diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b339a6..f895769 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,9 +41,13 @@ trips** into one view for the Fireside Communications / Tracksolid fleet.
   (vehicle / cost centre / city) plus the **first trip** and **last trip** —
   each with its **reverse-geocoded location and timestamp** — alongside the KPI
   totals (trips, km, driving/idle hours, vehicles, drivers, date range).
-- **Fixed chrome (no floating panels).** Filters are a **fixed dock on the right**;
-  in trips view the trips are **cards in a fixed bottom bar** (horizontally
-  scrollable) that mirrors the top bar. Click a card to fit + animate that route.
+- **Fixed chrome (no floating panels).** Filters are a **slim, content-height dock
+  on the right**; in trips view the trips are **cards in a fixed bottom bar**
+  (horizontally scrollable) that mirrors the top bar. Click a card to fit +
+  animate that route.
+- **Plate picker is a searchable combobox** — type to filter, click to add a
+  removable chip (multi-select), instead of a tall scrolling list. Cost centre /
+  city / time stay single-line; date pickers appear only for a custom range.
 
 Live: <https://fleetnow.rahamafresh.com>
 
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index c0467a6..9fd2f7e 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@
     grid-row: 3; min-height: 0;
     display: grid;
     /* minmax(0,…) so the horizontal trip-card scroller can't blow out the track */
-    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 270px;   /* map | fixed filter dock */
-    grid-template-rows: minmax(0, 1fr) auto;        /* map | fixed trips bar    */
+    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 224px;   /* map | slim filter dock */
+    grid-template-rows: minmax(0, 1fr) auto;        /* map | fixed trips bar  */
   }
   #map { grid-column: 1; grid-row: 1; position: relative; min-height: 0; }
   .placeholder {
@@ -138,32 +138,58 @@
     pointer-events: none; z-index: 1;
   }
 
-  /* Fixed right filter dock (full body height) */
+  /* Slim, content-height filter card — docked in the right column (top-aligned,
+     so no dead space below the button), part of the layout (won't drift). */
   .filters {
-    grid-column: 2; grid-row: 1 / span 2;
-    background: var(--panel); border-left: 1px solid var(--border);
-    padding: 16px 16px 18px; overflow-y: auto;
+    grid-column: 2; grid-row: 1 / span 2; align-self: start;
+    margin: 12px 12px 0 0; max-height: calc(100% - 24px); overflow-y: auto;
+    background: var(--panel); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 10px;
+    padding: 13px 13px 14px;
   }
   .filters h3 {
     font-size: 11px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .6px;
-    color: var(--muted); margin: 0 0 14px; font-weight: 600;
+    color: var(--muted); margin: 0 0 12px; font-weight: 600;
   }
-  .field { display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: 13px; }
+  .field { display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: 11px; }
   .field label {
-    font-size: 10.5px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .5px;
+    font-size: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .5px;
     color: var(--muted); margin-bottom: 4px;
   }
   select, input[type=date] {
-    padding: 8px 10px; background: var(--bg); color: var(--text);
+    padding: 7px 9px; background: var(--bg); color: var(--text);
     border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 6px; font: 13px system-ui; width: 100%;
   }
   select:focus, input:focus { outline: 2px solid var(--accent); outline-offset: -1px; }
-  select[multiple] { min-height: 120px; max-height: 200px; padding: 5px; }
-  select[multiple] option { padding: 4px 6px; border-radius: 3px; }
-  select[multiple] option:checked { background: var(--accent); color: #1a1009; }
   .hint { font-size: 9.5px; color: var(--muted); margin-top: 3px; line-height: 1.3; }
   .custom { display: none; }
-  .custom.show { display: block; }
+  .custom.show { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 8px; }
+  .custom .field { margin-bottom: 0; }
+  .custom input[type=date] { padding: 6px 6px; font-size: 11.5px; }
+
+  /* Searchable plate combobox + chips (replaces the tall multi-select) */
+  .plate-box { position: relative; }
+  .plate-chips { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 4px; margin-bottom: 5px; }
+  .plate-chips:empty { display: none; }
+  .plate-chip {
+    display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px;
+    background: var(--accent); color: #1a1009; font: 600 11px system-ui;
+    padding: 2px 4px 2px 8px; border-radius: 999px;
+  }
+  .plate-chip button { background: none; border: 0; color: #1a1009; cursor: pointer; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1; padding: 0 2px; opacity: .75; }
+  .plate-chip button:hover { opacity: 1; }
+  .plate-search { width: 100%; padding: 7px 9px; background: var(--bg); color: var(--text); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 6px; font: 13px system-ui; }
+  .plate-search:focus { outline: 2px solid var(--accent); outline-offset: -1px; }
+  .plate-results {
+    display: none; position: absolute; z-index: 20; left: 0; right: 0; top: 100%; margin-top: 3px;
+    max-height: 200px; overflow-y: auto; background: var(--panel-2);
+    border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 8px 22px rgba(0,0,0,.5);
+  }
+  .plate-results.show { display: block; }
+  .plate-opt { padding: 7px 10px; font-size: 12.5px; cursor: pointer; color: var(--text); }
+  .plate-opt:hover, .plate-opt.hi { background: rgba(232,149,74,.18); }
+  .plate-opt.sel { color: var(--accent); }
+  .plate-opt .pd { color: var(--muted); font-size: 11px; }
+  .plate-none { padding: 8px 10px; color: var(--muted); font-size: 11.5px; }
   .btn {
     width: 100%; padding: 10px; margin-top: 6px; background: var(--accent);
     color: #1a1009; border: 0; border-radius: 6px; font: 600 13px system-ui; cursor: pointer;
@@ -367,8 +393,14 @@
     <aside class="filters" id="filters">
       <h3>Filters</h3>
       <div class="field">
-        <label for="f-vehicle">Number plate <span class="hint" style="text-transform:none">— ⌘/Ctrl-click for more</span></label>
-        <select id="f-vehicle" multiple size="6"></select>
+        <label for="plate-search">Number plate</label>
+        <div class="plate-box">
+          <div class="plate-chips" id="plate-chips"></div>
+          <input type="text" id="plate-search" class="plate-search" placeholder="Search plate…" autocomplete="off">
+          <div class="plate-results" id="plate-results"></div>
+        </div>
+        <!-- Source of truth for all filter logic; UI above drives it. -->
+        <select id="f-vehicle" multiple hidden></select>
       </div>
       <div class="field">
         <label for="f-cc">Cost centre</label>
@@ -972,11 +1004,55 @@ function applyVehicleAutoFilter() {
   const metas = selected.map(p => VEHICLE_META.get(p)).filter(Boolean);
   setSelectValue('f-cc', collapse(metas.map(m => m.cost_centre)) ?? '');
   setSelectValue('f-city', collapse(metas.map(m => m.assigned_city)) ?? '');
+  renderPlateChips();
   applyLiveFilters();   // reflect the plate selection on the live map immediately
 }
 function collapse(values) { if (!values.length) return null; const f = values[0]; return values.every(v => v === f) ? f : null; }
 function setSelectValue(id, value) { const el = document.getElementById(id); const opt = Array.from(el.options).find(o => o.value === value); el.value = opt ? value : ''; }
 
+// ── Searchable plate combobox — drives the hidden #f-vehicle multi-select ────
+const _plateSearch = document.getElementById('plate-search');
+const _plateResults = document.getElementById('plate-results');
+const _plateChips = document.getElementById('plate-chips');
+function _plateOpts() { return Array.from(document.getElementById('f-vehicle').options); }
+function _fireVehChange() { document.getElementById('f-vehicle').dispatchEvent(new Event('change')); }
+function renderPlateChips() {
+  _plateChips.innerHTML = '';
+  _plateOpts().filter(o => o.selected).forEach(o => {
+    const chip = document.createElement('span');
+    chip.className = 'plate-chip';
+    chip.innerHTML = `${escapeHtml(o.value)} <button type="button" aria-label="remove">&times;</button>`;
+    chip.querySelector('button').addEventListener('click', () => { o.selected = false; _fireVehChange(); });
+    _plateChips.appendChild(chip);
+  });
+}
+function renderPlateResults(q) {
+  q = (q || '').trim().toLowerCase();
+  const matches = _plateOpts().filter(o => o.value && (!q || o.textContent.toLowerCase().includes(q))).slice(0, 60);
+  _plateResults.innerHTML = '';
+  if (!matches.length) { _plateResults.innerHTML = '<div class="plate-none">No matching plate</div>'; _plateResults.classList.add('show'); return; }
+  matches.forEach(o => {
+    const div = document.createElement('div');
+    div.className = 'plate-opt' + (o.selected ? ' sel' : '');
+    const [plate, driver] = o.textContent.split(' — ');
+    div.innerHTML = driver ? `${escapeHtml(plate)} <span class="pd">— ${escapeHtml(driver)}</span>` : escapeHtml(plate);
+    div.addEventListener('mousedown', e => {   // mousedown: fires before the input's blur
+      e.preventDefault();
+      o.selected = !o.selected;
+      _fireVehChange();
+      _plateSearch.value = '';
+      renderPlateResults('');
+      _plateSearch.focus();
+    });
+    _plateResults.appendChild(div);
+  });
+  _plateResults.classList.add('show');
+}
+_plateSearch.addEventListener('focus', () => renderPlateResults(_plateSearch.value));
+_plateSearch.addEventListener('input', () => renderPlateResults(_plateSearch.value));
+_plateSearch.addEventListener('blur', () => setTimeout(() => _plateResults.classList.remove('show'), 150));
+document.addEventListener('click', e => { if (!e.target.closest('.plate-box')) _plateResults.classList.remove('show'); });
+
 // Scale the live markers with the zoom level so they don't bloat at country
 // zoom or vanish when zoomed in. Linear from z5 → z14.
 function updateVehScale() {