The Washington herald., 1917-10-07

unfortunate lndI lneIe - uiSPo
sition among legislatures in many of
the States to retard the growing use
OF motor trucks by all manner of
legislation. such as imposing exces-
sively heavy registration fees, limit
ing the number Of trailers and regu-
lating business motor vehicles in
many other respects. The motor
truck has become a tremendous fac
tor in the upbuilding of industry and
commerce, and in helping TO combat
the increasing cost of living by cut
ting down the cost of haulage and
delivery. 1t cannot be considered in
the Interest Of the general public to
interfere seriously with the increase
of a means Of transportation that is
Of such great economic value as the
commercial motor vehicle. an insti-
tuition which is in no sense a1uxury.
While there seems to be a general
tendency to increase the registration
fees required for motor trucks. there
is as yet no well-developed and def
mite basis for determining in a logical
manner the fees to which the different
cars shall be subject. In some States
the fee Is based on the net weight of
the vehicle: in others the carrying
capacity. the horsepower or some
combination OF these factors is used.
The amount of fees collected per car
Is as yet far from uniform and is still
very complicated by the widely vary
ing requirements of registration or
licensing of drivers, owner operators,
dealers. &C. The increased fees and
the limitations of weight and speed
are OF course based upon the assump-
tion that the heavy trucks seriously
damage the roads, although no scien-
tific data has ever been presented to
show the extent of damage caused by
them, or by horse-drawn vehicles for
that matter. Nor have legislatures
ever given serious consideration to
the proposals to tax horse-drawn We
hicIes relatives in ,.roportion to the
damage they cause. Notwithstanding
the fact that Highway Commissioners
admit they are responsible for a con-
siderable amount of damage to road
surfaces a compilation Of State reg
ulations in regard to fees given below
shows that there is no regular basis
for levying taxes. Most States make
no distinction between passenger cars
and commercial vehicles. Where GER
tain States have laid the tax upon
tonnage capacity basis there has
been no scientific study to justify
such a procedure. and truck taxation
at the present stage is usually the
result Of compromise. The various
systems Of taxation in use in the va
rious States are as follows:
Alabama-Less than 25 horse
power. $3.50; 25 to 90 horsepower,
$12.5O; so to 80 horsepower, $3.50;
10 horsepower and over so.
Arizona-25 horsepower and under.
s.; 2s to 20 horsepower. SO; over 40
horsepower. SIS.
Arkansas-AlI motor vehicles, So
California-Equipped with pneumatic
tires, same as passenger cars, 40 cents
per horsepower; others pay additional;
less than two tons unloaded, s.; two
to three tons, SO: three to tons, SIS;
over five tons. so.
Colorado-2O horsepower and under,
$50: Il to 40 horsepower. s.; Al horse
power and over 80
onnecticut-One-half ton or less,
s11; one ton. SIS. ad increasing to s225
for ten tons, and $50 per additional
ton.
Delawarel-Al cars. $ each.
District of Columbia-An vehicles, 81
each.
Florida-Trucks, 1000 pounds or less,
5000 pounds. $50; 5000 to 5000 pounds,
$40: over 5000 pounds. $50.
Georgia-Not exceeding one ton
weight. Sc: not exceeding three tons.
81; not exceeding five tons, 50; ex-
ceeding five tons. 81.
Idaho-50 horsepower or less, SIS; 81
to 40 horsepower, SO; Al to 80 horse
power. SIS: over 80 horsepower. $40.
Illinois-May be registered locally.
Fees not to exceed so for aS horse
power or less. and $50 when over 35
horsepower.
Inidana-Al commercial cars. S.
1owa-20 horsepower or less. IS; over
20 horsepower. 20 cents per horse
p1we'- all electric and steam cars,
SIS each.
Kansas-All vehicles, $ each.
Kentueky-Less than % horsepower,
s.: . to 50 horsepower. sl1; so horse
power. $50.
Louisiana-All- motor trucks, $50
each.
Maine-Motor trucks, SO
Maryland-Trucks with solid tires
and rated capacity of not more than
one ton. s.: for each additional ton, IS;
trailers, $ each.
Observation-Disclosures under one
ton. s.: and So for each additional ton.
Michigan-Electrics. 50 cents per mo-
tor horsepower plus 25 cents for each
100 pounds OF weight; others, Is cents
per horsepower plus Is cents per 100
pounds OF weight.
Minnesota-All 81. 20.
Mississippi-4.40 400 pounds capacity or
less. $40; over 400 pounds, $3.50.
Missouri-Less than Il horsepower.
81; IL to o horsepower, Ss; "a to IS
horsepower. s.: IS to AZ horsepower. s.:
IS to 50 horsepower IS; so to II horse
power. $40; y horsepower and over. $12
Montana-Al 81 each.
Nebraska-An $ each.
Nevada-2O horsepower OF less, So:
Il to 40 horsepower. $50; over 40
r horsepower. IS.
New Hampshire-l5 horsepower or
less, so; IS to 90 horsepower. SIS; 81 to
20 horsepower. $50; Al to so horsepower.
SIS; 81 20 go horsepower, $50: over 50
horsepower. $40.
New JeFsey-Cnloaded weight, two
tons or less. same as passenger cars:
above tons, $40 in addition to horse
power rating; trailers. 50.
New MeXico-Less than IL horse
power. s.; u to 10 horsepower. 81: 20
TO % horsepower, IS: 90 to 80 horse
power. IS; 40 to 20 horsepower. SO; 80
horsepower or over. $12
New York-S a ton.
North Carolina-25 horsepower or
less, s.; IS to 10 horsepower, $50; over
20 horsepower. SO.
North Dakota-Alr vehicles, Sc each.
Ohio-Electric vehicles. 50; all 9TH
ers, s.
Oklahoma-50 cents per horsepower
first year; second. 10 cents per horse
power; third. 50 cents per horsepower.
power