License Plate News

[rlb2024]

Tennessee is asking folks to vote on proposals for their new standard license plate design: https://www.tn.gov/governor/rate-the-plates

I grew up in Tennessee and actually prefer the current plate to any of these.  If I had to pick one of the new ones, though, I would go with #3.

[MikeTheActuary]

The TNVacation bit is tacky.

Also, I think the current plate is miles ahead of all of these. I'm almost glad to have left the state because of it.

I'm not a fan of any of the designs, and I think these designs will boost sales of the umpteen bazillion specialty plates.

However, I was amused by some discussion I saw on Reddit over whether the blue-background plates would fail because of clashing with too many vehicle colors, or whether the blue-background plates have the advantage of highlighting just how big a problem extended use of drive-away tags has become in the state (especially around Memphis).

[SEWIGuy]

I would like to know when Wisconsin is going to drop the design that it has had since the 1980s, and fix their manufacturing process so they stop peeling.

[StogieGuy7]

Tennessee is asking folks to vote on proposals for their new standard license plate design: https://www.tn.gov/governor/rate-the-plates

I grew up in Tennessee and actually prefer the current plate to any of these.  If I had to pick one of the new ones, though, I would go with #3.

Personally, I think the current design is about the best of any of the flat plates (disclaimer: to me, the flat plates look phony and cheap, so that's my perspective). That said, I'd probably vote for #1 because the white on blue looks decent on MT (flat) plates and having the state name within the outline plays homage to TN plates of 50 years ago that had this same feature - saying TENN within the state silhouette. 

[jakeroot]

The design is really good. All of them. Just drop the web address, "...we trust" bit, and the state slogan, and it's a winner.

I would vote for #2 without the aforementioned items.

edit: actually, the state slogan is good. Keep that, but maybe move it to where the web address it. Needs a bit more symmetry.

edit 2: apparently the web address is required. Silly.

[CtrlAltDel]

I spent so much time critiquing the plates that I never said which one I like best, which is the fourth one. It's the most subdued of the bunch.

Also, is that a bar code on the right of the plate? That's new.

[rlb2024]

The design is really good. All of them. Just drop the web address, "...we trust" bit, and the state slogan, and it's a winner.

I would vote for #2 without the aforementioned items.

edit: actually, the state slogan is good. Keep that, but maybe move it to where the web address it. Needs a bit more symmetry.

edit 2: apparently the web address is required. Silly.

Just curious -- how many states have some type of web address on their plates?  Also, the "...we trust" is an optional selection, and the current plates have the tnvacation web address on them.

If they go with the one of the blue plates, what color will the county name sticker be?

[Scott5114]

If I were a license plate designer I would be very tempted to do the malicious-compliance thing and put the web address on the edge of the plate right next to the barcode (and the same size, too).

I'd do the same with memorial highway designations if I worked for the DOT.

[MikeTheActuary]

Tennessee's new standard plate design announced: https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/new-tennessee-license-plate-design-unveiled/

(Amazingly, it's the one I voted for.)

[Occidental Tourist]

I'm seeing a lot more of the California digital plates, and I'm really enjoying them.

(No, I'm not)

[OCGuy81]

I would like to know when Wisconsin is going to drop the design that it has had since the 1980s, and fix their manufacturing process so they stop peeling.

IIRC, Wisconsin had a new baseplate design ready sometime around 2000, and it was nixed at the last minute, the new "design" being letters changing from red to black, and a reversal of the ABC 123 format.  Perhaps someone else can confirm this?

[Alex]

Alabama will have new license plates in 2022

Alabama will have a new standard-issue license plate in 2022.

The new design the state has chosen has the image of a beach with www. alabama .travel at the bottom. The new plate also includes the phrase "Heart of Dixie" inside of a heart on the right bottom corner. The plate will replace the current mountain scene design.

[andrepoiy]

WHY INCLUDE WEBSITES ON LICENSE PLATES!?!?!?!??!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!

[formulanone]

WHY INCLUDE WEBSITES ON LICENSE PLATES!?!?!?!??!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!

at least it's in.small.print

[kalvado]

WHY INCLUDE WEBSITES ON LICENSE PLATES!?!?!?!??!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!

To mess up with automatic plate readers

[jakeroot]

I find it quite irritating that "good design" is now synonymous with "cool background".

Seriously, there is zero taste in modern license plate design, with very little exception (the new TN is pretty good.)

[Skye]

Ohio is getting new plates

[jakeroot]

Wow. They're going from one of the best plates in the country to one of the worst. That sucks.

[frankenroad]

Ohio is getting new plates

Apparently the first phots released had the banner coming off the front of the plane, but the state was quick to point out that the banner will be properly placed before plates are manufactured.

According to the articles I read, the new plates will begin being issued on December 29.  None of the articles mentioned whether any of the previous designs still legally on the road will be retired, but if not, that will mean there will be six different legal designs of "standard" plates, dating back to 1996.  (Gold Fade 1996-2001, Bicentennial 2001-2004, Sunburst 2004-2010, Beautiful Ohio 2009-2013, and Ohio Pride 2013-2021).  The oldest two (at least) should be retired, IMO.

None of the articles I read indicate whether or not the new plates will all be flat, or whether stock plates will continue to be embossed.  My fear is that they will all be flat.

[bm7]

Ah yes, OhiO, my favorite state.

Why does it seem like states are competing to make the worst plate designs? This one wouldn't even be quite so bad if they didn't have "OhiO" written in such an awful font crammed into the shape of the state, and put the slogan at a readable size and centered it on the bottom of the plate.

[stormwatch7721]

I like that new upcoming Ohio license plate.

[thenetwork]

How much wheat is actually GROWN in Ohio and where?  I've lived for quite a time in Ohio, and remember corn, soybeans, tomatoes, and other crops, but not wheat.  I think corn would've been a better choice.

[kalvado]

How much wheat is actually GROWN in Ohio and where?  I've lived for quite a time in Ohio, and remember corn, soybeans, tomatoes, and other crops, but not wheat.  I think corn would've been a better choice.

Looks like OH fell off top-10 winter wheat producing states sometime around 2010. 4% of national winter wheat harvest in 2019

[SkyPesos]

I miss the "Beautiful Ohio"  plates that were used for a couple of years in the early 2010s. Those were one of my favorite plate designs, though the current design is simplistic in a nice way.

[GCrites]

How much wheat is actually GROWN in Ohio and where?  I've lived for quite a time in Ohio, and remember corn, soybeans, tomatoes, and other crops, but not wheat.  I think corn would've been a better choice.

Looks like OH fell off top-10 winter wheat producing states sometime around 2010. 4% of national winter wheat harvest in 2019

Not enough money in it. When corn and soybean prices tanked in 2013 Ohio farmers (and ones in other states) tried to make up for it by doing wheat in the winter which crashed wheat prices as well. Unfortunately Ohio in the wintertime is a tough place to farm and when wheat prices also tanked it wasn't worth the effort. Also growing popularity of other cover crops. A lot of farmland in Ohio isn't well-drained enough for a good wheat harvest. That includes ours. Too many floods in March and April.

Historical wheat prices: https://www.macrotrends.net/2534/wheat-prices-historical-chart-data