FUEL COST SOLUCIONS * USA - As fuel prices rise, mini-trucks prove popular

The trucks have grown in popularity, especially during the past year as gasoline prices neared the $4 mark in Kansas

Holton,KS,USA -The Lawrence Journal World & News (Lawrence,KS), by Mike Belt -September 8, 2008: -- John Grau used to drive a big, gas-guzzling pickup truck while checking cattle and fences on his rural Jackson County farm... Not anymore. Last spring he bought a Japanese-made mini-truck for that purpose. He said he probably saves at least $100 a week in gas money... The flat-nosed used trucks imported from Japan are only 10 1/2 feet long by 4 1/2 feet wide. The steering wheel is on the right side of the cab... The trucks have grown in popularity, especially during the past year as gasoline prices neared the $4 mark in Kansas... That’s because most of the vehicles get 30 to 50 miles per gallon or even higher, depending on various factors... The trucks can travel at top speeds of 55 mph and some even 60.. They can have radios, air conditioners and four-wheel drive. The vehicles generally sell for between $3,000 and $13,000, depending on their age and condition... The trucks have been available for years, but they were always considered off-road vehicles. In recent years as the safety conditions of the trucks have improved and their popularity has increased, more states are passing laws allowing restricted use on some roadways... Wilson, Bartlett and others think the small trucks will continue to grow in popularity. Tulsa, Okla., has a new law that will make them street legal in November... (Photo by Mike Yoder - Welder John McManigal, Holton, purchased a used Suzuki mini-truck that holds his welding rig and equipment. McManigal says he's saving money on gas with his new truck and he hopes local governments will make them legal for driving on highways. The small, gas-efficient trucks from Japan are catching on in the U.S. and becoming popular replacements for regular trucks among farmers and people needing multi-functional vehicles)