We have two fuel tanks....one is for the equipment only its Red Fuel, tractors, skid steers, and a on the farm water truck its a 94 dodge CTD
The other tank is for on road diesel fuel use
Once a farm helper filled my truck from the wrong tank by accident and I had to leave with a loaded trailer to PA......I was very nervous at every scale I drove into....it took 2 tank fills to get rid of the red die....the Red Fuel tank now has a lock on it
In my area we have allot of logging and the DOT sets up random fuel tank checks.....because these loggers try to cut costs by running Red Fuel......when the DOT sets up they stop all diesel trucks to check fuel tanks I've been checked at these stops

 

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The fines are FAT and they can dip your tank anytime, for any reason.

This isn't entirely true.
In several states where it's been taken to the State Supreme Court dipping the tank without probable cause has been deemed an illegal search. I'm certain this would hold true in every state once someone decides to take it that far.
In Montana someone did, now they can't dip non-commercial rigs unless they have probable cause or your permission, which you don't have to give. For few months a couple of years ago the DOT guys here would sit across the street from a station waiting for a person to fill with red (probable cause) then pull them over. After a couple of months they decided it was costing more to enforce than it was worth.

Every state is different, in Montana it's a flat $100 fine for the first offence, Nevada makes you pay the tax money you stole, 42¢ per gallon, based on tank size plus $75.
The $10,000 fine that many people talk about only applies in a few states and usually only happens when the rig has a lot more tank capacity than our measly 35 gallons.

 

I love it when people openly admit they would like to be involved in TAX evasion. The RED stuff has no road tax- the money you save is not worth the effort and yes there are cretens out there who would turn you in. PK

 

I however live in a rural area where there are many farm trucks that have as many miles moving across the field as they have on a public road.

but I agree, you save what 10% or so on fuel. Not worth the trouble unless your stealing the fuel out of the company bulldozer.

 

So do I and there is a provision for this however just like any system it is abused. However without farm plates on farm business it can get costly to get dipped and checked Even at today's fuel prices it would take 5 years of driving to make it worth while cheating the system when caught. PK

 

I guess I just inhereted my Father's mindset.
To me, driving on the road and running "red" to avoid taxes is stealing.
I know the state doesn't always use all those fuel taxes bucks to keep the roads up, but if I can't afford to pay the piper, I ain't gonna dance.

 

The company I work for is in south east PA. We have been dipped checked any were from 2 to 6 times a year. And even our pickup trucks and personal Trucks are checked by PennDot. Some of them have Tanks in the bed other don't. All they look for is Diesel on the truck and once the guy looked at all the caps and fuel doors for Diesel. AS far as I know we have never been fined, but then again we dont run it in the trucks that drive on the road. I carry 2 tanks on my personal truck and carry both diesel and offroad. We are told the fine is $10,000. If we get caught and fined someones going to get fired.

 

I spent sometime researching the $10 grand fine to discover that it's an IRS penalty for cheating the government out of the tax money. If you're caught with a big rig, the penalty is stiffer than with 35 gallons in your Dodge. The IRS is not so much concerned about small pickup owners as it is with commercial rigs.

I run red on the farm and only on the farm. It was pointed out to me at my local dealership, that anyone discovered running "red on the road" would be turned in. Just the same as anyone driving drunk. The WHP takes both very seriously.

 

Are you saying that dealer rats people out?
Even though I don't agree with running red on the road I think that is totally despicable of the dealer.
I would never step foot on their property again if that was the case.

 

With that line of thinking why would I the business owner want you in my place of business, thanks to guys who abuse the system he could lose his license, get charged, fined and maybe go to jail. I am sure you would be more than happy to do the time for him-NOT. In Alberta the marked fuel/dyed/red if used illegally and you are entitled to it would result in loss of the priviledge, charges, fines, and possibly jail time with the loss of personal property confiscated just to make it more fun. No permit for said fuel with a conviction means all that you are a criminal and goes on record as tax evasion affecting your passport and the ability to be bonded or travel out of the country freely. Why not just rob a bank and be done with it- bottom line if you can't afford to drive the vehicle at today's prices sell it or park it don't ruin your life. Stupidity if sold as a commodity would be #1 Stock in the world today, Respect the other thing everybody tries to buy. PK

 

get an L-tank for the bed fill it with farm fuel then take all of your pumps and lines off the stock tank and connect it to the L-tank. plug all the holes on the stock tank and fill it with road fuel.

 

The Feds will not always "Dip" the tank from what I've heard.
They will sometimes sample from the Water drain at the fuel filter.
I've also seen a post awhile back that stated that they can swab the tailpipe as the "Tracer" chemical is still present in the exhaust.

Any way you look at it, if you're running "Red", it's STILL tax evasion.

 

I highly doubt that is true at least in the US, otherwise half the country would be in jail for not turning in people who break the law.
I know it has been gone over in Montana that a service station owner is under no obligation to report people filling up with red. They aren't the ones to enforce the law, that's the government's job.

 

I think it is stupid to have two different diesels in the stinkin' first place. If one is better for the environment, it should be the one that is always used. If they want to aid the agriculural folks like us and large equipment operators, make the good stuff affordable to all. And another thing, if they didn't give folks the option of 'cheatin', they wouldn't have to be such butts about dipping tanks and hittin' folks who are runnin' red diesel because they can't afford the blue crap with $10K fines! Rediculous. I think the whole thing is absolutely stupid. Road diesel went up to $2.25 a gallon in Stillwater, OK in the last few days. I'm thinking of buying a couple of old grey mules to pull my trailers. Poop on them and their ridiculous prices and their stupid red fuel. I run road fuel in my tractor because I don't want to take the chance of filling my aux tank up with red fuel, putting it all in the tractor, then filling the aux tank back up with road fuel for the truck. Then I get die in my truck when I pump the road diesel out. Bull butter. This is stupid. Sometimes I'd like to kick someone right in the crotch. Who thinks this stuff up? Am I just backwoods in my thoughs, or does anyone agree with me? It is wrong to cheat, but no one would if the option wasn't available, no?

Ok, I feel better. Back to work.

 

Infidel- nobody said the dealer is required to report however under the liabilities of business and guilt by acknowledgement of participation one does become an active partcipant in a felony-tax evasion. Based on this one could be charged, lose his business and his family income therefore just make it known to your customers "This type of activity is not welcome nor do we need the business of those defrauding the government". People who engage in this type of dishonest activity usually participate in dishonesty in other areas of life as well and I don't like to knowingly do business with such people comprimising my integrity and values. There is a misconception that farm fuel is different fuel than NON-dyed, this is possible in the US due to refineries being behind in technilogical updating or lack there of. In Canada ALL fuel must meet a standard and the dye is installed at the truck loading rack as required per load per customer as dispatched. There are lots of farmers abusing the system in Alberta with farm plates for on highway non-farm usage stealing road tax repair dollars from compliant people paying premium dollars for fuel. These people are however usually doing this legally due to lax government policy as well as government agencies foolishly abusing tax funds for inappropriate uses. However the bottom line is dyed fuel is road tax exempt and those who knowingly use it illegally are by defintion criminals and are stealing from their fellow citizens by tax evasion. Public opposition and enforcement action (dipping) are an attempt to control this unfair practice, unfair fuel prices are best dealt with publicly by reducing vehicle use continent wide and hurting both the government and oil companies holding us ransom. PK