Special License Plate

"Share the Road" Auto License Plate

Goal: To sell 1000 plates each calendar year

Why this goal? Because the State of Ohio will cease issuing the license plates unless 1,000 are sold each calendar year, January 1 through December 31. Thus, to insure future availablity, we have set this annual goal. Remember that the funds generated by the sale of plates are used for publication of the valuable bicycling safety pamphlet, Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts. So it's important for all of us to buy or renew the special plates, and encourage others to do likewise.

For the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 we sold 919, 1,546, 1,805, 2,092, 2,137, and 1,997 license plates, respectively, for a total of 10,496 plates in all. This has brought in $52,480 for the publication of Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts, at $5 per plate

How to obtain your license plates

You may obtain your plates in one of three ways:

Visit you local Deputy Registrar office.
Dial 1-800-589-8247
Go to the BMV Web site at oplates.com If you choose this option, follow these steps:

Select "SPECIAL PLATES" in the left column
Select vehicle type
Highlight "SHARE THE ROAD" under "SPECIALTY PLATES"
Click on "VIEW THIS PLATE"
Select whether you want to specify the letters and numbers on the plate or whether you want a stock plate.

Please email Chuck Smith if your local Deputy Registrar is not aware of our new Share the Road license plate, or if you run into any problems which Bureau of Motor Vehicle officials are unable to help you with. The Deputy Registrars should have received information on our new plate weeks ago.

Ohio Governor Bob Taft holds a proposed license plate during OBF's first Bicycling Awareness Day in the Statehouse Atrium. On the left is OBF Chair Chuck Smith and to the right is license plate designer Casey Smith.

On Wednesday, December 22, 2004 Governor Bob Taft signed our Share the Road license plate into law as part of House Bill 406. This law culminates five years of efforts by your OBF to create an auto license plate which will publicize the importance of motorists sharing Ohio's roads with bicyclists. Proceeds from the plates will go to the Ohio Department of Public Safety to ensure the continued publication of Ohio Cycling Street Smarts.

Woody Ensor (above) and Chuck Smith testifying before the Ohio House Transportation Committee on January 28, 2004 to support our Share the Road license plate bill.

History

OBF's House Bill 176 was introduced March 21, 2001.
After OBF officers testified to support the "Share the Road" license plate bill, it passed the Ohio House Transportation and Public Safety Committee unanimously, with one committee member joining the OBF!
The Bill passed the Ohio House by a phenomenal 97-0 margin on Tuesday, October 16, 2001 (two Representatives did not vote).
The bill was introduced into the Senate on Wednesday, October 17, 2001, where it was referred to the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee. The bill subsequently died due to the opposition of the Senate President, who wanted to restrict special license plates.
The new House Bill 245 was introduced on July 10, 2003 and is now in the House Transportation and Public Safety Committee.
The Ohio House Transportation and Public Safety Committee voted unanimously on January 28, 2004, to approve our "Share the Road" auto license plate bill. License plate sales will ensure the republication and distribution of Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts, a primer on cycling in traffic by LAB Board Member John Allen. The vote followed testimony by OBF Chair Chuck Smith and Vice Chair Woody Ensor. Now, HB 245 goes to the full House for a vote, before moving on to the Senate.
Our sponsor, Representative Arlene Setzer of Vandalia, arranged for the words from our bill to be added to HB 406, a bill which would prohibit Ohio motorists from using electronic devices to control traffic signals. HB 406 passed the Senate on December 8. The House agreed to the Senate changes (including our "Share the Road" plate) earlier this week.
On Wednesday December 15, 2004, HB 406 was signed by Ohio Speaker of the House Larry Householder, and on Thursday by Ohio Senate President Doug White. Now it is awaiting pick up by Governor Bob Taft's staff.

Final Design

Bill Trentel's "Departing Bicyclist" license plate art was approved by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for the "Share the Road" license plate, with our web site URL added under the bicyclist. The BMV official said we will be the first organization with our web site URL on our license plate! (The plate still depends on passage of our bill early next year).