By Bob Weaver
Japanese mini-trucks are appearing across West Virginia, including Calhoun County.
Several county residents have purchased the vehicles, including used models for re-sale to their neighbors.
Most Calhoun owners are using the vehicles for farm use.
State Division of Motor Vehicles officials say they won't register them for highway use.
"As far as we know, they don't meet safety standards," said the DMV's Adam Holley.
Holley said the energy saving vehicles are imported as off-road vehicles.
Ten states license them for on-the-road use.
Still, the State of West Virginia has given wide-berth to ATVs (four-wheelers) allowing then to travel on state highways without a center line, and travel on primary highways for brief distances along the berm.
The ATVs, according to the manufacturers, are not to be ridden on paved highways, saying they become unstable.
The ATVs do not have safety equipment for on-the-road travel, nor do they require a license.
The little trucks get anywhere from 42 to 48 miles per gallon.
They can reach speeds over 60 miles and hour.
The farm use sticker allows vehicles to be used for farm work as long as they are not more than 25 miles from the home farm.
Some owners in the state have been told by authorities they cannot use the vehicles on the main highway.
A mini-truck owner told the Herald, "The state will find a way to keep them off the road, if they can't collect taxes."
"Most of us are using them to just survive the economy," said the owner. He said "I'm driving it to the store to get supplies."
"It's hard times and I have to survive them," he concluded.
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