🚨CALLING ALL HAWAI'I BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON COMMERCIAL WORK TRUCKS
Islandwide Auto Sales is asking Hawaiʻi businesses to share their experiences regarding the availability, pricing, and local competition for commercial work trucks.
Our dealership recently received a cease-and-desist letter from a local franchise dealer concerning our sale of low-mileage, titled completed commercial work trucks.
The dispute prompted us to take a closer look at Hawaiʻi's Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act and how the current framework directly affects you with how it applies to low-mileage commercial vehicles, including heavy-duty cab-and-chassis trucks that are upfitted into dump trucks, flatbeds, utility trucks, and other specialized work vehicles. We were forced to remove from selling as Pre-Owned and move beautiful on island upfitted commercial ready work trucks into our coming soon MAUI RENT A TRUCK rental fleet.
After reviewing the issue, we recognize that the current statutory framework may classify low mileage vehicles disproportionately to a practice that is widely accepted in multiple mainland states.
---------------------------------------------
STATES THAT ALLOW USED DEALER TO RESELL JUST LIKE WE ARE WANTING. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT? (COMPARE TO HAWAI'I)
ARKANSAS --- Explicitly converts MCO transfer to non-same-make dealer into USED status and sell.
COLORADO --- Explicitly converts MCO transfer to another/non-same-make dealer into USED status and sell.
WEST VIRGINIA --- Explicitly allows used dealer to acquire NEW vehicle, title it, and resell it.
CALIFORNIA --- Special exception specifically for commercial vehicles over 10,000 GVW. New, MCO/title and sell.
TEXAS --- Explicit procedure for franchised dealer → non-franchised used dealer → title and sell.
IOWA --- Explicitly permits non-franchised dealer to be first MCO assignee and obtain title and sell.
NEW MEXICO --- Non-franchised dealer can title and sell a vehicle while it remains NEW.
HAWAII NO CAN New → used dealer Dealer-to-dealer transfer does NOT automatically make vehicle USED.
This is why we are asking for your support to amend the definition of what qualifies as "Used" or add an exception same as California stipulating "Commercial Vehicles".
---------------------------------------------
Why does this matter?
For Hawaiʻi contractors, landscapers, builders, fabricators, utilities, service companies, and other working businesses, commercial trucks are not luxury purchases.
They are essential business equipment.
Hawaiʻi businesses already face:
-
Geographic isolation;
-
Higher transportation costs;
-
Limited inventory availability;
-
Higher operating expenses; and
-
Limited competition in certain commercial vehicle markets.
When a business has fewer options for purchasing essential equipment, the consequences can extend beyond the price of the vehicle itself.
Higher equipment costs can affect our entire community as a whole:
-
Employee hiring;
-
Wages;
-
Business expansion;
-
Project costs;
-
Equipment investment;
-
The overall cost of doing business in Hawaiʻi; and
-
Higher costs to end consumers, as businesses are forced to pass on added costs.
Our goal is not to eliminate franchised dealerships or diminish the important services they provide.
In an effort to help local businesses save money, reduce downtime and have the convenience of shopping locally, we believe healthy competition is exactly what Hawai'i businesses and affected communities desperately need.
Hawaiʻi businesses need affordable commercial equipment, and we are asking policymakers to hear directly from the businesses affected by the current rules.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES
If your business has experienced any of the following, we encourage you to share your firsthand experience with the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs:
-
Competition has helped your business save money;
-
Local availability has helped your business obtain equipment more quickly;
-
You have had difficulty finding reasonably priced commercial work trucks in Hawaiʻi;
-
Purchased trucks from the mainland due to high local prices or limited availability in Hawaiʻi;
-
Limited local competition has increased your costs; or
-
You have another firsthand experience regarding commercial-truck availability or pricing that you believe policymakers should understand.
Contact DCCA
Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board
Please communicate in your own words and describe your own business experience.
We are not asking anyone to make a statement they do not personally believe or to repeat our position.
We simply believe policymakers should hear directly from the Hawaiʻi businesses affected by these regulations.
KEEPING HAWAIʻI BUSINESS IN HAWAIʻI
When Hawaiʻi businesses have competitive options for essential equipment, more of their money can remain in our local economy through employees, suppliers, fuel, repairs, maintenance, and business investment.
We believe this issue deserves an open and thoughtful discussion.
If commercial work trucks are essential to your business, your experience matters.
Please make your voice heard.