Military Vehicles Magazine October 2019 9
registration and titling class for former military vehicles and as-
sembled vehicles, including kit cars and dune buggies. The bill
will provide guidance to the Texas Department of Motor Vehi-
cles on how to treat such vehicles. Currently, there is no specifi c
registration and titling class for certain assembled vehicles such
as dune buggies. This bill successfully passed the Texas legisla-
ture and now goes to Governor Greg Abbott for approval.
MICHIGAN INTRODUCES HMV TITLING BILLS
Legislation (S.B. 344, S.B. 345, and S.B. 346) have been in-
troduced in Michigan to allow for the titling and registration of
historic military surplus vehicles. Currently, such vehicles are
not able to be titled or registered for use on highways in the state.
Last year, a similar proposal to title historic military vehicles
passed the Michigan legislature but was vetoed by then-Gover-
nor Rick Snyder. The bills have been introduced and referred to
the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
MINNESOTA HMV & SPECIAL INTEREST BILLS FAIL
Legislation (S.F. 179/ H.F. 202) amended the collector mili-
tary vehicle law to allow decommissioned military vehicles that
were also manufactured and sold to civilians to be titled and reg-
istered. H.F. 202 passed the House of Representatives but failed
to be approved by the Senate.
Likewise, Legislation (S.F. 2694/ H.F. 1817) which would
have allowed for the issuance of a single, rear-mounted license
plate for special interest vehicles failed to be considered by the
Transportation Finance and Policy Committees. In Minnesota,
special interest vehicles are defi ned as those owned for leisure
purposes, driven less than 10,000 miles per year, and are not
used for general transportation.
MISSOURI BILL DIES AS LEGISLATURE ADJOURNS
Legislation (S.B. 242) that would have allowed historic ve-
hicles to be issued license plates without an annual mileage re-
striction failed to pass before Missouri’s legislature adjourned
for 2019. In Missouri, an historic vehicle is defi ned as being 25
years old or older, owned solely as a collector’s item, and used
only for exhibition and educational purposes. Currently, the law
limits such vehicles to 1,000 miles of personal driving per year
and requires owners to keep a log of miles driven.
S.B. 242 recognized the burden that the current system of
tracking places on historic vehicle owners and that historic ve-
hicles are well-maintained and infrequently driven.
OKLAHOMA’S 2019 HMMWV TITLING FAILS
Legislation (S.B. 293/H.B. 1851) to allow the titling of
HUMVEES (High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles or
HMMWV) failed to pass before the Oklahoma legislature ad-
journed for 2019.
The bills defi ned a “High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled
Vehicle” or “HMMWV” as a four-wheel drive tactical military
vehicle that can carry a wide variety of military hardware, a ve-
hicle more commonly known as a HUMVEE.
The bills would have restricted these vehicles from traveling
on Interstate Highways. Under current law, HMMWV vehicles
are not able to be titled in the state. A similar proposal failed to
be passed during last year’s session.
By rule, each bill is eligible to be reconsidered during next
year’s legislative session.
ARMY SELECTS OSHKOSH FOR HET SEMITRAILER
The U.S. Army
Tank-automotive and
Armaments Command
(TACOM) has award-
ed Oshkosh Defense
and partner, Broshuis
B.V., a contract to pro-
duce semitrailers for
the Heavy Equipment
Transporter (HET). The contract award is in response to an Op-
erational Needs Statement (ONS) from the U.S. Army Europe
for a semitrailer that can deliver increased payload capability
while gaining European road permissions.
The semitrailer has eight hydraulically controlled power
steered independent PL2 pendular axles; compensating hydrau-
lic gooseneck for optimal weight distribution; auxiliary power
unit (APU) provides independent power; and provides storage
for the tractor and trailer.
The contract, initially awarded at $13.3M, has a maximum
value of $109.8M and calls for 170 semitrailers to be delivered
between FY20 and FY21.
POLARIS UNVEILS
TWO VEHICLES IN
MIDEAST
Polaris Government
and Defense has launched
two new vehicles, the
DAGOR A1 ultralight ground
mobility vehicle and the MRZR-X
multimode connected vehicle, both of which are being displayed
for the fi rst time in the Middle East.
The DAGOR A1, the latest model in the range, has been
developed in response to customer requirements for increased
platform mobility and a 20 per cent boost in payload up to a
maximum of 1,814kg. It also has an increased ride height for im-
proved obstacle clearance and can carry up to nine war-fi ghters
and their equipment.
Its modular design allows rapid re-confi guration including
squad carrier, personnel recovery kit or the so-called Ultra-Light
Combat Vehicle confi guration used by Canadian Special Forces.
Recently developed elements include newly designed fuel or wa-
ter cans that can be quickly placed in several locations using the
cargo box aircraft rails. In addition, there are RF antenna mounts
and a tailgate that is aircraft rail compatible for convenient stor-
age options for the tailgate’s 227kg capacity.
Polaris also introduced its
MRZR-X multi-mode connected
vehicle earlier this year.
According to Polaris, the
MRZR-X provides an evolving,
robotics-capable, multi-mission
platform and has worldwide
commonality with the standard
MRZR, which is used by the US
armed forces and more than 30
other countries.
The MRZR-X has various modes of operation, including tra-
ditional operator driving mode and multiple levels of autonomy. ✪