INDIANAPOLIS -- The newly designed Indiana license plates are starting to appear on vehicles across the state, but the new look doesn't appear to be winning many fans.

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Plate's Designer has Mixed Views Forum: Tell Us What You Think

Hoosiers were asked to vote for the winning design in 2001, RTV6's Ericka Flye reported.

The winning plate appears to be the model voters asked for, but on the finished product, the background is lighter, the lettering is bigger and the phrase "Back Home Again" was replaced with the state's Web site.

The designer of the plate, Douglas David, said he's pleased his was chosen, but he said it wasn't quite as he envisioned it.

"It's exciting. I was coming back from downtown tonight -- I just smiled, there was one on a car, and I thought, you know, that is pretty neat," David said.

"I think what was disappointing was the fact that the people voted on it, and if the Web site was supposed to be on it, it should have been on it in the contest."

The majority of drivers Flye spoke with were not fond of the new look.

"I can't think of the exact words ... it just need a little more life ... a little brighter ... a little more oomph," one driver said.

"I think there's some unique phrases that represent Indiana, and epitomize what we are as Hoosiers, and www.in.gov certainly is not that," motorist Bruce Ploshay said.

But officials with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles said the Web site address serves a promotional purpose, Flye reported.

"The state of Indiana offers numerous services online. For instance, you can renew your vehicle registration and your drivers license on line now," BMV spokeswoman Michele Swain said.

Motorists aren't the only ones critical of the new plates, Flye reported.

Some police agencies say the old plates were easier to read because of the raised print. The new plates have flat print.

A bar code at the bottom of the new plates are meant to help police track stolen vehicles, but some police agencies said they didn't even know the bar code existed.

BMV officials said the code is part of a tracking system for inventory purposes, Flye reported.