Citylink/Eastlink - Falcon Utes now commercial vehicles.

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

No, as I explained, a separate chassis in this case means exactly what the utes have. A separate chassis on to which is bolted the tub, tray, or your choice of after-market body.
As I explained, prior to the AU, underneath a Ute was basically a station wagon. If you removed the body, the whole thing would fall in a heap. That's why there were no Falcon tray-backs.

Thanks Dazz,
I did see your explanation, I think it is incorrect as is the Eastlink description.
The chassis is integral with the cab, all in one welded together. The tray or styleside box is separate not the chassis. There some good technical descriptions available on the web which explain the differences between separate chassis, moncoque and unitary construction.
Bill.

[mik]

Originally Posted by vztrt

It is a rip, but it still is tax deductible. Its up to the operator to deem if its beneficial.

Speaking of which its apparently backed up cause of an accident. Hope people get their money back today.

Tax deductible ? Perhaps, but despite what some think the tax man is not always that generous, you cannot always claim everything, but you can try.

[quickzx]

So to add insult to injury a Holden Commodore Ute is classified as a car but a Ford Falcon Ute isn't, deadset zero logic behind these thiefs!!

[Grom13]

Just had this issue with citylink , I have a fpv ute and my son has a fg xr6 ute, I set up an account with citylink because I was so sick of there invoice fees and fines. My son is a 1st year apprentice and works in Melbourne and uses tolls quite a bit, after first statement I noticed they were charging him commercial rate for his trips so I contacted them and complained didn't hold much hope but a week later they agreed that his ute should be charged as a car and credited my account for over charges. When you set up your account with citylink the section to enter the vehicle details allows you to set up an FG ute as a car and not a commercial vehicle , my fg ute is also classified as a car with citylink which also allows me to drive on eastlink. Hope this helps, but they are still robbing bastards who's tolls and charges are rediculous

[jpblue1000]

Im glad my ute is commercial, get away with parking in loading zones for much longer than the allowed 30 minutes as around my neck of the woods the parking inspectors cant seem to differentiate between one and another white ute to determine how long its been there ( I guess they don't care to chalk them).
easily worth the extra 300ish a year rego for me.

JP

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by Morexbs

If you have a "car" eTag you can get away with using it in a ute.They only take snaps of cars with no eTags or tags with no money on them and they have no way of knowing what car a tag is attached to without a pic.

I borrowed a mates falcon sedan eTag when I visited Melbourne recently and put it in the window of my same model falcon ute. when I got home a notice for toll payment was waiting. Mate got charged the toll, I got charged the toll and a fine. so they do seem to pick up incorrectly tagged cars.

JP

[quickzx]

For anyone following the thread, just spent 20 mins on the phone to Eastlink and they didn't do anything about it so I'm disputing with the ombudsman through them.

They told me that they (& Citylink) are currently in the process of informing all Ford Falcon ute owners that they will no longer be considered cars and will be considered commercial vehicles. They also said that Holden Commodore Utes are and will still be considered as cars.

If you get hit up make sure you dispute it through the ombudsman the more of us that do, the more chance we have of getting them to turn this stupid rule around.

It's unreal that overnight they can just change the classification of one ute but keep another classified as a car.

[Morexbs]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

I borrowed a mates falcon sedan eTag when I visited Melbourne recently and put it in the window of my same model falcon ute. when I got home a notice for toll payment was waiting. Mate got charged the toll, I got charged the toll and a fine. so they do seem to pick up incorrectly tagged cars.

JP

That's odd.We've been doing it since day 1,using the one etag in everything from Corollas to Landcruisers.Never had an issue and always get charged the car rate.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by Morexbs

That's odd.We've been doing it since day 1,using the one etag in everything from Corollas to Landcruisers.Never had an issue and always get charged the car rate.

that would be right, I seem to get fined for something every time I go to Melbourne.

JP

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by quickzx

So to add insult to injury a Holden Commodore Ute is classified as a car but a Ford Falcon Ute isn't, deadset zero logic behind these thiefs!!

I don't think Commodore has the separate Chassis from the tub, it would be interesting to see what its weight carrying capabilities are.
They did on the one tonners though, but that went with the VZ

[mik]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

that would be right, I seem to get fined for something every time I go to Melbourne.

JP

Indeed JP , if you get around melbourne big brother is watching everywhere for the smallest infringement ,ive lived here for nearly 50 years and i still get stung occasionally even though im super careful , you almost have to not travel or be super human not to make the tiniest fopar ,
which of course the powers that be will gleefully empty your wallet at the first opportunity......... no warnings no leeway, no lectures telling you what you did wrong .......... just give me the money !

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by mik

no warnings no leeway, no lectures telling you what you did wrong .......... just give me the money !

Tell me about it
I got a fine in December 2014 for not displaying oversize signage on my Boat which overhangs the trailer by 45mm.
there was a new category called a Class O vehicle in feb 2014, that I was supposed to know the rules and regulations for.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

I don't think Commodore has the separate Chassis from the tub, it would be interesting to see what its weight carrying capabilities

Its weight carrying capabilities are not dependent on whether the chassis is separate from the tub.

The Falcon has rear leaf springs which are superior in load carrying to the Commodore's rear coil springs.

Obviously Commodore utes are similar to pre-AU Falcon utes in construction, because there is no 'gap' between the cab & the tub, they are joined as one.

Dr Terry

[Clarkey57]

Eastling have just advised me that my FG Styleside Falcon Ute is now to be classified as a light commercial vehicle (LCV). I have read the definition of LCV in the legislation and I'm sure that legally Eastlink are correct. that does't make it fair when a Commodore Ute is still a car. When the laws were written nobody expected Ford to change their ute to a Cab Chassis. So to be fair the definition of LCV need to be changed to exclude those Styleside Utes which are part of a model range which includes a sedan ie Falcon and Commodore. the staff at Eastlink tell me they think its unfair that the Holden and Ford Utes are on different tolls. My local member of parliament think its unfair. Now all I have to do is to get enough Falcon Ute Owners to write to Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan PO Box 126 Endeavor Hills 3802 with this or some other fair way ahead for Falcon Ute Owners

[Vesper Martini]

But are you using your FG Styleside Falcon Ute as a commercial vehicle?

[Raptor]

See post 11. I'm happy with the classification.

Ford classify them as Commercials too.

[nstg8a]

My 90 panelvan is classed as a commercial vehicle by qld transport, even had to work out tare and gvm weights when I registered it.

I guess il,get pinged commercial rates on local tolls as well. Glad I don't use them unless I really have to. Or I'm in the missus's car.

[Vesper Martini]

I'm no Tax expert but I believe there are Exemptions in relation to a commercial vehicle and road tolls, provided its used for "work Purposes"

So its not all bad.

[Clarkey57]

In Victoria Tolls are based on the definitions contained in the agreements with Eastlink and Citilink. It has nothing to do with work use. So the very many Falcon Styleside Utes which are private use only must now pay the commercial toll. My choice to buy a Falcon over a Commodore was more about being A Ford rather than a Holden Fan.

[ronwest]

I had an issue just recently here in Bris where my trayback BF was intermittently charged commercial toll on the Gateway.
The crap sytem would charge "private" one way and "commercial" the other but not necessarily the same each time.
I contacted Govia and had to send them a copy of my rego papers to prove "private" registration and they then credited $65 to my Govia account.
I'm now really wary of Govia's recording/accounting. The ute had been charged at "private" for three years and then all of a sudden intermittent "commercial" rate.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Clarkey57

In Victoria Tolls are based on the definitions contained in the agreements with Eastlink and Citilink. It has nothing to do with work use. So the very many Falcon Styleside Utes which are private use only must now pay the commercial toll. My choice to buy a Falcon over a Commodore was more about being A Ford rather than a Holden Fan.

I think will find its about what the car is registered or classified as, hence the definition contained in the agreements.

umm You didn't answer the question.

Are you using the Ute for work Purposes ie commercial use?

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by ronwest

I had an issue just recently here in Bris where my trayback BF was intermittently charged commercial toll on the Gateway.
The crap sytem would charge "private" one way and "commercial" the other but not necessarily the same each time.
I contacted Govia and had to send them a copy of my rego papers to prove "private" registration and they then credited $65 to my Govia account.
I'm now really wary of Govia's recording/accounting. The ute had been charged at "private" for three years and then all of a sudden intermittent "commercial" rate.

You have a good argument if its not registered as a commercial vehicle.
Out of curiosity what does its compliance label say?

[monzie]

A fairer system would be if you have private rego you pay the car rate. Commercial rego, commercial rate.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

You have a good argument if its not registered as a commercial vehicle.
Out of curiosity what does its compliance label say?

Up here we have private or commercial rego. If it's registered as private it's not a commercial vehicle for toll purposes.
I don't know where the definition begins and ends. Obviously they'd look closely at a road train registered as "private"

[Clarkey57]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

I think will find its about what the car is registered or classified as, hence the definition contained in the agreements.

umm You didn't answer the question.

Are you using the Ute for work Purposes ie commercial use?

Private use only exactly the same as my mate with a Commodore Ute

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Clarkey57

Private use only exactly the same as my mate with a Commodore Ute

I see with Queensland you can apply for a change of vehicle Particulars.

Where you can have it registered as a Private use vehicle.
F3524 - Change of Vehicle Particulars Notification
(I'm not sure what penalties are involved if your found using it for commercial)

Unfortunately I don't think VIC Roads offer this. hence your Ute will be registered as a commercial vehicle.

If you want to raise a petition this is where I would start.

[Mercury Bullet]

What's a toll road?

Wait Awhile does have some advantages after all.

[Dezza]

Acoording to EastLink, I drive a commercial vehicle. I've got a high performance turbocharged engine, 19" wheels and a luxury interior. I can understand a falcon one-tonner being a commercial vehicle but an XR50 Turbo?

[Full_Monty]

Does this B.S apply to dual cab Rangers, Hilux etc?

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Full_Monty

Does this B.S apply to dual cab Rangers, Hilux etc?

Certainly does, been paying these rates since I sold my FG ute 3 years ago.