By Mike Finney

DOVER — The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles is flying high since learning that its new “Support Pollinators” license plate won the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association’s Best Plate Award for 2021.

DMV officials recently gathered with ALPCA president Cyndi McCabe at St. Jones Reserve to celebrate the award-winning plate, which includes a combination of vibrant colors, native plants, birds, bees and butterflies.

“At DMV, we strive to provide a first-class experience for everyone, whether in person, on the phone or online,” Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski said.

“Our specialty plates give our customers the ability to financially support an organization and an avenue to proudly display their support.

“For us, they are more than just aluminum collections of numbers you affix a sticker (on) every couple of years. They symbolize causes near and dear to our customers. It’s a service we are proud to provide.”

By purchasing the Support Pollinators tag for a one-time fee of $50, either online or at any DMV location, drivers can support the maintenance of pollinator habitats throughout Delaware, as 70% of the fee goes to the Department of Transportation’s Environmental Stewardship Section for such efforts.

The plate took about two years to sprout, with many collaborating on it.

“The Support Pollinators plate bloomed from a collaboration between DelDOT’s Environmental Studies office, Sen. Stephanie Hansen, former Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan and the Delaware Native Species Commission,” said Jana Simpler, director of DMV. “The process took about two years, and we were beyond thrilled with the final design. It’s really a stunning plate. We are so grateful to be recognized by ALPCA.”

Sen. Hansen, D-Middletown, said she knows the importance of pollinators: They might be small, but they pack a big punch.

“So much of the food we eat every day depends on the tiniest animals, whose incredible work many of us take for granted, and one of the best ways we can protect the fragile ecosystems of these often highly specialized creatures is by making sure we are all aware of their importance,” she said.

“That’s why I worked with Rep. Debra Heffernan, Sen. Dave Sokola and the Delaware DMV last year to create a special Delaware license plate for people who want to support pollinator habitat creation and conservation. While we didn’t set out to win any awards, we all know how serious Delaware takes its license plates, and I’m so excited this beautiful design is getting the attention it deserves.”

ALPCA members worldwide nominate the best new plates and then vote based on two criteria: the overall attractiveness of the design and its legibility as a tool for public safety and law enforcement.

Since 1954, ALPCA has promoted license tag collecting and research, as well as the exchange of information and plates. With more than 2,800 members from 50 states and 19 countries, it is the largest such hobbyist organization in the world.

DMV community relations officer Susan Lee crafted the initial design, and Susan Detwiler, an author and illustrator from Baltimore, transformed the concept into the colorful work of art.

So far, 531 have been reserved since the plate’s June 2021 release.

To purchase any of DMV’s specialty plates, visit here.

Further, in addition to the division’s annual five-digit black-and-white tag giveaway at the Delaware State Fair next month, it will be giving away a Support Pollinators plate.

This is Delaware’s second time winning an ALPCA award for best license plate. Back in 2008, the organization declared the state’s limited-edition centennial license plate the best in the country.

DMV has 135 specialty plates representing a variety of organizations and causes. Out of the 1,141,367 vehicles registered in the state, 39,044 sport a specialty tag.

For ALPCA, the Support Pollinators plate just stood out from the competition.

“Many of the members commented about the combination of attractiveness and how the plate number did not interfere with the design like it does with most colorful plates,” said Gus Oliver, ALPCA’s Best Plate Award coordinator. “I knew it had an excellent chance of winning the moment I first saw it.”