PHOENIX – To protect crews working on an Arizona Department of Transportation project along US 60 near Superior, westbound commercial trucks will be required to stop for brake checks in the Oak Flat area beginning Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Trucks with ineffective brakes coming down the grade into Superior can pose a safety threat to workers along the road.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety will operate the mandatory brake check pullout, near US 60 milepost 231 east of Superior, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Message boards will alert commercial truck drivers approaching the area that the brake check is mandatory during those times.

The checks are expected to continue until ADOT crews complete their work in the Superior area next summer.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

PHOENIX – Motor vehicles are sold in Arizona primarily through dealers licensed by the state, by private parties and unfortunately illegally by unlicensed dealers. The Arizona Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General investigates the illegal sale of vehicles and has conducted more than 250 investigations this year into the fraudulent activities. Approximately 15 percent of those cases involved investigations into vehicles sold by unlicensed dealers.

Vehicle purchases from unlicensed dealers don’t have the same protections of state law should problems occur with the sale. Problems may range from the seller not providing the vehicle title, the vehicle has a rolled-back odometer, or the seller is not the owner or not legally able to sell the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle may be recorded as stolen or possess a fictitious vehicle identification number – both situations which will prevent the buyer from transferring ownership into their name. Also, the vehicle may be in need of expensive repair work not disclosed at the time of sale.

An unlicensed dealer is someone who ADOT has reasonable cause to believe is engaged in the business of selling motor vehicles without being licensed as required by state statute. According to Arizona law, an individual may sell only up to six vehicles in a continuous 12-month time period without a dealer’s license.

A licensed new, used or public consignment auction motor vehicle dealer is authorized by Arizona law to buy, sell or auction motor vehicles as its regular business. There are some protections by law for buyers who purchase vehicles sold by licensed dealers. Individuals can check the Dealer Licensing Services section of our website to learn if a business or individual is a licensed dealer.

The ADOT Office of the Inspector General recently completed some major investigations involving unlicensed dealers. Those cases have been sent forward to the ADOT Executive Hearing Office requesting enforcement action and civil penalties against the unlicensed dealers. The cases involved approximately two months of investigation which uncovered 23 motor vehicles that were illegally sold. The suspects in these cases were assessed administrative civil penalties by the ADOT Executive Hearing Office in the amount of $12,000. According to state statute, a civil penalty of at least $1,000 but not more than $3,000 may be imposed per violation and the violator shall be required to pay all transaction privilege taxes on all illegal motor vehicle sales.

Detectives with the ADOT Office of the Inspector General conduct criminal and administrative investigations relating to criminal forgery; identity theft; fraudulent activities involving state-issued motor vehicle title/registration documents and driver licenses; stolen vehicles; and transactions conducted by licensed and unlicensed car dealers. Additionally, detectives provide a multitude of investigative support services to law enforcement agencies statewide, nationally and internationally.

The ADOT Executive Hearing Office is a branch of the ADOT Office of the Director, and conducts independent administrative hearings regarding activities outlined in the Arizona Administrative Code Title 17 and the Arizona Revised Statutes. One of those functions is to rule on civil actions against alleged unlicensed vehicle sales.

PHOENIX – Need a road exam for a driver license, but find the test time slots are filled up for the day? Or, did you fail your road test and now need to return? No problem, says the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division.

On June 8, the MVD launched a new program that allows those who fail a road test, or walk into an MVD office but find that the time slots for road tests are filled for the day, to schedule a road test for another day.

Appointments may only be scheduled on-site at an MVD office after all relevant requirements have been met. These include a completed application, fee payment and passing the written test, if applicable.

“This new process will help expedite follow-up visits for those returning to take road tests,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “At the MVD, we’re continually looking for ways to improve customer service. This is another way we’re doing just that.”

If a person applying for a driver license comes into an office to take a road exam, they will be informed at the information desk if time slots for exams are filled for the day. If this is the case, the customer service representative will work with the customer to complete the application and payment steps, and then schedule an appointment for the next available day and time.

If an applicant failed the road test, they will also be able to schedule an appointment to retake the test. That appointment will be set for at least seven days from the date of the failed exam per MVD policy.

Customers who schedule an appointment will be given a confirmation notice with the scheduled date and time to bring with them when they return. The notice will have instructions on how to cancel or reschedule the appointment if needed.

Alternatively, customers may choose to apply for a driver license at one of the 16 Authorized Third Party businesses statewide that offer those services.

For locations of MVD offices and Authorized Third Party businesses, check out the new interactive map at azdot.gov/mvd.