Off road diesel in pickup.

[1MOA]

Well I would say that other than a commercial motor carrier vehicle a DOT officer would have a hard time articulating why they just pulled someone over to check fuel or safety without probable cause. That being said I am glad they do what they do. I live in a strong rural farming area with both 4 lane highways and an interstate in my county and if given the opportunity commercial truckers run rough-shod with the rules when given the chance.
At the same time I have only seen a fuel check once in 24 years and that was because the guy would blatantly fill up his trucks at the off road diesel pumps for years and finally he upset the wrong person and they told the DOT inspectors to sit across the street and watch and sure enough he got popped. The civil fine here is $1,000 per gallon with the max being whatever the capacity of the tank(s) they find with the diesel in it.
I always pull my fuel from the on road pumps since I am writing it off as business anyway and take the deduction there.

 

[2458n]

I ran a big crane everyday for years, bet you can guess what my truck ran on for years.

 

[DT86]

I've been looking, in Virginia its $1,000 or $10 per gallon fine, which ever is higher.

The time I was almost checked at a DOT road block, the guy stopped when he saw my farm use tags and let me go. Those aren't the state issued tags, they're the ones you buy at the feed store. Apparently those tags let you get by with red fuel since the vehicle is not registered and/or licensed.

 

[Wagtail]

Personally, and having read all of the posts, I don't see what the problem is.

Contact the "DOT" and inform them that a mistake was made and dyed diesel was put in the tank. The OP has the receipt... if the 'road tax' was paid then it should be a matter of "Thank you for informing us, please be more cautious in the future." Keep the receipt and, if dipped in the future, it's on record. If the 'road tax' wasn't paid, then pay it when you contact the "DOT".

Why are you guys sneaking around? :confused3:

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, I agree. And I'm betting he paid road tax on the purchase which the receipt would prove. No big deal actually. But us Yanks get all excited and it becomes a covert act.

 

[Sawworcs]

Personally, and having read all of the posts, I don't see what the problem is.

Contact the "DOT" and inform them that a mistake was made and dyed diesel was put in the tank. The OP has the receipt... if the 'road tax' was paid then it should be a matter of "Thank you for informing us, please be more cautious in the future." Keep the receipt and, if dipped in the future, it's on record. If the 'road tax' wasn't paid, then pay it when you contact the "DOT".

Why are you guys sneaking around? :confused3:

You are right on.. That's what icwill do.

 

[LD1]

Alot of people have brought up alot of things in this thread that I have wondered about for years.

My first question is about dipping the tank. Never seen it done, dont think its that common around here, but how does that actually work with all the anti-theft and anti siphon stuff down there in the neck. Shouldnt be able to get anything, other than liquid, into the tank right?

Pulling the filter.....I think I would put up one **** of a fight before I let some joker cop start taking apart part of my fuel system, out in the field. These fuel systems are expensive enough to work on.

And I would think that some red residue, or a red filter, wouldnt qualify. I would think they would have to "prove" you ran non-taxed fuel on the road. There may be times my truck goes through two or three tanks and never sees the road. Just driving from field to field, back to the woods cutting, from house back to the shop, etc. Why should I have to pay road tax for all that usage. Or the times when I am plowing snow. There are times when I use a full tank of fuel on a single complex and never see a public road (other than to go fuel up). I should be able to show up with a near empty tank, fill out of the bulk storage that the skidloaders with pushboxes use, without having to worry about maybe putting in 25 gallons and only using 24 gallons.

Then on the flip side of the coin.....how many huge tractors pulling plowing and planting equipment, grain buggies, etc you see running down the road from spring til fall? All likely using fuel that aint taxed to help pay for the roads they are on.

Wish there was a better way other than a super strong dye to separate usage. But no matter what, there will always be some that abuse the system and never get caught, and others that will try to do everything above board and end up paying the price in the long run.

 

[buickanddeere]

Alot of people have brought up alot of things in this thread that I have wondered about for years.

My first question is about dipping the tank. Never seen it done, dont think its that common around here, but how does that actually work with all the anti-theft and anti siphon stuff down there in the neck. Shouldnt be able to get anything, other than liquid, into the tank right?

Pulling the filter.....I think I would put up one **** of a fight before I let some joker cop start taking apart part of my fuel system, out in the field. These fuel systems are expensive enough to work on.

And I would think that some red residue, or a red filter, wouldnt qualify. I would think they would have to "prove" you ran non-taxed fuel on the road. There may be times my truck goes through two or three tanks and never sees the road. Just driving from field to field, back to the woods cutting, from house back to the shop, etc. Why should I have to pay road tax for all that usage. Or the times when I am plowing snow. There are times when I use a full tank of fuel on a single complex and never see a public road (other than to go fuel up). I should be able to show up with a near empty tank, fill out of the bulk storage that the skidloaders with pushboxes use, without having to worry about maybe putting in 25 gallons and only using 24 gallons.

Then on the flip side of the coin.....how many huge tractors pulling plowing and planting equipment, grain buggies, etc you see running down the road from spring til fall? All likely using fuel that aint taxed to help pay for the roads they are on.

Wish there was a better way other than a super strong dye to separate usage. But no matter what, there will always be some that abuse the system and never get caught, and others that will try to do everything above board and end up paying the price in the long run.

All good points but......What does common sense and logic have to do with the decisions and actions of government employees ?

 

[ultrarunner]

I know here there is a provision to track the number of gallons of highway fuel not used on the highway and claim a offset for highway taxes paid when filing the annual tax return.

A lot of the bigger landscape companies and farmers with gas equipment do this.

 

[LD1]

I know here there is a provision to track the number of gallons of highway fuel not used on the highway and claim a offset for highway taxes paid when filing the annual tax return.

A lot of the bigger landscape companies and farmers with gas equipment do this.

Perhaps we should do away with dyed fuel and do the same thing for diesel....

But like I said, there will always be abusers of the system. If a farmer or landscaper with all gas equip claims 1000 gallons used off road, how can anyone prove it one way or another. Maybe they embellished a bit? Maybe they only used 800 gallons off road and threw in a couple of receipts from their truck or wifes car?