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

[4570Man]

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:


Aaron Z

The local station still uses an ancient pump with rotary wheels for the measurement and turns on when you flip the switch. The sticker just says diesel with another big sign explaining the non taxable use only. The station claims its ULSD.

 

[smstonypoint]

The local station still uses an ancient pump with rotary wheels for the measurement and turns on when you flip the switch.

Is that Wally's? Does Goober still work there?

Steve

 

[aspg4]

Care to verify that nugget about an OUI while on a Tractor on private property? My BS meter just blew up.

In my state if the law says "within the state" then the law can be enforced anywhere in the state including private property. If the law says on the "roadway or highway" then the law can only be enforced on the public roadways... Retired trooper.......

 

[charlton289]

I know alot of the newer tractors are required to use the on road fuel my GC 1705 is that way it says to use ulsd diesel only so if you have one of the newer one that also uses def your safe either way.

 

[aczlan]

I know alot of the newer tractors are required to use the on road fuel my GC 1705 is that way it says to use ulsd diesel only so if you have one of the newer one that also uses def your safe either way.

Both on and off road diesel fuel is ulsd in the US, has been that way since at least 2014, 2010 in some areas. The only difference between the two is the red dye.

Aaron Z

 

[daybreak1998]

Howdy,
Way to many internet rumors flying around.

A fuel depot terminal with a 1,000,000 gallon tank with 15ppm ULSD pumps 8,000 gallons into a tanker truck. The tanker truck takes it back to its own company distribution tanks. A delivery truck fills up with 3,000 gallons. That truck is going out to delivery... heating fuel oil, off-road fuel tanks. They add a red dye to show the product is not road taxed. (People from Washington do not need to make comments about tax)

By today, May 2018, all diesel fuel being sold in public consumption is 15ppm ULSD.

HHO = home heating oil = can be different. If there was some kind of kerosene that dropped to 20 cents a gallon, then a separate tank would be dyed and delivered for home heating.

15ppm ULSD needs to meet certain specs. It has lubricity modifiers, low smoke additives, etc...

HHO does not need these things. It could have a higher amount of kerosene etc..

The fuel terminal would have to keep separate stock of many flavors. It was found to be easier to keep 1 product and add the red dye for final delivery use.

Original topic.
Off-road diesel is just that. Off-road vehicles. Tractors.

Around here the D.O.T. inspectors will do checks around livestock sale barns.

 

[MHarryE]

Minnesota has been mentioned in this thread. Dyed fuel is okay to use in off highway equipment like tractors driven on public roads but the law states that unless used for agriculture, a person must pay state sales tax. I've never heard of this being followed up on for small users but contractors using off highway fuel in their dozer, excavator, etc., have been caught in tax audits. A contractor I know who claimed ignorance of the law had to go back 5 years when he was caught. In theory I am supposed to record fuel used in my diesel lawnmower and pay sales tax on it but its like a few dollars per year out of the thousands I pay for at fuel.

 

[joecoin]

A little off topic:

In Ohio years ago you could get a "Farm" plate for your pickup. That allowed you to forgo paying the state excise tax on gasoline. Restrictions were in place that limited the amount of on road driving and distance away from the farm.

Don't know how they enforced it, especially with no computers back then.

I saw a mint restored Chevy C10 a few months ago, it had a Farm plate. The owner told me that the plate was original with the truck so it was still legal. But he doesn't get the tax break any longer.

 

[4570Man]

Minnesota has been mentioned in this thread. Dyed fuel is okay to use in off highway equipment like tractors driven on public roads but the law states that unless used for agriculture, a person must pay state sales tax. I've never heard of this being followed up on for small users but contractors using off highway fuel in their dozer, excavator, etc., have been caught in tax audits. A contractor I know who claimed ignorance of the law had to go back 5 years when he was caught. In theory I am supposed to record fuel used in my diesel lawnmower and pay sales tax on it but its like a few dollars per year out of the thousands I pay for at fuel.

I’m sure glad a live in a pretty lenient state. No CDL to pull my GN, no tags on my trailer, no enforcement on GVW, red fuel in everything except trucks. And except the GVW everything is legal.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Here in Maine anyway, off road equipment does have to be registered and tagged with plates at times. I have actually seen bulldozers with license plates that were up to date. That is because any contractor working for the Maine Dept of Transportation is required by law to register the equipment since they are working on public roads.


I still think it is stupid, but go through a state construction zone and you will see license plates on all the equipment. I would assume they would have to operate with on-road fuel too.

 

[swnoel]

Here in Maine anyway, off road equipment does have to be registered and tagged with plates at times. I have actually seen bulldozers with license plates that were up to date. That is because any contractor working for the Maine Dept of Transportation is required by law to register the equipment since they are working on public roads.


I still think it is stupid, but go through a state construction zone and you will see license plates on all the equipment. I would assume they would have to operate with on-road fuel too.

It's all about the money!

 

[dnw64]

Same goes for bicycles. They don't need to stop, can turn any which way all in the guile of ecology.

Must be a Canadian thing. Or state/province thing. In Vermont bicycles are required to observe all the rules of the road, same as any motor vehicle.

However, you bring up a good point - the waste of fuel/energy from unnecessary slowing. In much of western Europe, there are very few STOP signs. Most intersections have Yield signs (and Right of Way indicators on the predominant road). They also use a lot more traffic circles than you see in the USA, although we do have a few here in New England. I would be very interested in a study as to how much energy could be saved by converting most STOP signs to Yield signs in the USA. This would not just be gas/diesel, but also longer wear on tires and brakes. Not to mention better mental health of the citizens...

 

[Jstpssng]

Must be a Canadian thing. Or state/province thing. In Vermont bicycles are required to observe all the rules of the road, same as any motor vehicle.

They are required to follow the rules of the road in Maine also, but often don't. There also are some exceptions; motorists are required to stop for them as well as pedestrians in crosswalks.

However, you bring up a good point - the waste of fuel/energy from unnecessary slowing. In much of western Europe, there are very few STOP signs. Most intersections have Yield signs (and Right of Way indicators on the predominant road). They also use a lot more traffic circles than you see in the USA, although we do have a few here in New England. I would be very interested in a study as to how much energy could be saved by converting most STOP signs to Yield signs in the USA. This would not just be gas/diesel, but also longer wear on tires and brakes. Not to mention better mental health of the citizens...

One thing that drives me nuts is driving through the main artery of town and stopping at every stop light; as one turns green you watch the next one turn red. You could never get it so that all would be green but think of how much fuel/time could be saved if they were synchronized so that you didn't need to stop at every one.

 

[Lowrider2120]

Human powered bicycles think they own the road and frequently dart across the street from one "bike lane" to another "bike lane" on the other side of the road (usually with a Starbuck's cup in one hand)...very dangerous. Seems like if they use the road like motorized vehicles they should be paying road "tax" too.

I recently took a 900 mile Harley ride into MT, SK, AB and BC and found myself in Fernie, BC. BEAUTIFUL PLACE and the streets are chocked with bicycles, HOWEVER in Fernie the riders looked both ways (for the most part) before crossing the street...maybe it's a Canadian thing. Parking lot at Tim Horton's was full of bikes but I don't recall seeing anyone riding with a cup in hand.

 

[milkman]

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.

This comes up in other threads and has already been answered.

Found this and seems all diesel is ULSD now days, whether it had dye or not.

Ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel was proposed by EPA as a new standard for the sulfur content in on-road diesel fuel sold in the United States since October 15, 2006, except for rural Alaska which transferred in 2010. California has required it since September 1, 2006. This new regulation applies to all diesel fuel, diesel fuel additives and distillate fuels blended with diesel for on-road use, such as kerosene, however, it does not yet apply to railroad locomotives, marine, or off-road uses. Since December 1, 2010, all highway diesel fuel have been ULSD. Non-road diesel engine fuel was required to move to 500 ppm sulfur in 2007, and further to ULSD in 2010. Railroad locomotive and marine diesel fuel also moved to 500 ppm sulfur in 2007, and will change to ULSD in 2012. There are exemptions for small refiners of non-road, locomotive and marine diesel fuel that allow for 500 ppm diesel to remain in the system until 2014. After December 1, 2014 all highway, non-road, locomotive and marine diesel fuel produced and imported will be ULSD.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Must be a Canadian thing. Or state/province thing. In Vermont bicycles are required to observe all the rules of the road, same as any motor vehicle.

However, you bring up a good point - the waste of fuel/energy from unnecessary slowing. In much of western Europe, there are very few STOP signs. Most intersections have Yield signs (and Right of Way indicators on the predominant road). They also use a lot more traffic circles than you see in the USA, although we do have a few here in New England. I would be very interested in a study as to how much energy could be saved by converting most STOP signs to Yield signs in the USA. This would not just be gas/diesel, but also longer wear on tires and brakes. Not to mention better mental health of the citizens...

Often times in my area of oklahoma I suspect that after a couple of wrecks at yield signs they just stick up a stop sign since the yield sight is not working........Stop signs also seem to be used to keep traffic speeds down. Local police seem to write tickets for few traffic violations. Not stopping and speeding and DUI seems to be the only tickets written. I have never seen a law enforcement officer check for fuel types in vehicles. Only heard of a few cases of tax issues with red fuel and farming use.

 

[goeduck]

Human powered bicycles think they own the road and frequently dart across the street from one "bike lane" to another "bike lane" on the other side of the road (usually with a Starbuck's cup in one hand)...very dangerous. Seems like if they use the road like motorized vehicles they should be paying road "tax" too.

I recently took a 900 mile Harley ride into MT, SK, AB and BC and found myself in Fernie, BC. BEAUTIFUL PLACE and the streets are chocked with bicycles, HOWEVER in Fernie the riders looked both ways (for the most part) before crossing the street...maybe it's a Canadian thing. Parking lot at Tim Horton's was full of bikes but I don't recall seeing anyone riding with a cup in hand.

I have never seen a coffee cup in hand bicyclist and we are the home of Starbucks. Having said that, bicyclists are required to follow traffic laws but seldom ever do. They are horrible offenders of the laws and moochers of the system of roads. They pay no licenses fees, they pay no fuel tax and they demand bicycle lanes. When bicyclists start paying their fair share for roads it seems pigs will be flying. They built a multi million dollar bike lane here recently and the bicyclists will not use most of it because it is more convenient to stay on the shoulder of the road.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have never seen a coffee cup in hand bicyclist and we are the home of Starbucks. Having said that, bicyclists are required to follow traffic laws but seldom ever do. They are horrible offenders of the laws and moochers of the system of roads. They pay no licenses fees, they pay no fuel tax and they demand bicycle lanes. When bicyclists start paying their fair share for roads it seems pigs will be flying. They built a multi million dollar bike lane here recently and the bicyclists will not use most of it because it is more convenient to stay on the shoulder of the road.

At least they stay on the shoulder. One of the scariest things on the road is a kid riding a bicycle; you never know what they are going to do.
I've had them switch sides of the road without even looking over their shoulder; if not for my paranoia I would have hit two kids on one bike who did that just after a coworker had passed them.

 

[Doofy]

Scary! Still a lot of our roads have no shoulders. Idiots are in the middle of the road doing 5-20 mph.

 

[4570Man]

Bicycles on public roads should be banned. They pay nothing and think they’re entitled to riding in the middle of the road at 10 mph.