Date: 04/01/2015
Final
Presentation from the Division of Motor Vehicles
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY
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01:35 PM
The committee was called to order. A quorum was present.
01:36 PM -- Presentation from the Division of Motor Vehicles
Heather Copp, Deputy Executive Director, and Mike Dixon, Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), came to the table to present to the committee on the activities of the Department of Revenue's (DOR) DMV. A copy of the presentation was distributed to the committee (Attachment A). Mr. Dixon discussed the DMV's vision and mission, which he said currently focuses on reducing customer wait times, customer service, identity security, and public safety. He detailed the DMV's goals and objectives through 2018 and discussed its measures of success. Mr. Dixon said that the division held 37 vacancies in 2014, which proved to be a challenge for the department, but that these vacancies were filled by February 2015.
150401 AttachA.pdf
Mr. Dixon further explained the strategic successes and plans of the DMV through 2018, discussing lean continuous process improvements, the standardization of driver license (DL) offices, implementing the acceptance of credit cards in all offices, the Wait Less project expansion, automated testing for DL customers, and the implementation of the DOR's Driver License, Record, Identification, and Vehicle Enterprise Solution (DRIVES) project.
01:51 PM
Mr. Dixon discussed the staffing increases the DMV had made in 2014. He responded to questions on how much funding the DOR had received in FY 2014-15 for its various projects, the salary ranges of recently hired positions, the training process for new hires, and the provision of DL services on Saturday mornings by some county DMV offices.
02:02 PM
Mr. Dixon discussed the operations and management of the 34 state and 20 county DL offices, the training status of new DMV hires, DL customer feedback, employee satisfaction, and two new offices that the DMV had opened to support the needs of the Department of Corrections. He responded to questions on the provision of DL offices that will support individuals who cannot prove lawful presence, and the increase in customer volume the DMV had experienced in recent years.
02:12 PM
Mr. Dixon described the Wait Less system that the DOR has deployed in 15 state DL offices and DOR's plans to expand it to 16 additional offices. He responded to questions on how the Wait Less system tracks the length of time customers wait, and what DOR does with information it collects on extensive customer wait times at some DL offices. Ms. Copp addressed the standard operating procedure of DL offices for handling customers who are waiting to be served by the close of business. Committee discussion ensued.
Mr. Dixon and Ms. Copp responded to questions from the committee on whether DOR has an intervention team dedicated to reviewing customer wait times at problem offices, the new Wait Less system that is being installed in state DL offices, if all state offices have customer tracking systems, how the DMV is tracking wait times in offices that do not have tracking systems, and how the DMV plans to solve problems it has experienced in some offices.
02:30 PM
Mr. Dixon discussed the wait time improvements it had achieved in 2014 and the factors that had impacted wait times. He said that DMV management needs to do a better job in the oversight process, that it can improve customer outreach and encourage online renewals, and that it must hold office managers accountable to results. He discussed current DL fees and the authority given under Senate Bill 14-19 that allows the department to raise fees, and provided an overview of licensing services cash fund revenue and DMV appropriations history.
Mr. Dixon summarized the focal points of the DMV going forward. Committee discussion of DMV funding, spending, and customer service improvements ensued. Mr. Dixon and Ms. Copp responded to questions on DRIVES system implementation.
02:48 PM
The committee adjourned.