Easing the pain at MVD
Motor Vehicle Department has plans to eliminate waiting

A sign in the entrance of the New Mexico Department of Motor Vehicle office may soon become less prominent. Changes in the way the DMV does business are just around the corner and will make it easier for customers. — © 2009 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff writer

GALLUP — Rick Homans, cabinet secretary of the state of New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue, was in town Monday to inform the manager of the Motor Vehicle Department and the media of new plans for improved technology for the troubled state agency. The plan for the future is called “Your New MVD.”

Homans has a lot of plans including vendors to operate private “agent” offices, express lanes for simple transactions, a substitute clerk program to help with the crush hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., expanded payment options, appointments for driver’s exams and first-time licenses, a rewriting of MVD codes which can sometimes be difficult to understand and a simplification of MVD fees, among other things.

But the most important thing; a new statewide IT system.

“The contract we’re about to sign with NIC for a Web portal platform for customers will promote the use of a Web site to get auto registration and other activities done electronically.”

It will promote the use of the Web site by offering a 5 percent discount for completing MVD services. NIC is based in Olathe, Kan., and operates 21 state portals.

“We want to give customers other options than standing in line,” Homans said and added the new computerized system will consolidate customer records, improve the accuracy of all transactions and help auto dealers in speeding up temporary registration permit capability by completing them electronically.

Cash registers will automatically calculate transactions to eliminate any mistakes made for manual calculation of fees.

“We’re still operating in the 1950s and the 1960s,” Homans said. “Where all this is heading eventually is putting control of the transaction into the hands of the customer. They can still come in and talk to a clerk when it is necessary, but this will reduce the number of people coming into the office and waiting in line. Everything we’re doing comes out of this IBM report completed in 2006.”

Homans anticipates a few problems with getting the new system online and he talked about the new revenue streams for enough money for the operating system. He also said the MVD toll-free line will be updated.

“Will we be up with other states when we get the new system?” MVD Manager Lydia Mazon asked. She described her visit to a Colorado MVD and how advanced their information system was.

“We’ll be one of the leaders when it comes to efficiency,” Homans said and added he hoped to have most online capabilities and a plan to add more by Dec. 31. People will see and fee the change by the end of the year. The new system will come in phases.”

Information: (505)-863-3847.