Interpretation ID: nht78-2.2

DATE: 12/08/78

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; F. Berndt; NHTSA

TO: AMF Incorporated

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT:

Mr. R. W. Fink AMF Incorporated 3700 W. Juneau Avenue P.O. Box 653 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201

Dear Mr. Fink:

This is in response to your letter of November 7, 1978, concerning the lettering permissible under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 115, and in confirmation of your conversation with Mr. Schwartz of my office.

Paragraph S4.3.1 of the standard provides that the type face utilized for the vehicle identification number shall consist of capital, sans serif characters. Although the "1" in the "posident" type face which you propose to use has a slight serif at the top, the type face would still be considered sans serif. Consequently, there is no bar to utilizing "posident" if you desire.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Levin, Jr. Chief Counsel

November 7, 1978

Mr. Frederic Schwartz, Jr. Office of Chief Counsel National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 400 Seventh Street, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20590

Dear Mr. Schwartz:

On October 19, 1978 a member of my staff, Harvey Medinger, called you to determine if special stamping tools (typefaces) such as the "Posident" were permissible for stamping the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) required by Standard No. 115. Your response was generally favorable; but, you requested a drawing of the Posident typeface. Enclosed is the requested drawing.

Due to the high theft rate of our cycles, we wish to continue using a unique typeface not readily available to the general public.

The Posident characters meet all requirements of Standard No. 115; except, the sans serif requirement. Per Standard No. 115, letters I, O and Q would not be used.

Please review this request and inform us of your decision.

Very truly yours,

R. W. FINK Mgr./Information Systems

RWF/meo

Enclosure