Truesdale allows UTVs and golf carts on city streets

Adam Rollins, Staff Writer
Posted 4/4/22

The city of Truesdale is the latest town in the area to remove its prohibition on certain types of small, recreational vehicles on city streets.

The Truesdale Board of Aldermen on March 23 voted …

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Truesdale allows UTVs and golf carts on city streets

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The city of Truesdale is the latest town in the area to remove its prohibition on certain types of small, recreational vehicles on city streets.

The Truesdale Board of Aldermen on March 23 voted to approve an ordinance allowing UTVs (aka side-by-sides) as well as golf carts on city streets, effective immediately. Prior to its passage, the UTV ordinance had been a recurring topic for city leaders for seven months, as they sought to strike a balance between sensible safety precautions and rules that are straightforward and clear.

When aldermen first began discussing the rule change last August, they were prompted by local residents who wanted to use their recreational vehicles within and between their neighborhoods. That’s been the case in other nearby cities as well, where citizen feedback has largely been the driving factor in repealing UTV bans in recent years.

Although Truesdale has loosened its restriction on cart-style vehicles, ATVs remain banned from Truesdale’s streets. Some safety requirements also still remain in place for the recreational vehicles that may now drive the streets.

For starters, all UTV and golf cart drivers have to obey all traffic laws, including traffic signs and speed limits. Operators must have a valid driver license, and the owner of the vehicle has to have it specifically insured.

However, unlike its neighbors to the east and west, Truesdale is not requiring carts to undergo any inspection or special permitting before taking to the streets.

Drunk driving laws still apply to the small vehicles as well, so they’re not an alternate transportation method for anyone looking to have a little too much fun and then drive home.

Carts driving in Truesdale are required to be equipped with a reflective safety flag that’s at least 7 feet tall. If the vehicle is equipped with safety belts, all occupants are required to use them.

Additional requirements are in place for vehicles operating at night: UTVs and golf carts must be off the streets after sundown unless they are equipped with working headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals.

The last safety rule for the vehicles is that they legally aren’t allowed to drive on any federal or state highways, except to cross them. This is particularly relevant for Truesdale, which is bisected by State Highway M. Cart drivers should remember not to enter that highway except to go directly across from one Truesdale street to another.

That rule also means that residents of the Heritage Hills subdivision, which is isolated along Veterans Memorial Parkway, can’t use their UTVs or golf carts to travel to any other part of the city.

With the continuing push to allow freer use of UTVs in the area, the city of Warrenton is now reconsidering its own approach to recreational vehicles. Several years ago, Warrenton passed an ordinance allowing golf cart-style vehicles, but set in place a number of safety equipment requirements that not all small vehicles meet. Warrenton also requires inspections and permitting before operating the vehicles on that city’s streets.

Warrenton’s board of aldermen held a public discussion on March 15 to revisit those rules and examine what requirements might be made more flexible. No action was taken, but aldermen have expressed willingness to loosen the rules.

UTV, Side by side, golf cart, Truesdale Board of Aldermen

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