions for agricultural transportation inside the state.
To qualify for the exemptions, farmers and their equipment must meet certain standards. The vehicle being used for transport must 1) have a farm tag, 2) be operated by the owner of the farm, a family member or an employee and 3) used only to transport only commodities, livestock or supplies for the farm for which it is registered.
The vehicle will not qualify for the exemptions if it is used for recreational or ‘for hire’ jobs. It is also not allowed to be used for any side businesses the farmer might have.
Among the biggest changes is that, under the new law, qualified persons who drive farm vehicles for farm purposes are not required to have a Commercial Drivers License (CDL). This exemption is good anywhere in the state of Kentucky under state law, or anywhere within 150 ‘air miles’ from home, including across state lines.
Not requiring the CDL could have a huge financial impact on farm owners. This also means that drivers are not required to enter normally mandatory drug-testing, keep a medical certificate of health, keep a log book or complete annual vehicle safety inspections.
Throughout the meeting, however, Trooper Harold Mosley kept reminding farmers that if they traveled out of the state, it was their own responsibility to check for that state’s rules and regulations. Not every state has adopted the MAP-21 regulations yet, although Mosley said they most likely would all do so within two years.
For more information on the changes to the regulations, please contact the Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division.
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