Kei Trucks
The foolhardy ban on the truck of the future
Kei trucks are a Japanese class of pickup trucks less than 12 feet long. Their large bed size, affordability, and reliability makes them popular with farmers. Recently, this popularity has spread to America; about 7,500 Kei Trucks were imported into the United States last year. Hobbyists and craftsmen alike appreciate these compact vehicles for their utility, as they have similar bed sizes to modern large pickup trucks despite taking up about half of the space.
However, the future is uncertain for Kei trucks in Massachusetts. The Registry of Motor Vehicles has barred Kei trucks from being registered within the state. The cited reason for the ban is that these vehicles do not meet federal safety standards.
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) provide an extensive list of rules on what types of car are acceptable on American roads. Critically, it sets a minimum standard of “crashworthiness” — survivability in the case of a car accident. This seems reasonable at first glance, until you remember that many road users don’t have such protective vehicles at all. Bicyclists may travel the roadway, and are required to do so in business districts and certain towns. Motorcycles, which are much faster than bicycles, are even seen on the interstate. It’s completely preposterous that open vehicles are allowed on public roads, yet closed vehicles without massive crumple zones are considered too dangerous to drive.
The American auto regulation regime encourages a kind of arms race where automakers build cars to be larger and heavier — the dreaded “autobesity”. Bigger vehicles are indeed safer in a high-speed accident, because they provide more padding to protect the operator. However this size comes with a drawback in that it makes cars more dangerous to others on the road. A full-size truck is much deadlier to pedestrians than a motorcycle, bicycle, or kei-truck.
Those brave few who operate a lighter vehicle on the streets which is safer for others but more dangerous for thesmelves provide a good example. They take on more personal risk to make the street safer for others. We should not discourage them.
Furthermore, Kei trucks are simply more suitable for modern urban life than full-size vehicles. Kei trucks are fuel efficient, achieving mileages around 40 miles per gallon. Their low profile and compact size makes them suitable to navigating the tight corners and pedestrianized streets of a city. This advantage also carries over to narrow country roads, like in the backwoods of Central Mass. Smaller, more efficient vehicles are needed for a more sustainable urbanism in this region.
Massachusetts already has laws on low speed vehicles such as golf carts and neighborhood electric vehicles and their operation on public roads. However, these vehicles must have a top speed of 25 miles per hour.
Kei trucks have already been banned in Rhode Island. We cannot make the same mistake.
The Registry should acknowledge an intermediate class of motor vehicle that is faster than a golf cart, but still lighter than the typical car. Kei trucks would be free from regulatory limbo, and Massachusetts would have taken the first step towards embracing lighter and more diverse automobiles.