- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Media Contact
Marshall Hook, Director of Communications
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced today that the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), MassDOT Information Technology, and the Massachusetts State Lottery received the Massachusetts Excellence in Service Award for their work on the MA250 Anniversary Low Number Plate Lottery.
The award recognizes state and local government organizations and employees for outstanding initiatives that improve public service across Massachusetts. It is presented by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) in partnership with Government Technology Magazine at the Massachusetts Digital Government Summit.
The RMV, MassDOT IT and Mass Lottery collaborated on a one-time, low number plate lottery to celebrate the state’s 250th anniversary, which was broadcast online. More than 44,000 residents entered the lottery, giving residents an opportunity to obtain one of 1,000 low-number plates, including numbers 1 through 999 and the historically significant 1776.
Winner selection was conducted using an electronic random-number generator managed by the Mass State Lottery, drawing on the agency’s expertise with the technology, and was broadcast online for the public to watch. Applicants entered for free through the RMV’s Online Service Center. Throughout the broadcast, MassDOT and state leadership and staff shared Massachusetts fun facts tied to license plates, and the full list of winners and alternates was posted online.
Introduced in 2025 as part of the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the red, white and blue plate was designed in house at MassDOT and features “1776” surrounded by 13 stars and the words “250 Years of Independence”. Over 100,000 vehicles in Massachusetts carry the commemorative plate making it the most popular specialty plate in state history.
“Congratulations to Registrar Colleen Ogilvie and the entire RMV team on this well-deserved recognition from the Executive Office of Technology Security and Safety. This award reflects the creativity, dedication and commitment our team brings to improving the customer experience every day. Innovation is about finding better, smarter ways to engage our residents across the state and the RMV continues to demonstrate what is possible when talented public servants embrace new ideas and turn them into meaningful improvements. I am incredibly proud of the team and grateful for their continued commitment towards modernizing services for the public we serve,” said Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng.
“I’m very pleased to see the teams that collaborated on this special event be recognized for their creativity, and hard work and collaboration. This was an incredibly successful program that drew over 44,000 entrants and many online viewers, providing a unique and fun way to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie. “The RMV, MassDOT IT and Mass Lottery worked together seamlessly to deliver a secure, accessible, and exciting event that was well received by the public.”
“This was an innovative partnership that allowed each organization to contribute its expertise toward creating a fair and transparent process for Massachusetts residents,” said Massachusetts State Lottery Executive Director Mark William Bracken. “We were pleased to work with the RMV and MassDOT IT on an initiative that drew extensive public participation while also commemorating an important milestone in the history of Massachusetts and the nation.”
The 2026 Massachusetts Excellence in Technology Awards including the Excellence in Service Award will be presented on September 22 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston as part of the annual Massachusetts Digital Government Summit.
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