06/11/2024
Anyone who's spent a summer in Phoenix knows what the scorching desert sun can do to materials like plastic.
Here's a case in point: a plastic disability placard that has disintegrated after a period of time in triple digit heat. To make a tougher placard and reduce the amount of waste, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has started printing them on more durable material.
Both the temporary and permanent disability parking placards are now using a durable synthetic poly material called Revlar. Testing was conducted for two years prior to roll out and results showed that Revlar is resistant to UV damage caused by extended exposure to the heat and sun. This ensures the placards will not fade, curl or become brittle like the previously pre-printed PVC placards.
While the revised design of the placards may look very similar, revisions to the layout and strategic placement of the variable customer data are helping display the placards to better assist law enforcement in identifying the placards more easily.
Production and distribution for the placards have also undergone a change with the preprinted placards no longer being distributed to each office location. Instead, they are now produced and mailed directly to the customer on demand. This eliminates time and excessive inventory required to stock offices. The daily batch of placards are printed, inserted and ready for mailing in about an hour. Customers are typically receiving their placards in three to six days from their request date.
For more information about the disability parking placards, please visit the ADOT website.
