New MVD offices cost nothing to build because they’re totally digital

PHOENIX – Opening a new customer service location usually means cutting a ribbon at the door, but that can’t happen at the newest Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offices because they’re located entirely in cyberspace.

An analysis of MVD customer traffic for the 2017 fiscal year shows that the upsurge in online usage at ServiceArizona.com and its associated kiosks is essentially the same amount of traffic experienced at two large urban “brick and mortar” MVD offices.

In fiscal 2017, ServiceArizona.com and kiosk traffic accounted for a combined 7.9 million customer transactions such as vehicle registration renewal, ordering a specialty license plate, updating insurance information and many other functions. That’s an increase of about 286,000 online transactions compared to the previous fiscal year, which is approximately how many transactions two typical physical locations in Phoenix or Tucson will handle.

“MVD is serving more people every year, and adding online options means we get more people out of line and safely on the road,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “In the most recent fiscal year, our online growth was so great that we basically created the equivalent of two new MVD offices. That means customers in every part of Arizona get high-quality service at their convenience and on their schedule, and we are using taxpayer dollars more efficiently.”

Under the Arizona Management System championed by Governor Doug Ducey, MVD has taken a leading role in implementing new strategies designed to improve customer service. Among those introduced within the last year include providing online appointments for road tests, installing a function to update crucial auto insurance information and allowing veterans’ specialty plates to be ordered online.

The online innovations combined with more efficient operational strategies at physical locations have helped lower the average customer time spent in an urban office to approximately 25 minutes compared to nearly an hour in mid-2016.

For more information: azdot.gov/mvd.