RV Weekly

Last Tuesday’s blog was probably the most unusual of all those I have posted in terms of the response it generated. Little did I realize that a simple inquiry into why seals are missing from some recreation vehicles on dealer lots would mushroom quickly into a story of huge significance for the entire RV industry.   

Last week, a dealer wondered why some seals were missing from RVs. It was puzzling to him because most RVs from the same manufacturer had seals, but a handful did not. He wondered aloud if that was a signal manufacturers were trying to sidestep quality and control issues put into place by the RV Industry Association.

Maybe dealers are just genuinely skeptical about quality issues after dealing with so many problems with so many years. But, he knew the seals were somehow tied to construction standards. If an RV bore the official seal of the RVIA, that meant it was constructed in accordance to strict standards put in place to ensure quality workmanship –at least that’s what he has been telling his customers. So, in his mind, if an RV was missing a seal, that must signal that the unit somehow didn’t meet the standards. I am very happy to report that is not at all the case. If an RV is missing a seal, it does not indicate the manufacturer has failed to live up to some type of quality standard. It does not mean the RV is unsafe. It was likely built on the same line by the same workers to the same level of quality for which that particular manufacturer is known. Quality is not at all the issue. The lack of a seal simply means the vehicle was constructed illegally. 

I have posted a full report on this issue that has already polarized a significant segment of the RV industry. You can read that report by going to our Web site at www.rvtradedigest.com and clicking on the featured article box on the center of the home page. But for those of you who would rather golf this weekend than wonder why seals are missing from your RVs, here are the facts in a nutshell.   

• If an RV is less than 8.5 feet wide and its total interior space when erected is less than 320 square feet, it’s a “travel trailer” regulated by National Fire Prevention Association rule 1192. Units built to this standard by RVIA members bear the seal of the RVIA. 
• If the RV is 8.5 feet or wider (when traveling down the highway) OR the interior space is between 320 and 400 square feet, it is a “park trailer” regulated by the American National Standards Institute rule A119.5. Units built to this standard by members of the Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association, bear the seal of that organization. 
• Any unit without an engine and larger than 400 square feet is a “manufactured home” regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These units bear no seal from any RV industry association. 
• If the RV can be driven down the highway, it’s a motorhome regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation regardless of its size. 

Here’s the problem. Thanks to slideouts, some RVs are larger than 400 square feet when fully erected. That means the RV becomes a “non-conforming recreation vehicle.” So what? Constructing and selling manufactured homes opens OEMs and dealers to a bees’ nest of regulation – rules and laws that are currently being ignored by the industry as it operates under the radar. 

This week I learned the RVIA’s board of directors has instructed the RVIA staff to lay the foundation for legislation to eliminate all size requirements for fifth wheels and, thus, is inviting the federal government to regulate a segment of the RV industry. Those of you who own businesses know what that means. The federal government just doesn’t regulate a portion of any business. Once the beast gets its snout in the door, it pushes the door wide open and heads for the cash register. If RVIA is successful in its effort to change federal law to eliminate size requirements for fifth wheels, it could pose significant challenges to RV dealers and RV users around the country. Why? Because although they were successful in changing federal law, there are 50 state governments that may not be so easily convinced that 55-foot fifth wheels driven by 70-year-olds behind the wheel of a 20-foot toter don’t need special licenses. A few years ago, the industry was embroiled in a size issue as only a few states allowed 45-foot RVs on the highways and others cited drivers for crossing their borders. 

But that’s just one of nearly two dozen concerns people have already identified with this issue. The RVIA initiative is already being strenuously opposed by the Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association and the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. For the full story, visit www.rvtradedigest.com.

Due to the complexity of the issue, the fact senior staff members are traveling and because other key people at RVIA are feverishly getting ready for Committee Week in nine days, the staff at RVIA has postponed comment on this story. When they can take the time to comment, they’ll be afforded full access to this forum. So, I’ll apologize in advance if anyone thinks the story is one-sided.But, even others outside the RV industry are scratching their heads over the direction this issue is moving. “Why, in God’s name, would the RV industry want to give up the security and sanity of building anything in a self-regulating environment and even dare risk bringing their industry under the control and authority of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development?,” asked one person involved in the manufactured housing industry. His struggling industry is heavily regulated by HUD code.  “Rather than dealing with association ‘regulators’ periodically visiting a manufacturing plant for a routine inspection, the RV industry is inviting federal regulators to make unannounced visits to their plants. The interpretation regarding compliance with a variety of complex federal laws can be made on the spot by an inspector who may be upset because his kid kept him up all night or he didn’t have enough cream in his coffee on the way into work that morning. 

“For years, I have admired the RV industry for its ability to operate under the radar,” he added. “By opening up this can of worms, the RV industry better hope it doesn’t get what it wishes for. Why make units so big they invite regulation and fall under the realm of the HUD code?”  That’s a good question. 

This entry was posted on Friday, June 1st, 2007 at 10:58 am and is filed under Previous Blogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.