The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation thinks that farm vehicles cannot be used in a solid waste business for removal of human waste, even if the end product is used on farm land for non-consumable crops, and this policy should be reflected somewhere in the Vehicle Code. Another response from the Department states that all of the definitions should be revised because the farming community and its equipment has changed. The response also suggests that there appears to be grey areas in the Vehicle Code of defining a modern farmer. The last response from the Department suggests that any part of the current definitions that states “…any other vehicle determined by the department to be…” has to be changed because of the lack of clarity of which vehicles the Department will classify as farm vehicles/farm equipment.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The first response provided by the Department states that the current definitions of “farm vehicle,” “implement of husbandry,” and “multi-purpose agricultural vehicle,” fit the equipment commonly used by farmers. The second response states that as the farming equipment has changed, many registration decisions are made on an individual application basis for new equipment or its new intended uses. The last response stated that the part of the definitions “…any other vehicle determined by the department to be…” is difficult to apply in each individual case.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation finds the examples of the vehicle type, the use of the vehicle, the statement “agriculture purpose,” Sections 1302(10), 1302.1, and 1302.11 of the Vehicle Code most helpful.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Department of Transportation finds as most detrimental the lack of specificity for some of the definitions; the lack of examples in the PA code concerning farm vehicles; that some vehicles used on farms are not covered in the definitions; the details on the vehicle’s intended use; the fact that some equipment is not listed in the Vehicle Code; and that it is difficult to determine who qualifies as a farmer.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Department points out that because of the lack of vehicle identification numbers, some implements of husbandry cannot be registered. As a result, the Department of Transportation has problems registering a vehicle, which a police officer may require to be registered, because these vehicles are exempt under Section 1302(17) of the Vehicle Code. However, the Department believes that this is more of an educational, rather than a definition problem. The other responses provided from the Department of Transportation state that the Department needs to better define who is a farmer today and better defining the equipment and operations performed in the farming activity. The Department thinks redefining the current regulations would provide a better understanding of the vehicle types, and more consistency since farming entities and equipment have changed. The last response from the Department stresses the fact that lack of clarity in the definitions is a problem and provides examples.
