Oregon drivers may share roads with military surplus Humvees

Kristena Hansen, Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Discharged from their military days hauling troops and gear as long as 30 years ago, monster-sized military surplus Humvees may soon be cruising the Oregon streets and highways alongside eco-conscious Prius drivers and outdoorsy Subaru commuters.

A proposal that's been advancing at the state Capitol could make Oregon one of the few states to allow these two-ton, 7-foot-wide diesel gas-guzzlers — not to be confused with their flashier Hummer, H1 and H2 commercial cousins — on the roadways for civilian use. These rigs would be hard-pressed to pass emissions in places like California and they also don't meet federal safety standards, although updates for proper seatbelts, turn signals and other tweaks could make them street legal in Oklahoma, for instance.

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