2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

[bds3324]

I live in Utah and have a friend who purchased a 1999 Ford F-150 natural gas truck and wants to put a "c" plate on it. Utah requires that you obtain a permit from UDOT. In order to obtain a permit, the vehicle must be 2004 or newer. The lady from UDOT said that the technology in 2004 or newer vehicles abides by the epa rules better. The lady from UDOT said that if you own a vehicle that is older than 2004, that you will be asked to surrender your "C" plate. I have a plate and paid a lot of money to obtain it and use it every day as i commute 30-40 miles each way. Anyone else hear about this new ruling? I think it is absolutely a joke!!

[CptPalmer]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

I recently purchased a 2001 Toyota Camry and I tried to get the C plate as well and was told the same thing. From what I could understand UDOT has adopted the EPA standards for HOV lane access. So currently the EPA has only allowed Tier 2 Bin 5 vehicles this access. So I suppose really your grip is with the EPA. I emailed them a few weeks ago about this issue and I still have not yet received a response.

[Highmarker]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

IF this is true, then it has gotta be bad news for all those '98 - '03 Honda Civic GX owners and the Crown Vic guys too. Here are some links to follow up on:

UDOT website with FAQ on C Plates:
http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=10...T,V:2280,39950

EPA "draft" list of eligible vehicles (this should be updated in 2009???)
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/ld-hwy/...levehicles.pdf

Notice on the EPA "draft" list, that MY2003 is the oldest vehicles eligible for the single occupant HOV lane access. Does California use the same list?

[CNG Utah]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

This change happened several months ago. I've also contacted the EPA about trying to get this changed.

Susan Jensen is in charge of the C plates here in Utah and has been very helpful. Here is part of a response I got from her regarding the EPA:

I was "reprimanded" a while back for allowing older vehicles to obtain C permits. According to the EPA the cutoff date is the 2004 model, with some rare 2003's making the cut. The EPA states that no vehicles older than these meet their Tier 2 standards.

I followed up with her about the EPA and she gave me this info:

My contact at the EPA is Holly Pugliese. She can be contacted at (734) 214-4288. This is Holly's response when I last questioned an older CNG vehicle's status:

"The statute is very specific that only vehicles that meet EPA's tier 2 emissions standards, which didn't take effect until the 2004 model year (there are couple of 2003 tier 2 hybrids on the list as we allowed an early opt-in), so really anything pre-2004 is out of the question for eligibility."

A quick google search found that Holly's email is: [email protected]

Could someone come up with a nice letter to mail her? Maybe all or many of the Utah C plate owners could help change things for the better.

Has anyone been forced to hand over their C plate upon renewing their registration?

-Derek

[John Mitton]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

The DOT rule is ILEV (Inherently Low Emissions Vehicle), which requires dedicated alternative fuel. It supposedly expired Sept. 30th but I don't think any of the states have discontinued the program:

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/...e/chapter3.htm

http://www.cngchat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4297

[bruin]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

Perhaps there is some way we can utilize our elected officials to seek some sort of exemption. With the severe pollution problems we have in the I-15 corridor along the Wasatch maybe there is hope that some wiggle room can be found even if temporary since this area may soon fall under heavy sanctions.

[Highmarker]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

Perhaps there is some way we can utilize our elected officials to seek some sort of exemption. With the severe pollution problems we have in the I-15 corridor along the Wasatch maybe there is hope that some wiggle room can be found even if temporary since this area may soon fall under heavy sanctions.

Bruin,

That was the case for bi-fuel vehicles. When the carpool lane was made on I-15, The state of Utah allowed bi-fuel vehicles the "C" plate. However, to continue receiving Federal funding for the carpool lane, they needed to comply with Federal regulations on eligible vehicles. Hence this is where the House Bill came in last year and eliminated all the vehicles that were not on the Federal list. So in order to make some exemption, it will have to be done at the Federal level and not the state.

[bruin]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

Highmarker, I took immediate action after my post above and sent an email to U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz since I had his email at my fingertips. My question bordered on a being rhetorical.

[freedml]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

I think they're still in the rulemaking process. You can email [email protected] attn: EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0173 with comments.

[blinxpro]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

I just received my rejection email. What a slap in the face! "so even though your vehicle is 100% dedicated factory CNG it does not meet the EPA designated standards." Well I guess they have decided to set the standards so high that all of us that are doing our part by driving some of the cleanest vehicles around can take a flying leap. I think that this will discourage a lot of people from buying CNG. Taking away simple and cost effective incentives is absurd! One minute it's: "Save the planet drive clean cars!" The next it's: "Yeah, your car is one of the cleanest made, BUT it just isn't clean enough. Try again, buy a new car." (Which isn't that much cleaner)

Sorry to rave, but this infuriates me.

[matt1295]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

Thats really odd. I have a 200 f 150 dedicated and had to goin to the dmv because they printed my name wrong on the title. They were not sure what the rules were and they tried to get me to surrender my plates. A manager came up and said that if you already have the plates then i can keep them. It is when someone buys my truck that they will not be able to obtain C plates.

Matt
2000 f 150 dedicated with 6 tanks in the bed and 1 underneath.

[blinxpro]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

Right off the DMV website:

"Plate must be surrendered if the vehicle no longer qualifies for a clean plate permit."

If you don't fall within those specified years, technically you no longer qualify. Perhaps you lucked out by getting someone who was uninformed.

[mshepshep]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

I emailed the EPA and asked

"why pull incentives from dedicated cng vehicles older than 2004"? PLEASE ! help me understand why the lexus hybrid suv is sooooo much cleaner than my 2003 dedicated cng?

[rtry9a]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

Im not sure why anyone in Utah would want to drive in the restricted lane anyway- too many slow drivers holding up traffic and you are forced to stay there for miles. Not worth it imho.

[Curtis D]

Re: 2004 or newer can obtain "c" plate in Utah

The best part of the c plates for me was free parking down town,occasionally the hov lane,But I rarley go downtown and when I have used the hov lane I have other people in the vehicle so I don't need the plates. I paid the extra for the C plates and feel that it was good for advertising the option of cng to others.