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Geocaching license plates for Ontario


dfx

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I just got personalized plates for my birthday earlier this year (the same as my GC ID), so I wouldn't buy them to use them on my vehicle. I suppose MTO won't let you buy them just to put them up on your wall, eh?

 

Because if so, you could certainly put me down as "interested" and "willing to pay the $90" :ph34r:

 

B)

 

I am positive that you don't need to register them to a car. You would only do that if you were going to use them on your car. Otherwise they are just unregistered plates.

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Correct!

 

People who buy plates will be shipped two plates and a piece of paper.

The paper can be taken to the MTO; it is used for transferring the plates onto an existing vehicle.

 

If you choose to frame them and put them on the wall.... that's no problem!

A few people are doing that; they can sit in a drawer until you have a vehicle to put them on.

 

As it stands, we have until March 2012 to get the order in for the first 2012 "plate run"... so spread the word for the next 8 weeks!

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I think you mean that it isn't an option for MTO to put a Groundspeak tracking number on the plate?

If so, how about having Groundspeak reserve xxGCxx in their trackable database for the plates?

 

No.. I mean that Groundspeak has been approached to determine of xxGCxx can be reserved in their database.

They have been unable to offer the <numeral><numeral>GC<numeral><numeral> series thus far.

 

Groundspeak have provided lots of support for the project; they've provided banner space on the site, they have used Facebook to post on our behalf... they are also footing the administration costs to "set the program up" as well as other logistical support.

 

I can't pretend to know how their trackable database/assignment system works, but I do know that it's been discussed -- and it's not been possible thus far.

If this changes, I will be announcing it !! :)

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Now that I know I don't have to have a car at the time the plate is ordered, I'd be interested.

 

Question: will the plate numbers be entered by Groundspeak as a trackables?

 

Just to add to this, if you buy these plates you do not have to be registered owner in the end... order the plates and then wrap them up for a gift. It is whoever first registers the plates to MTO is the official owner.

 

Sadly no matter how fast we go they will not being under the tree for this year.... maybe mothers/fathers day.

 

Or as you wish, frame them and hang them on the wall. MTO doesn't care what you do with them until they are put on a vehicle, then they must be registered.

 

The GC trackaqble would be a great idea if ti could be done but I'm sure that will be another headache all togeather.

 

What the current count?

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As of this evening @ 9pm, 160 people have requested 170 plates.

 

My hope is that we exceed the 200 orders... simply because it helps me get a few extras "just in case" people aren't able to follow through with their original request.

If we get the orders in to the MTO by March 2012, the plates should indeed by ready by August 2012 (we didn't get enough orders in time for the November deadline).

 

The folks I've been dealing with at the MTO have been AMAZING.

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As of this evening @ 9pm, 160 people have requested 170 plates.

 

My hope is that we exceed the 200 orders... simply because it helps me get a few extras "just in case" people aren't able to follow through with their original request.

If we get the orders in to the MTO by March 2012, the plates should indeed by ready by August 2012 (we didn't get enough orders in time for the November deadline).

 

The folks I've been dealing with at the MTO have been AMAZING.

 

woohoo just in time for my next b-day lol

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Just found this thread, but ordered mine the day the email went out. I really wish they were trackable too. The TB idea isn't a bad one :)

 

Mine have been ordered and paid for, Can't wait

I'm going to get a tracking # on there some how.

Might have to take a number off a TB or something

 

Nothing stopping you from bolting a TB tag to your bumper right next to the license plate!

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The order link is at http://www.driventogeocache.ca -- this is a Groundspeak supported initiative and we greatly appreciate their support.

 

Ultimately the goal is to provide you with a shiny new set of Ontario licence plates with the Geocaching.com logo and the “GC” letters.

We will do our best to match people to number preferences as a "value add" ; we are using a first-come-first-served approach... as there are only one set of each number combination available!

In other words... you still “win” even if we aren’t able to get the number combination you were hoping for.

 

We’ve had a few questions regarding whether these plates can be used on trucks and vehicles with existing commercial plates.

 

Well, I’m pleased to be able to confirm that you can use on of these graphic plates on your passenger vehicle in addition to your ambulance, armoured vehicle, cab and chassis, casket wagon, fire fighting vehicle, garbage truck, hearse, pick up, rescue vehicle, stake, tanker, tow truck, tractor unit of a tractor trailer.... or commercial vehicle body designed with a beverage rack, concrete mixer, concrete pumper, glass rack, refrigerator or snow plow!

 

Once the order is submitted and approved by Service Ontario (we are approximately halfway towards our needed milestone of 200 requests and payments) the plates should be manufactured in August of 2012.

 

There's a lot of information at http://www.driventogeocache.ca - it attempts to answer a lot of the questions we're received to date.

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Well, I’m pleased to be able to confirm that you can use on of these graphic plates on your passenger vehicle in addition to your ambulance, armoured vehicle, cab and chassis, casket wagon, fire fighting vehicle, garbage truck, hearse, pick up, rescue vehicle, stake, tanker, tow truck, tractor unit of a tractor trailer.... or commercial vehicle body designed with a beverage rack, concrete mixer, concrete pumper, glass rack, refrigerator or snow plow!

 

Well, I don't see pontoon plane listed here. :mad: I may have to rescind my order!

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A cheapskate alternative, and also for those that don't live in Ontario...

 

I use this picture as my avatar on the local Alberta forums. I'll bet more cachers have seen this picture than have actually seen the car in real life.

 

11989957124c71dd5deecc7.jpg

 

Can you tell by looking that I "shopped" the plate? (GIMP'd actually) I'm sure most cachers that know me just assume that's my real plate.

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Can you tell by looking that I "shopped" the plate? (GIMP'd actually) I'm sure most cachers that know me just assume that's my real plate.

 

At first glace, I would have thought that you GIMP'd the roof off! I can't imagine anyone from Edmonton driving "top-less" :lol:

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We will do our best to match people to number preferences as a "value add" ; we are using a first-come-first-served approach... as there are only one set of each number combination available!

In other words... you still "win" even if we aren't able to get the number combination you were hoping for.

 

 

Just wondering if you have any update for those of us who've purchased a set yet with the number we've been allocated? Just curious and looking forward to the day they're ready :lol:

 

BTW, thanks for all your hard work on this...

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Any chance we can get plates without the "GC" or the numbers , im looking for a personalized plate just with my caching name and the geocaching logo.

 

From the order page:

The initials plates for this project will be in sequence from 01GC01 to 01GC99 and 02GC01 to 02GC99.

Personalized/vanity plates are NOT available though this ordering process.

This initial offering has plates issued from the sequence shown above.

If you would like a personalized/vanity plate, you may wish to wait.

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Any chance we can get plates without the "GC" or the numbers , im looking for a personalized plate just with my caching name and the geocaching logo.

 

From the order page:

The initials plates for this project will be in sequence from 01GC01 to 01GC99 and 02GC01 to 02GC99.

Personalized/vanity plates are NOT available though this ordering process.

This initial offering has plates issued from the sequence shown above.

If you would like a personalized/vanity plate, you may wish to wait.

 

Thanks ace862

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Any chance we can get plates without the "GC" or the numbers , im looking for a personalized plate just with my caching name and the geocaching logo.

 

From the order page:

The initials plates for this project will be in sequence from 01GC01 to 01GC99 and 02GC01 to 02GC99.

Personalized/vanity plates are NOT available though this ordering process.

This initial offering has plates issued from the sequence shown above.

If you would like a personalized/vanity plate, you may wish to wait.

 

Any idea how long the wait will be, for these? (It's what I'm waiting for, too.)

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I have been working directly with COG on this project.

 

The first order of business will be to disregard the "specific number requests" from the folks who requested a plate, but did not actually pay for it.

At that stage, we will start at the top of the list, working through the people who paid first/earliest - we will assign plates based on requests in that order.

 

Then, and only then, will we know which numbers will be assigned to which people -- as stated on the order form, the "number requests" are a value add being offered as a courtesy - the plate purchase is not based on the numbers issued.

Obviously, only one person can receive a particular number combination -- so, as stated, if a request cannot be fulfilled a random plate will still be issued; the plates are being offered for the unique "GC" lettering and the colour logo.

 

Our project is for the plates in series from 01GC01 thru 01GC99 and 02GC01 thru 02GC99 -- one those plates are distributed the project will be a success and all further transactions will be directly between the public/cachers and Service Ontario.

Folks who would like to buy new personalized plates with a graphic, or who wish to pay to add the graphic to their existing personalized licence plates will be able to approach Service Ontario directly to fulfill these requests after August.

Bear in mind... Service Ontario will only let you add graphic to licence plates that have 6 or fewer characters; if you have a 7 or 8 character plate.. there will be no room for a graphic.

 

They can be given as gifts; they can be hung on the wall; they can be put in a drawer and attached to a vehicle at a later date.

Edited by CacheShadow
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Any chance we can get plates without the "GC" or the numbers , im looking for a personalized plate just with my caching name and the geocaching logo.

 

From the order page:

The initials plates for this project will be in sequence from 01GC01 to 01GC99 and 02GC01 to 02GC99.

Personalized/vanity plates are NOT available though this ordering process.

This initial offering has plates issued from the sequence shown above.

If you would like a personalized/vanity plate, you may wish to wait.

 

Any idea how long the wait will be, for these? (It's what I'm waiting for, too.)

 

it is my understanding that if there are not 200 people buying those initial offerings the deal's off

 

maybe i misunderstood? RCA or CacheShadow can chime in

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it is my understanding that if there are not 200 people buying those initial offerings the deal's off

 

That's correct - the project actually accepted 220 preorders before the payment system was enabled.

It seemed logical that at a few folks may have had a change in situation since the project was announced.

That being said, we have a 10% margin of error.

Effectively, the government need their money for 200 plates before they will consider approving our participation in the graphic plate program.

If we get to 175 payments (for example) and things grind to a halt... then the project cannot go ahead and folks will get a refund.

If we get to 197 payments (for example)... I'm sure that we could lean on resources to put the order through; once people SEE the plates on cars they will no doubt sell themselves.

 

This evening we split up the list of email addresses and sent a message to all the people who requested a plate - but had not yet paid.

It took us an hour or so, but hopefully the fact that these messages were directly addressed will ensure they get through most junk mail filters.

COG has been very lucky to have had outstanding support from Groundspeak, several Reviewers and the caching community with this project.

It also has to be said that the staff at Service Ontario have been unbelievably wonderful to deal with, too -- they really helped to demystify the process.

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Hopefully I'm answering Keith's question (read through the rambling -- I think it's in bold/italics!)

 

Once we sell the 200 plates/once the program is approved by Service Ontario, members of the public will be able to purchase:

 

- Graphic issue plates (e.g. Service Ontario will manufacture plates with ever incrementing numbers to sell directly; they'll keep making plates as long as they sell 30 a year - $)

- Adding the graphic to existing personalized plates (Again available from Service Ontario; graphics could only be added to plates with 6 characters or less including spaces; extra $$)

- New personalized plates with a graphic (Also available from Service Ontario; personalized plates would only be able to have a maximum of 6 characters including spaces; extra $$$!)

 

(Obligatory marketing speak follows!)

 

Having a plate in the first two hundred will hopefully gives folks the pleasure of knowing they'll be indentifiable as being part of the group that "made it all happen".

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If we don't send payment (in full!) for the 200 plates to Service Ontario in March of 2012 -- we're essentially not going to get plates -- hence it being limited availability.

We have received monies from people via PayPal; that gives us a small window of opportunity to hit the "Refund" button (which refunds the PayPal fees too) -- we can't hold money for an extended period -- so we can't "wait forever" before pulling the trigger.

 

Folks who are in the first two hundred are given an opportunity to include a "wishlist" of the top three number selections they'd like.

Those will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis - reserving early gives a better chance of people getting "the numbers they want" from the series vs. a random selection.

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If we don't send payment (in full!) for the 200 plates to Service Ontario in March of 2012 -- we're essentially not going to get plates -- hence it being limited availability.

We have received monies from people via PayPal; that gives us a small window of opportunity to hit the "Refund" button (which refunds the PayPal fees too) -- we can't hold money for an extended period -- so we can't "wait forever" before pulling the trigger.

 

Folks who are in the first two hundred are given an opportunity to include a "wishlist" of the top three number selections they'd like.

Those will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis - reserving early gives a better chance of people getting "the numbers they want" from the series vs. a random selection.

 

Ummm is it possible for someone to say 'Hey folks, we are at 190. All we need is 10 more to make it." That may make some people on the fence climb off.

 

Man where is Jerry Lewis when you really need him. :unsure: Come on folks lets do it for RCA777's kids. :grin:

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Ummm is it possible for someone to say 'Hey folks, we are at 190. All we need is 10 more to make it." That may make some people on the fence climb off.

 

Man where is Jerry Lewis when you really need him. :unsure: Come on folks lets do it for RCA777's kids. :grin:

 

Better yet, I'll say what's right "Were at 141! There were well over 200 commitments, come on people lets stand by your commitment and finish this off"

 

We have made it to the collection step because over 200 orders were placed... where did the 60+ missing go? I can see maybe 5% but 30%!

 

Please, if you said you would order plates please step up and pay the man! RCA777 is doing this work for US for free, there is no profit being made here.

 

Don’t make me track down Jerry Lewis when is at Rama in April to do a Geocaching Plate telethon!

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We have updated the http://www.driventogeocache.ca website; it currently shows the remaining number combinations that have not been spoken for.

The plan is to offer folks the choice of remaining plate numbers for a limited time -- ordering early will give greater choice.

 

Of course... the point of the project is the graphic and the unique "GC" lettering... so any of the selections remaining are great ways to dress-up a vehicle!

(A few folks had no number preference, so there are actually more choices of number available than plates to be sold).

 

The plates make great gifts for that hard-to-buy-for-geocacher...!

Thanks again for your ongoing support.

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I'm in for mine, and have my fingers crossed that this will be a GO!!! Come on everyone...let's make this happen by spreading the word on all possible social media sites related to geocaching!!! It's in our best interests to do so!!!

Edited by kenas
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75% there!

 

Yes, the project has sold it's 150th set of plates.

 

The banner ads on Geocaching.com (thanks Groundspeak) and Facebook page have certainly help raise awareness in the past couple of weeks.

 

Thanks to everyone for their ongoing support.

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ANNOUNCEMENT - PROJECT APPROVED

Central Ontario Geocachers have exchanged contracts with Service Ontario.

 

* Service Ontario has confirmed that licence plates are scheduled for manufacture in/around July of 2012.

* The licence plates for this project are confirmed to have the "GC" lettering.

* The Geocaching.com graphic has been approved for use by Groundspeak and Service Ontario on the licence plates.

 

A decision had to be made.... and 150+ people would have been disappointed if we didn't go ahead with the project.

As a result... "We" now have a moderate inventory of licence plates that we are even more motivated to sell!

 

The http://www.driventogeocache.ca site has the up-to-date list of available numbers.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the project.

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That is awesome news!!! You just made my day. I'll keep posting on the KAG forum to see if we can help with the surplus. As well, I imagine with 500+ attending Spring Fling8, I'm sure you'll be able to "persuade" a few more. :anibad:

Thanks again to RCA777 and everyone that has helped make this project a reality!

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I've ordered a set of plates too. I think it's a great project that any Ontario Geocacher would be proud of to use on their car. I bet even some non-Ontario cachers would love to have a set of plates with the GC logo on them. Thanks for creating and your continued effort on this project, RCA.

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Just to keep folks updated.... the project has been a great success.

 

There are only 3 sets of licence plates left (at time of writing) from the production run of 200; Service Ontario have scheduled the production run for July.

Once COG receives the very large box of plates, they will be distributed - folks who bought plates will receive a "touching base" e-mail in the near future.

 

Thanks to all those who supported the project!

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WE DID IT!!! :D

 

SOLD OUT!

 

Yes, all 200 sets of plates are now spoken for!

 

A July manufacture date for all of the plates is still expected from Service Ontario.

 

We will be "checking in" via e-mail with everyone who bought plates, shortly.

 

Until then... a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the project!

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Once Service Ontario produce the plates for our project (scheduled for July), the graphic will be added into the "regular catalogue" and from that point, other plates can be ordered from Service Ontario.

 

There will be several options that will be available directly from Service Ontario:

 

- A new personalized plate (6 characters or less, incl. spaces) can be ordered with a graphic ($$$)

- An existing personalized plate (6 characters or less, incl. spaces) can have a graphic added ($$)

- Incremental/random issue "GC" plates (starting with 03GC03 and continuing from there) will also be available ($)

 

* Breaking News! *

 

While typing this post, a courier arrived and delivered the "approval plate" -- so, below.... is a photo of a REAL sample plate received moments ago!

 

platesz.jpg

 

I now have to sign the back to "Approve" the plate and return it to Service Ontario.

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