This is the testimony I will give at the Assembly Transportation Committee Public Hearing on Thursday, February 11, 2010.
Jeff Rowsam
Spokesperson representing
Military Vehicle Preservation Association and
Wisconsin Historic Military Vehicle owners
Historic Military Vehicle Collectors are opposed to AB589.
Good Morning,
My name is Jeff Rowsam
I live at 5432 South County Hwy P, Town of New Denmark in Brown County, Wisconsin
I’ve addressed the transportation committee previously on the topic of registration of former military Vehicles. I’m again speaking as a historic military vehicle owner and as spokes person on behalf of the individual members of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) and the Historic Military Vehicle collector groups in Wisconsin.
As we presented previously, we represent over 600 vehicle owners statewide with more than 1500 Historic Military Vehicles (HMV’s). We provided background information previously to each of the committee members about the military vehicle collector hobby and the large numbers of vehicle models we represent.
While SB 589 would create a special interest vehicle definition that would continue the registration of Historic Military Vehicles the bill does not address a number of important issues:
First, the bill requirement for meeting a specific age to be eligible is problematic. U.S. and Foreign military vehicles do not have a model year designation. Many are sold with an estimated year or a notation “Date of Mfg Unknown” or use the date of recent refurbishment which is not the true vintage. Having requirements for meeting a specific age has long been a problem for owners and for the DMV in the registration process.
Second, the bill eliminates the 500 LB cargo weight restriction for former military vehicles. This creates a double standard under the same license plate. Collector civilian trucks are not allowed to haul material and former military trucks would be under this bill. Having two standards under the same license plate creates an enforcement conflict.
Third, the bill does not address the use of former military vehicles by municipal and state government. The DOT would be required to cancel vehicle registrations of military vehicles currently used by volunteer fire departments, the DNR, county highway and emergency government agencies.
Fourth, The DOT voices a concern that former military vehicles pose a higher risk to public safety. That claim is unsupported. There is currently no data to define the military vehicle highway safety record in Wisconsin. Hard data to support the safety record of former military vehicles operated in Wisconsin is imposable to demonstrate when former military vehicles remain mixed with automobiles under collector plate law in AB589.
Fifth, Military motorcycles are not addressed. AB589 excludes former military motorcycles from be registered.
We are also very concerned that the Senate version of the bill SB392 was extensively amended following the senate public hearing. The companion bill to AB589 as SB392 was changed to unfairly address one small owners group and was amended to specifically allow only the Pinzgauer truck of which there are less than 30 in the state. Other owners then began requesting amendments from there legislators to add their own military vehicle model to the bill.
We are very opposed to any amendment that may be considered to create a model specific list of “approved” vehicles. There are hundreds of different military models of many vintages. Naming specific vehicles is unworkable. Any list would be incomplete and would always exclude some previously unlisted or future vehicle model.
As you know, working with HMV owners, the legislature and the DOT to understand the concerns of all sides, a different bill, AB592 was created to address these issues and has already been voted on earlier this morning. That bill better meets the needs for historic preservation of former military vehicles.
The Pope Roberts bill, AB589 as submitted is incomplete and does not solve the multiple registration issues of Historic Military Vehicle owners in Wisconsin.
Thank You.
Jeff Rowsam
For the Military Vehicle Preservation Association
and Wisconsin Military Vehicle Collectors
