fonts on shipping containers and truck trailers

[vtk]

Today I saw a truck trailer with its six-character alphanumeric identifier in Series B (and no other markings) except the letter Z was struck through.  That was interesting.

In general, I like it when FHWA fonts are used for this purpose. 

On the other hand, I've seen one font I like a little better.  It's used for the 6-digit numeric identifiers (plus check digit) on NYK Logistics and MOL intermodal shipping containers.  I don't know what the font is, but to my eye it looks similar to Series C but  with Katakana influence and a flat-top 3.

[Scott5114]

On the other hand, I've seen one font I like a little better.  It's used for the 6-digit numeric identifiers (plus check digit) on NYK Logistics and MOL intermodal shipping containers.  I don't know what the font is, but to my eye it looks similar to Series C but  with Katakana influence and a flat-top 3.

Got a picture?

[roadman]

Today I saw a truck trailer with its six-character alphanumeric identifier in Series B (and no other markings) except the letter Z was struck through.  That was interesting.

In general, I like it when FHWA fonts are used for this purpose. 

On the other hand, I've seen one font I like a little better.  It's used for the 6-digit numeric identifiers (plus check digit) on NYK Logistics and MOL intermodal shipping containers.  I don't know what the font is, but to my eye it looks similar to Series C but  with Katakana influence and a flat-top 3.

When Massachusetts required permits to haul 53 foot semi-trailers on their freeways(they dropped the permit program several years ago after a study that concluded that the accident rate for 53 foot semis was no differnt that for all trucks), one of the ocnditions of the permit was that the trailer have " 53' " placed on the trailer sides above the kingpin.  I forget what the minimum height was, but the font was Series C.

[vtk]

On the other hand, I've seen one font I like a little better.  It's used for the 6-digit numeric identifiers (plus check digit) on NYK Logistics and MOL intermodal shipping containers.  I don't know what the font is, but to my eye it looks similar to Series C but with Katakana influence and a flat-top 3.

Got a picture?

[Scott5114]

Ooo, I like that. Reminds me of the sort of numbers you might find on a mechanical meter of some kind, like an old electric meter or a scale or an old flippy clock or something.

[agentsteel53]

on the second line, after 22G, is that a 7?  if so, that is by far the most divergent from Series C, as well as a lot of other generally used fonts.

I'd be worried that that 7 would be parsed as a 1, I or T by OCR scanners.

[vtk]

on the second line, after 22G, is that a 7?  if so, that is by far the most divergent from Series C, as well as a lot of other generally used fonts.

I'd be worried that that 7 would be parsed as a 1, I or T by OCR scanners.

Checking my full-resolution original... I think that's a 1, plus some dirt or damage near the top.  There is a very short horizontal stroke there, perhaps extending about a half a stroke width left of the left edge of the vertical stroke. 

[agentsteel53]

Checking my full-resolution original... I think that's a 1, plus some dirt or damage near the top.  There is a very short horizontal stroke there, perhaps extending about a half a stroke width left of the left edge of the vertical stroke.

that makes sense.  it sure does look like an ambiguous glyph with that extra dirt/rust there.  a backwards capital gamma??