Green Mountain Plates Fading

 
 David Hodges

http://www.mychamplainvalley.com/story/d/story/green-mountain-plates-fading/22248/9E1-geOjSku67qYmDePYyw

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Green Mountain State license plates are unmistakable but many of them are losing their luster.
 

“You can go in any parking lot and find a faded plate. It’s not hard to do,” Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Robert Ide said.

Ide is doing exactly that. He’s been wondering around Montpelier and writing down faded plate numbers then sending new plates to the car owners for free.

“That method is like bailing Lake Champlain with a table spoon,” Ide said.

That’s because there are thousands of faded plates across Vermont. The vendor for the plates says their life span is about eight years but many old plates that start with A,B or C have a defect too.

“You had paint with a little too much thinner in it and you had a roller that wasn't pressing down quite hard enough,” Ide said.

That doesn’t make the job any easier for law enforcement that relies on clear, easy-to-read plates to do their jobs in the toughest of situations.

“If a crime does occur and someone can get a license plate it helps us tie that vehicle and the make, the model the registration,” Vermont State Police Lt. Garry Scott said.

Not to mention it could cost you a $76 fine but Scott says that’s not a priority for police.

JoAnn McCaffrey says she has never been ticketed but her neighbor has commented on how faded her plate is. Of course, it starts with a “B.”

“I’ve had it at least ten years, maybe more,” McCaffrey said.

She says she called the DMV asking for a replacement. She says she was told it would come at a cost. Online it says there’s a $10 fee for a replacement.

“So I decided not to do it,” McCaffrey said.

But McCaffrey may have gotten bad information. The legislature passed a bill in 2011 saying faded plates can be replaced for free.

“Which I’m very grateful for,” Ide said.

Ide says expecting every driver to replace their plate won't happen. So he's crunching the numbers to see if a statewide plate re-issuing is doable.

“You're talking millions of dollars,” Ide said.

Ide says he would not pass that on to drivers through fees. As we've reported that was the plan in New York but it was eventually dropped.

Even if the DMV does budget for re-issuing plates it's still a cost that the taxpayer picks up.