Oil & Fuel Tractor Use of Red Dyed Fuel on Public Roads

[oosik]

You know - how could a tractor be using the wrong fuel. If its dyed - that's OK because its a tractor and that's what dyed fuel is made for. If its not dyed then all the associated taxes have been paid and that's OK also.

It like when the ONLY Mercedes Benz in our little home town got caught using heating fuel rather than diesel. BOY - was that the hot topic for a while.

 

[smstonypoint]

I read, in part, from the laws governing dyed diesel fuel in the State of Washington.
1) Tractors and farm equipment("Q" decal vehicles) may use dyed diesel on public highways within 25 miles of their registered address
2) It is illegal to operate a farm vehicle with a "Q" decal, on Washington State public roadways, with dyed diesel beyond the 25-mile radius.

It is important that we are aware of the existing laws and not rely on myth or assumption.

Apparently the "25 mile" limit is national in scope -- What is the Fine for Running Off Road Diesel

Steve

 

[oosik]

Honestly - In this part of the country - I don't see anybody getting their shorts in a knot if you are running dyed diesel in your tractor and running down the county road. However - I have heard that LEO locally will get a tad testy if there is no - "slow moving vehicle" sign displayed.

Even that slow moving vehicle sign can be a bit of a joke. I was out and about on my new BMW motorcycle last fall - creating my own sonic boom going down a country road. Around a corner and there is big 'ol John Deere harvester coming right at me. He had to have had a 40 foot header on it - it was all the way across the entire width of the paved county road. Got to find out how efficient my ABS system on the bike worked. Nobody crashed, nobody burned - me and the harvester driver had a good laugh.

 

[smstonypoint]

Even that slow moving vehicle sign can be a bit of a joke. I was out and about on my new BMW motorcycle last fall - creating my own sonic boom going down a country road. Around a corner and there is big 'ol John Deere harvester coming right at me. He had to have had a 40 foot header on it - it was all the way across the entire width of the paved county road. Got to find out how efficient my ABS system on the bike worked. Nobody crashed, nobody burned - me and the harvester driver had a good laugh.

I looked up Amber -- I've been in your neck of the woods only once. I flew into Spokane and then drove a rental car to a meeting at Washington State in either late July or early August. I am thankful that I didn't meet any combines with headers on the highway that connects Spokane and Pullman.


Steve

 

[oosik]

You looked up Amber - had to squint a lot - right? Believe it or not - long ago(60 years and more) Amber was quite the small community. Man - I hope you would not meet a combine on the road between Spokane and WSU - down in Pullman. Around here, I-195 is one of our MAJOR North/South roads. They surely cross it but they aren't going to get away with traveling down it.

 

[Oldoak]

I never heard of a single farm tractor ever being cited. It is pickup trucks and delivery trucks and alike that were suspected of using off road diesel fuel or perhaps randomly checked by the D.O.T. I wouldn't know how often, if ever, long haul tractor trailer drivers are checked for using off road diesel fuel. I don't think those truckers would be foolish enough to jeopardize their livelihood.

 

[DieselBound]

I read, in part, from the laws governing dyed diesel fuel in the State of Washington.
1) Tractors and farm equipment("Q" decal vehicles) may use dyed diesel on public highways within 25 miles of their registered address
2) It is illegal to operate a farm vehicle with a "Q" decal, on Washington State public roadways, with dyed diesel beyond the 25-mile radius.

It is important that we are aware of the existing laws and not rely on myth or assumption.

There's two distinct parts to this thread:

1) Legality of operating farm tractors on public roadways;
2) Use of dyed fuel.

Because farm tractors are primarily operated off-road they aren't required to pay road taxes on fuel: you still have to pay sales tax! You can run red-dyed or non-dyed fuel in your tractor, on-road or off: but, you can NOT run blue-dyed fuel unless it's in a government vehicle!

The allowance to traverse public roadways came about because many farms were carved up with public roads and many farmers could only access their chunks of land via public roadway travel: fairly common in my area, and I suspect in other areas as well, is leasing operations that take place on several different property owner parcels (and these can be several miles apart). In general it is assumed that traversing public roadways is done ONLY in the pursuit of farming operations: I'd have to say that the student activities would fall short of this as it's not actually an engagement of farming operations: I'd be hard-pressed, however, to think a community with such activities would discourage such (large farmer population).

 

[Oldoak]

I'd be hard-pressed, however, to think a community with such activities would discourage such (large farmer population).

Yep, that is where "common sense" still prevails here in northeast PA.

 

[PILOON]

Yep, that is where "common sense" still prevails.......

Generally I find that with LEOs common sense is a rare commodity.

I have seen tickets issued from stopping with front wheels over the white line, sliding past stop sign due to dry sand on an icy road.

Being ticketed for speeding on a very steep hill, (LEOs use radar gun while hiding behind trees)

Ticketed for (carefully) running a red light to allow an ambulance passage. (in an area that has very very light traffic and none that day)

And how many people have been shot multiple times (often 12 shots) because the held a hammer, cell phone, or many other objects in their hand under the guise of feeling life threatened ?

LEO cruiser hiding inside a permanently placed large van with a ramp for fast exit and chase and this where a new highway joins an old narrow twisty country road.

I have seen a lot and suffered my fair share since most of my life I travelled a lot as a sales rep covering a large territory.
When yo drive 30-40000 miles/year you are bound to catch a few, simple laws of average.

LOL, got to admit some LEOs are nice which makes biting the bullet easier to take, like," Pardon me sir, would you please hand me your....." vs (with hand on his weapon) 'Registration and insurance papers" or "keep you hand where I can see them"

 

[Liquidsilver]

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?

I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

 

[aczlan]

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?
I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

Not in the US, Off Road Diesel is the same fuel, but it has red dye in it.

Aaron Z

 

[crashz]

No harm, same fuel. The dye just indicates that road tax is not paid on that fuel.

I drove an old diesel pick-up when I was in college. Got pulled over and the office "stuck" the tank to check for dyed fuel. I was surprised, but not offended. The truck looked like the type that would be running off-road fuel!

 

[Oldoak]

Oh, we have a lot of that around here too, PILOON. But it's mostly local yocolls who couldn't make it into the PA State Police Academy that are hired by small communities looking to boost their revenues by collecting traffic fines.

 

[grasschopper]

Only known couple times a tractor was stop in my area,both times didn't show triangle sign on the rear.

Since we all know you can't see a tractor without one.

 

[Lowrider2120]

Many years ago on the Eastern Shore of MD I was at a farmer coop filing a 100 gallon pick up bed tank with dyed fuel for my tractors/mowers. As I was leaving a "local yokel" with the blue flashing lights pulled me over and insisted that he needed to check my truck tank. Sure I said. He did and found my F-250 had gasoline in the truck tank. Of course he didn't say a word...just walked away...too embarrassed to speak I guess. The guys at the coop saw what happened and the next time I was in there we all had a good laugh and they told me that wasn't the first time that had happened. Apparently he was told to watch the dyed pump and catch people filling their vehicles.

I also had my diesel F-250 checked at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by a transit cop...who was also disappointed there wasn't a hint of dye in the tank.

THAT BS is one of many reasons I don't live in MD anymore.

 

[crazyal]

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?

I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

Most will tell you no but yes, there can be a difference. Off road diesel will have an additive to prevent gelling in the winter while heating oil doesn't. Also heating oil doesn't need to have any additives for lubrication. With states clamping down on emissions my fuel dealer told me states don't want homeowners burning additives for no reason. Is it true? I have no idea. But since the price was within a penny of each other and the guy swapped hoses when he finished filling up my heating oil tanks so he could fill up my equipment because it was in two separate tanks on his truck I don't know why he would lie. In winter they always have heating oil on the truck but alternate between off road diesel and kerosine in the other tank on the truck. States that heating with oil isn't as prevalent as in New England it could be different.

 

[jemroller]

Actually there is a difference in the fuel, at least here in Tennessee. Off-road diesel can have more sulfur content than on-road diesel. It specifically states on the pump that off-road diesel doesn't meet DOT or EPA emission standards for road use. Can't understand how road diesel could be cheaper anywhere with the highway fuel tax added, but maybe your state tax is low.

Pardon the slight weave here, but is there any difference in the dyed fuel, other than the coloring? Does it have better qualities for my tractor?

I ask because I can actually get regular auto diesel in the city for less than the off-road (dyed) diesel near my rural property. Is there any harm running the on-road stuff in my old Kubota?

 

[PILOON]

From all my internet perusing I gather that off road, on road and heating oil is all the same.
The only major difference is the taxes.

OK, on taxes, as more and more electric cars use the road where will the taxes for road maintenance come from?
different electricity's?
As far as I know electricity is all 110/220 VAC with no car special configuration.
I presume that every single taxpayer will ultimately be surtaxed to maintain the highway infrastructure weather or not he even owns a car.
Some serious re thinking is needed here B4 electric cars overcome gassers.

Same goes for bicycles. They don't need to stop, can turn any which way all in the guile of ecology.
But I must stop and burn more fuel as I accelerate even though there is no merging traffic under penalty of a trafic violation ($$$'S)
Seems to me that to protect ecology (save fuel) I should be allowed to slowly run that stop without penalty.
But that is simple logic. Leo's don't subscribe to logic, LOL.

 

[smstonypoint]

....

OK, on taxes, as more and more electric cars use the road where will the taxes for road maintenance come from?.......

Apparently various states are requiring that owners of electric cars to pay a fee for road usage -- Updated: 17 States Now Charge Fees for Electric Vehicles | Greentech Media.

Steve

 

[aczlan]

Actually there is a difference in the fuel, at least here in Tennessee. Off-road diesel can have more sulfur content than on-road diesel. It specifically states on the pump that off-road diesel doesn't meet DOT or EPA emission standards for road use. Can't understand how road diesel could be cheaper anywhere with the highway fuel tax added, but maybe your state tax is low.

Are you sure that those aren't old stickers?
The EPA would seem to disagree with your assessment, they say that all fuel (on and off road) should be ULSD at this point:

From 2007 to 2014, low sulfur diesel fuel (specified at 500 ppm) and ULSD fuel was phased in for nonroad, locomotive, and marine (NRLM) diesel fuel.
After 2014, EPA’s diesel standards require that:
All nonroad, locomotive, and marine (NRLM) diesel fuel must be ULSD; and
All NRLM engines and equipment must use this fuel (with some exceptions for older locomotive and marine engines).

Aaron Z