A public-private partnership created to sell personalized license plates in Texas has returned with new owners after shutting down a year ago.

BACKGROUND: Australian-owned MyPlates, which won the contract to sell the personalized plates in 2007, shut down the program after only three and half months of operations in 2008. The deteriorating economy was cited as the primary reason to cease sales in the first-of-its-kind partnership. The company wanted to cut its losses as it became apparent MyPlates would not make back its initial investment and start-up costs. Nearly 1,300 personalized plates had been sold.

WHAT'S NEW: Thursday was the first day sales of the plates resumed under a new venture. MyPlates officials said more than 350 plates were sold. TxDOT awarded a new contract in August to the two companies that competed against MyPlates' original bid. Pinnacle Technical Resources of Dallas and Etech Inc. of Nacogdoches, Texas, formed a joint venture to operate the plates program.

The companies and the state have decided to keep the MyPlates name because it had been publicized and marketed.

Pricing for the plates has been reduced, with the cheapest option being a $55 plate for one year.

"We've done our best to make this accessible," said spokeswoman Kim Miller Drummond.

Customers can choose background colors for their plates, as well as certain designs or pictures, including a field of bluebonnets (pictured).

To keep down costs, only the 15 most popular designs were brought back, along with a small number of new options.

One new choice is a plate featuring the RE/MAX balloon and is the first corporate license plate in Texas.

For more information, visit myplates.com.

Mark Norris