Kei Truck Association - Fight the EPA

Gentlemen,

I know that many of you have heard rumors concerning recent changes in the EPA regulations which threaten not only our businesses but our industry as a whole.

Up until now, we have all been minding our own businesses, but it is time to come together as an industry and fight for our commodity, business and free enterprise!

I am communicating with legal representation but one voice is not enough! THE TIME IS NOW for all of you to get involved! We are forming an association across the country and need your participation.

Please register now by sending an email with your business name and all contact information to KTA@consumerimports.com. We are also developing a web site in which issues will be covered and help keep all of us informed.

Our competition is well organized, represented and funded! This is free enterprise, let's not go down without a fight!

JOIN NOW!!!

KTA@consumerimports.com

 

Association & Structure

Kevin,

Thank you for the question.

Eventually dues will be required for funding the association and legal activities on the industry's behalf. We are in the process of legal discussions and formation of the entity.

I expect to know more details by Friday and will share that information.

For now, we are simply asking for preliminary registration as we begin legal discussions concerning our organization structure and representation.

Let's pull together folks and bring structure to our industry and let the competition and EPA know that we are more than a bunch of farmers selling trucks on the side of a county road!

Thanks again Kevin!!! I'll stay in close contact with you as things develop!

 

I have been keeping up on the 4 different threads concerning the pending battle with the EPA. I know there was something mentioned about designating a thread for this endeavor instead of having 4 similar threads going.... so in the meantime, I'll post some thoughts here....

Not to sound like I am paranoid or leaning towards a conspiracy...but would it be possible to have a "private thread" for the discussions on the battle plans? Realistically you dont want your "enemy" or opponent to know your stragedies and game plans.... especially when they can just click on this website and read it.

Also, in getting everyone alerted/organized/informed..... That would include everyone that is a member here, guest, any and all "Mini Truck" websites, "Mini Truck " parts sales - not just mechanical parts, but anyone who sells anything on eBay or anywhere for a "Mini Truck", the people who are selling the stick on camo decals to camo the trucks, tire dealers, etc.... anyone related to owning, fixing, customizing, etc... a mini truck. Anyone that sells stuff for mini trucks and makes money..

I.E. -> The insurance companies that are selling insurance for the Mini Trucks.

All of that, on top of politicions and mini truck owners....

As far as donating money to a person or entity to lead the fight, I would with sound proof the person or entity is real, qualified, and will make good use of $10,000.00 .......

In the meantime I will make some calls in my area and do some checking on things.

 

count me in.
i am still new to this business and am not about to see my investments go down the drain.

 

Legal Organization

I'm glad to see such details being discussed. Hopefully we have everyone's attention.

To your point about having this in the open, we tried posting something in the Exporter/Importer area but got no attention. Once the cat was out of the back we made it public.

If Kevin agrees to create a private area, it will take some management of membership. We still need ALL MEMBERS to participate.

Concerning an association and funding. I have a call planned for tomorrow with Mr. Fox to discuss more details about representation and will also discuss legal formation of our association. Funding will be needed and secured through membership dues and the books should be open to paid members through reports. As we get the association formed, we will follow legal routes for additional funding through other means.

The EPA has promised to distribute a document in plain black and white to provide guidance to us. This document is due any day now. We plan to post it here once we receive it.

Let's keep the ball rolling guys!

 

black and white

will the interpretation be posted on this thread?

 

Reliabe Information

All,

It is important for us to take an unbiased opinion here. we will only post information directly from the EPA so we can avoid confusion, rumors and separate fact from fiction. I think we all deserve that!

For those of you who would like to review the Federal Registry where the EPA puts regulations in writing, I am sharing a link which was sent to us by a member of the Mobile Source Enforcement Branch, Air Enforcement Division of the EPA.

This is a large document. The page of interest is page 59,243.


Federal Registry

I caution you on drawing any conclusion from this reading. Like all legal writings, much of it can be left up to interpretation and we are awaiting a guidance document in black and white any day now. The EPA is drafting this guidance document due to some pretty outrages rumors which even they have heard about.

Please be patient while we wait for this next communication from the EPA.

 

Count me in

I live in New York near Niagara Falls. I have a keen interest in Mini Trucks and would love to be involved and help in anyway. I would like to join you at the staff level if I could - I also suggested(Probably after you did) starting a "Mini Truck Resellers Association" - I see you are already walking down that road.

How can I help ?
Thanks
Bullitt4248

 

Join Us!

Thank you for your willingness to get involved.

please send us an email to KTA@consumerimports.com

Include the following information.

Business name
Owner name
Phone number
Email address
Business address

We are building a database of members and will communicate development as we pull everyone together.

We have also heard from members offering their talents such as web development etc. If any of you have something to contribute please let me know. This effort will only be effective if we all pull together.

Please join us!

 

All,

I had a long discussion today with attorney Harvey Fox. Mr. Fox spent 30 years with U.S. Customs of which the last 9 years was in their legal department. Mr. Fox has worked many issues for Customs, is very familiar with the EPA and Capitol Hill. I believe Mr. Fox is well suited to represent us and help guide our industry in the right direction.

Like any movement, structure is paramount! While many of us have been minding our own business, our success will come down to one single accomplishment, our ability to organize. I feel, as I'm sure many of you do, that it is time to come together. The KTA effort is to bring all members together in a single organization with structure, determination and a clear plan!

Mr. Fox and I had about a 1 hour discussion concerning customs issues, EPA compliancy and Capitol Hill. We also discussed an initial roadmap for moving our association forward, one which would have legal representation, centralization of information flow and a loud voice on Capitol Hill.

I am also aware that many of you have been seeking legal representation for related matters as well as emailing Mr. Fox and others for guidance. It is very encouraging to know that such effort is taking place. The task at hand now, is to bring it all together!

Based on my discussion with Mr. Fox, I want to share several key objectives we must achieve to bring this all together.

1. ORGANIZATION
To build an effective organization we must bring all members and disparate efforts into one unified movement. We have begun steps to achieve this objective by starting the Kei Truck Association or KTA. KTA has tasked itself with the responsibility of bringing all members together in order to form unified front. I cannot think of a time in which the internet was a better communications tool than today!

This technology will play a key role in helping to organize a large geographically dispersed organization. So please join today by emailing your contact information to the KTA.

Furthermore, members are entitled to hold key positions in the association and will have certain responsibilities. Trips to Capitol Hill will be only one of them. More on this will follow as things come together.


2. LEGAL FORMATION & FUNDING
When the time is right, KTA will move to form a legal entity in the great state of Texas. This means that we will legally form the association under Texas state law. This will only be possible if we have your participation as a member. Once our membership has grown large enough, we will form the entity and open a KTA bank account. Once the association is legal, members will be required to pay membership dues.

The collection of dues will reside in the KTA account and paid members are entitled to financial reports regarding the use of those funds. Member rights will be sent out to all paid members as you have the right to know how your dollars are being spent and what efforts are being made on your behalf.


3. LEGAL REPRESENTATION & GUIDANCE
Attorney's cost money! Mr. Fox has informed me that he is ready, able and willing to represent our organization. However, this will not be done free of charge. Before Mr. Fox's firm can approve this challenge, a $20,000 retainer fee is required. These fees will be the first financial objective of the KTA.

Mr. Fox has already discussed going to Capitol Hill to meet with Federal Level Congressmen and Senators. He knows the terrain and how to navigate it and will assist our organization on Capitol Hill.

Again, our first and foremost objective now is to come together as an association.

4. OBJECTIVES FOR ORGANIZATION
I have discussed some early objectives with Mr. Fox which we must strive to achieve together. Below are several key objectives we must meet in order to further evolve our industry. These first simple steps are of paramount importance to our industry coming together.

A)Get organized
Bring all members together to form one powerful voice! Our vehicle to achieve this will be the KTA! You will hear me state over and over again to Join Now! This is no time for complacency!

B) Centralize communications
Not only is Mr. Fox receiving separate emails, but many of you are also pushing in other directions. Communication plays a major role in our organization structure. Although we are in the early stages of formation, we must now begin to focus all independent efforts through one conduit. We are asking all registered members to communicate with KTA on this issue. The KTA will funnel all concerns to the appropriate channels as well as replies. Our Communication Center will assure that all members are receiving vital information together.

C) Member contacts
Mr. Fox brought up a very valuable point in our discussion. He has asked me to communicate to the members, the need for any contacts you may have with Senators or Congressmen. He is looking for relationships which you may have through contributions, personal relationships through blood or school etc..

He would like us to put a list of contacts together for him. Secondly, he asks that you speak with your contacts and ask them to contact him regarding our endeavor.

D) Structure
If we are successful in forming our organization, we will be going to Capitol Hill. He can arrange for a room big enough for hundreds or thousands of members. Or, our board members in fewer numbers. Our future visits to Capitol Hill will put us in direct contact with the officials who can help influence the direction of our industry and to combat the decisions which seek to destroy it. We will be heard!

In closing....

I want to take a moment to speak to all of you on a more personal level.

We live in a time of globalization and our business is International Trade. We are American Entrepreneurs and are chasing the American dream. I don't always agree with high level decisions of our governmental agencies, but as an American, I have the right to stand up for what I believe in and I always do. I have served my country in its time of need and fully intend to exercise my American right to have my voice heard! And so should you!

The EPA is a large organization with funding, representation and organization. Individually, we stand alone without hope, without control and wait to be told if our opportunity will come or go!

It doesn't have to be this way! We can band together and work together to assure our voices are heard loud and clear. Right next to the EPA and other market competitors who are already being heard.

We have two simple choices folks. We can let someone else push us off the map or, we can push back and let the highest authorities know that the American small businessman is alive and well. And, ready to fight!

Please, join us now and let's form a professional organization whose voice will be heard at the Capitol. Whose faces of American Entrepreneurs will be seen in person. And let's let them know that we do have it in us to organize and fight for what we believe in!

Our future depends on it!

 

Time to move forward

Kevin and Members/future Members,


Bravo Kevin , your aggressive stand is well noted and applauded.

You are correct in saying , "Act Now" -

Again , I will gladly work within your proposed Association.

The only reasons I proposed another site is to broaden our ability to reach and educate "End Users." I will continue my efforts in that endeavor.

At this point in time I have no vested interest in the purchase or resale of Mini Trucks . That said, I will become a "Reseller" in the near future.

I am a "Retiring" Firefighter and enjoy our Countries Freedoms.


How can I help ?

 

Requirements...

I feel that active participation from everyone in this campaign is critically important. I just wanted to visit some of the early stated requirements from Jeff's email:

REQUIREMENTS

Each Board member should have a minimum 1 year experience in either the importation of, or dealership of Japanese Kei trucks.
I am also a relatively new dealer in this respect and do not necessarily agree with this ruling from all standpoints. While it makes perfect sense from the side of experience, you could also view this as the new, responsible dealers have not learned the bad habits/shady practices and "wrong ways" of doing things that some of the "experienced" dealers have (which has certainly contributed to the EPA's invlovement). This is a very opinionated rule and is subject to interpretation.

Each Board member will have certain responsibilities such as managing a particular government relationship.
Agreed

Each Board member will have Internet and email capability and also be reachable by phone.
Agreed

Each Board member will conduct themselves in a professional manner in member dealings, agency dealings or any other which represent the association.
Agreed (and critical to our existance as an organized group and voice)

Each Board member should be willing to travel to Washington DC with appropriate notice.
We should re-visit this one... a certain select handful of experienced representatives should be "doing the talking" for our group to ensure that our presence is properly represented

Each Board member must commit to holding the position for one year after which time annual member voting will be held
Agreed that we need a solid committment... but we also need an internal method of policing ourselves with checks & balances.

As things sit, I am not currently qualified as a potential board member. While that is not critical to me, it might be to others that are new dealers and bring alot to the table. I certainly have skills that I can offer to this group collectively. Maybe we should consider another classification of contributing members that are NOT board members.

Thoughts???

 

wrong

wrong: you are so wrong on item #1. the e.p.a. became involved when the end users partition their states to classify the trks. for on road use and to tag them as such. these trks. are legally imported for off-road use only. these states are breaking federal law and it's just a matter of time before the d.o.t. will remove all minis from public roads.

 

Heh... Kevin...YOU are sooo right!

Alas... the same people keep quoting the same (wrong) reasons as the ONLY reason that this is happening.

So everyone understands your point of view, you are saying that SHADY DEALERS selling these vehicles with NO DUE REGARD for the importation rules (governors, etc) are NOT to blame for EPA involvement and it is solely on the shoulders of the people that registered these vehicles for road use?

WTF??!?!

That is one if the silliest things I've heard to date. Stop mis-informing people and start reading through the actual documents coming down from the EPA for enlightenment!!!