Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-20
DEPARTMENT GIVES EXPLANATION
OF MOTOR VEHICLE CLASSES

OF MOTOR VEHICLE CLASSES
Questions are constantly asked relat-
ing to the use which can be made of mo-
tor vehicles under certain specified reg
istrations. All the uses to which any
motor vehicle can be put under any req
istration whatever are defined by law,
but on account of the somewhat neces-
sarily technical language, are not al
ways properly understood For instance
one question inquired about is as to
! whether it is legal for a person to carry
packages and bundles in a motor vehi-
| Gle registered as a passenger motor We
| hcle. In certain instances, persons are
! mistakenly taking out combination regis
| trations because the law was construed
! by them to mean that nothing could be
| carried in a passenger motor vehicle ex-
cept passengers.
The definition of a passenger motor
vehicle and the definition of CONNER
| cial motor vehicle are both determined
| by the design and use of such Vehicle
Thus a passenger motor vehicle is one
| designed and used for the transportation
| of persons with their necessary person
al belongings. The commercial motor
vehicle is one designed and used for the
| transportation of merchandise or freight
etc. The passenger and commercial mo-
tor vehicle is one designed and used
| for both passenger and commercial pur-
poses. 1t will be readily seen that there
is nothing in the law which prevents
any person from using a motor vehicle
| registered as a passenger motor vehicle
from carrying bundles boxes etc, and
all the ordinary baggage which consti-
tute personal belongings. provided, She
original design of the car has not been
changed But if a passenger motor We
hio,e originally designed for the trans.
portion of persons nd their nccessa rl
personal belongings should have thai
| design changed SO as to make the mo.
tor suitable for the transportation. O
merchandise or freight. it is b rious tina
is Is within the commercial class, If sucl
! design as changed provides also for tn,
use as q passenger motor vehicle it woulr
then come within the passs niger class a.
well IS the commercial and conlbina
ton registration should be taken.
When the original design of q mote
vehicle provides for both passenger an:
commercial (such as Ford suburban
the use Of the car must govern its class
When the chassis and the body desigl
are of different class as in the case o
buses, the higher rating is taken.
by farmer as a passenger motor We
hicle may also be used to transport mill
or merchandise and freight to and fron
his farm. provided no change has bee
made in the design, on a passenger mo
tor vNhtele registra ton. without any
violation of the law. But tie same mo
, tor vehicle having part of the car re
moved aYd an express or box bod
substituted and the car used for til
same purpose would be in the CONNER
eial class, and if the box or expires
body were interchangeable with the tour
ing car body and used for passenger an
e for the transportation of merchandis
and freight it would be in the pas
senger and commercial class.
\ The converse question which is ofte
= asked the department to what exter
: may persons be carried on commerce.
a registrations. The Limitations of
: commercial registration. except those az
:, plying to buses, has been SO closely cor
Y strued that in certain instances the DE-
s partment has been asked by perso
5. owning such a motor vehicle as
+ whether his wife could ride with hil
:, While the department has never rule
Z on this question yet each commerce;
}, motor vehicle as registered include
|, seats for one or more persons and
l. TIE OEU.udLy use OIL SuCn motor FeHlC
a the seats may be filled by a helper
I assistant, or any other persian direct
concerned with the business, TO /
l. transacted may be carried.
3 Under no circumstances can A m,
= tor vehicle registered either as pa
h senger, commercial. or passenger ar
I commercial. be rFnted for hire for Il
transportation Of passengers. When
- ear is rented for hire for the transpo
= tation of passengers it is a public servit
:" motor vehicle. regardless of its type, ar
must be registered as such. exceptiI
when such motor vehicles are used sol
~ for the thansportat ton of school chi
= dren, teachers and school nurses.
TIE enforcement Of the definitions al
ly of the use made hereunder is bound
re he liberal and just and to be based u
al on reason so as not to cause hardsh
le or deprive any person OF a rea<onab
'e value for the registration fees he h;
u paid. The point where the motor V
E. hicle department will begin TO ask f
IN enforcement and where the state p
lice and o+1er police authorities W
IN start to enforce the definition as
/ what may or may not be done under al
specified registrations will depend up
z whether TIE person registered is attenp
er ing TO ovade the payment of the pro
Of or fee. or tn make irnn~o3cr use f
ether purposes than It is intended TO