The 1975 General Assembly directed the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Commerce "to study the feasibility of a special graduated farm truck use license for Virginia."

In determining the feasibility of adopting a special graduated farm truck use license in Virginia, the study examined the inventory and use characteristics of agricultural and non-agricultural trucks in Virginia and the motor-vehicle laws of ail other states regarding the licensing of farm trucks.

According to the 1972 Census of Transportation, agricultural trucks account for only 16.6 percent of all trucks registered in Virginia, compared with 29.0 percent in 1963.

Agricultural trucks in Virginia pay a significantly higher license fee for miles used than non-agricultural trucks. In 1972, non-agricultural trucks in Virginia traveled an average of 86.3 percent more miles per truck than agricultural trucks, and when pickup and panel trucks were excluded this percentage, increased to 150.0 percent.

A survey made by the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles for this report showed that 35, or 71.4 percent, of ·the states provide a special· graduated farm truck use license.

All of the states either defined or referred to the use of a farm truck in their code sections, and all except one required farm trucks to carry a special designated license plate.

Based on the finding of this study, a special graduated farm truck use license for Virginia seems feasible with certain limitations.