[Ram]

That is why, number plates in the USA are manufactured only for the RTO (in the US they call it DMV (Directorate of Motor Vehicles)).

Standardized
The license plates are always of the same size, with mounting holes of the same size and oblong shape in the same places, as the threaded holes in the car.
And they are reflectorized to standardized specs (viewing angle and reflectivity). The numbers are stamped in the relatively corrosion-proof aluminium plates.

The plates (one front and one rear) are issued by the state government to the registrant, to identify an officially registered vehicle.

Only the state government may colour, issue and number the plates.

The registration plate remains permanently the property of the state government.

License registration plates have been reflectorized in the USA since 1941.

Since 1957, the standard dimensions of 6" x 12" (152.4 mm x 304.8 mm) were selected.

How they're made
Registration plates are made of aluminium sheet that is coated with a coloured reflective plastic film.

The letters are raised by stamping the metal, then the letters are burnished with security ink.

The process starts with a plane polished aluminium sheet and a special plastic pre-printed film.

The film contains the name of the state of the USA who will issue the plate.
The film-sheet also has a multicolored decoration, which is difficult for a forger to reproduce.

The same care is taken while printing the film as if it was a state issued currency note, such as a Rs. 500/- note which is printed on security press paper.

The plastic film is heat-fixed to the aluminium blank.
Then the film-covered blank is stamped to create the raised lettering, and the letters are colored with a special security ink.

This ink lets the reflective material shine through completely and uniformly. This process is called reflectorizing the plate.

As the ink is not as durable as the film, the plates are given a clear, protective coating.

You will say, the license plates are not cheap to manufacture. You're right!
The new car and used car buyer pays a hefty registration fee to cover this.

The future
The license plate of the future will contain a "smart" embedded computer.
It will electronically tell the complete history of the vehicle, owner, permitted drivers, details of taxes paid, etc.

* * *

[OT: My 1979 Pontiac Catalina Safari station wagon had NEW YORK license plates that said "BAJIRAO".
The state collected a premium fee from me for permission to use a custom number.
The actual number associated with the car's VIN (vehicle identification number) data, was KYB-676.
The New York DMV computer had aliased "BAJIRAO" to map to "KYB-676".

New York State followed a "plate-to-owner" policy. When I sold the Pontiac, I had to remove my plates from the car.
The new buyer had to register my Pontiac's VIN with either brand new plates issued to him, or to his old car's plates, so that the national computer database would know of it.

When I returned home to our motherland, I got DMV permission to keep my "BAJIRAO" plates. Still have these plates at home in Bombay].

Not a real photo of my plate. Used a computer tool to illustrate

Ram

[Nitin]

I used to stay close to the Neelasandra market,and there have been many times when acquaintences have come across such activities going on there. Another popular thing that used to happen there,was the fabrication of metal drums to carry kerosene,but with an altered floor so that it would actually hold lesser than specified capacity.

[s0uljah]

Originally Posted by gopz

Another one...

This bus was being driven very rashly, so I called up the helpline number on the sticker behind the bus

Does the Mazda have stickering that reads "Wish J.BL" or is it just me

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Last year I had gone to the local police station for some work here in Moradabad & there I saw two identical Eicher trucks in identical colour parked with the same registeration Turns out a local transporter had thought of this novel scheme to save on registeration & tax & was running both the trucks from one set of papers.

Also, I've been monitoring a pair of Innova's for a while now (again in Moradabad) which are running on the same registeration but are different in colour. Need to confirm this once more before I do anything about it.

Originally Posted by w 12

IIRC, the buses belonged to National Travels, Bangalore , which is owned by the current MLA of Chamarajpet and former minister , belonging to JD ( S ). Bangaloeans will be familiar with the name. :(

Yeah, i can confirm this happened way back in 2002. National travels had 2 buses with identical number plates which the RTO did not like when the same was happening with every other small time operators.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by s0uljah

Does the Mazda have stickering that reads "Wish J.BL" or is it just me

[/right]

JCBL wish
JCBL

[s0uljah]

Originally Posted by 1100D

JCBL wish
JCBL

Ok, time to visit the optometrist

[maranellored]

Originally Posted by im_srini

Read a news report on this once, apparently this practice is common among the private bus operators who offer charter services to the IT, ITES, & manufacturing firms here in Chennai. The operators have to pay a tax of something like three thousand bucks, for every seat, every 3 months, & this is for every vehicle they run ! So, they run multiple buses with the same registration number to cut down on their costs !

guess thats the reason i see 4 of my college buses with the same number, though never at the same time.

it did surprise me that, every time a different bus picks me up, it always has the same registration number

isnt this a blatant violation of the rulebook ??

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by maranellored

isnt this a blatant violation of the rulebook ??

I would rather say, it is time to change the rules. RUles of taxation, that is. 3k per seat per quarter works out to 33 rupees per person per day. If 33 rupees per day is too trifling, consider this - it works out to 516,000 (Rupees five lakh sixteen thousand only). How much do we pay for LIFE time tax for our cars??

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by ram

That is why, number plates in the USA are manufactured only for the RTO (in the US they call it DMV (Directorate of Motor Vehicles)).

There is a live proposal for using security number plates in India. Unfortunately, the selection of the supplier was mired in corruption, and naturally, it was taken to court.
Come to think of it - in Kerala, the govt. decided to provide smart card licenses and registration certificates; and lowest tender in the range fo 125 rupees per card; software extra!!!

[rider60]

dudes here in Hyderabad we had a case against a bus company named Kamineni where this owner had around 3-4 buses with the same registration, ran them as usual ans was caught one fine day!

he did this to avoid all the taxes he owes to the rta as they were second hand buses from other states and ended with hefty fine from the cops and paid the taxes this came as a big news in Deccan Chronicle here in Hyderabad a few years ago!

[jesal]

i know 3 cars same owner same reg. xerox. 2 of them stand mostly next to each other. been like this for 3 yrs now.

[Cyrus43]

@ jesal..please get pictures for us so we can mail it to a a newspaper or alert the authorities

[Outlaw]

Originally Posted by diabloo

Many years back, Times of India Bangalore had reported an incident where 2 buses were running with the same registration numbers on Hosur road . The fact that the those 2 buses were on same road and an alert traffic cop was in charge, this came into light. What if they were running on different roads

I think its Bangalore-Bombay highway, not Hosur Road. I had read the same article.... Was it Hosur Road? hmmmm..!!!

[praJEEP]

We usually get fined if we dont follow the rules, What if the cops them selves dont follow the rules. Yes our bangalore cops are stricly following this rule. See the image below this cop parks his bike in NO PARKING and rest is history.... ( i require 20 more of these mods)

[kbk_75]

Haha! This is a great thread! Keep it going guys...