By Doug Nick / ADOT Communications

You’d probably never guess that ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division helps the homeless get badly needed services. But it’s part of what we do to help all of our customers.

It’s very difficult for many homeless to get to an MVD office, so recently the MVD brought the office to them.

MVD employees spent the day at the downtown Phoenix Human Services campus working with the good folks at Valley of the Sun United Way on “Project Connect,” a program that helps the homeless access services – in this case, valid Arizona state ID cards.

These cards are important. Without valid ID, people can’t get things like AHCCCS health coverage, mental health assessments or Social Security benefits, apply for food stamps or housing programs and receive many other vital services. Project Connect fixes that problem.

MVD’s mission is to get Arizonans out of line and safely on the road. And by assisting with Project Connect, it's helping homeless individuals find the road to recovery and a place of their own.

By Ralene Whitmer / ADOT Motor Vehicle Division

So, that time has come: Your current vehicle is no longer serving your needs, and you want to buy a quality used vehicle. This could be exciting or a major headache. To help avoid the headache, we recommend doing some research before you hand over your hard-earned cash.

Vehicles can have, shall we say, a colorful history. Things such as floods (like the recent floods in Louisiana), wrecks, being stolen, swapped identification numbers, odometer tampering, fraudulent or missing titles and liens can all cause those headaches we’ve mentioned. But you can avoid these headaches by taking some time and researching the vehicle’s history.

Yes, we’ve mentioned research twice now, but don’t be afraid because it may save you money … sometimes a lot of money. Here are some tools to help:

• The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a national vehicle database established to help protect consumers from vehicle related fraud. You can obtain information on the vehicle’s title, history and condition by obtaining a vehicle history report from an NMVTIS-approved provider.​

• An Arizona Lien Motor Vehicle Inquiry is available to check for liens and unrestricted financial obligations on an Arizona titled vehicle.​

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a website that will provide information on vehicle safety ratings and vehicle recalls.

ADOT also has a handy car buying checklist you may use as a guide when you find that perfect new-to-you vehicle.

By Doug Nick / ADOT Communications

Going to the Motor Vehicle Division to take care of paperwork is usually not high someone’s list of things to do. Those of us who work at ADOT know this too, and we’re doing a lot to get you out of line and safely on the road.

What better way to do that than to let people know the chances are good that you don’t need to get in that line in the first place? As we shared this week, 51 percent of the transactions done in our offices can just as easily be done online.

Renewing your registration, obtaining a refund, registering to vote, getting your vehicle record, changing your address information – all of these and a lot more can be done online. Using ServiceArizona.com means you can take care of a lot of business at your convenience.

Arizona’s drivers are our customers, and we are always looking at ways to serve you better.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

What does Arizona Cardinals left tackle and captain Jared Veldheer have in common with the Arizona Department of Transportation? They both believe seat belts save lives.

In a new public service campaign launched by ADOT – Seat belts. For Life. – Jared Veldheer touts the need for proper equipment to play football. “I wouldn’t play football without wearing a helmet and shoulder pads, and I won’t drive my truck without wearing a seat belt. Being safe is being smart.” He ought to know as it is his job to protect the Arizona Cardinal's quarterback for any blind side hits. A seat belt serves the same purpose of protecting occupants in a vehicle.

On Arizona roadways in 2015, there were 258 unrestrained occupant fatalities, which account for 29 percent of the people killed in traffic crashes that year. In the past five years in our state, there have been 1,205 unrestrained occupant fatalities. Lack of seat belt use is annually one of the leading factors in traffic deaths.

Buckling a seat belt is the easiest thing to do when you get in a car. Its sole purpose is to help you survive a crash. Let the seat belt do its job – buckle up.

I want to thank Jared Veldheer for partnering with ADOT on this important safety campaign. You can view the two public service announcements –“Strong Man” and “Safety Gear” – at azdot.gov and on our social media channels – Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

And remember: Buckle up everyone, for every trip.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By Steve Elliott / ADOT Communications

Last week we shared how the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division office in west Phoenix has been turned into a laboratory of sorts to test ways of reducing customer wait times. We'll be sharing many stories from that laboratory in the coming months.

But this important effort on 51st Avenue is just one part of ADOT's commitment to continuous improvement.

For example, we shared today how MVD took a six-hour application process for owners of taxi, livery vehicle and limousine companies and streamlined it to just 10 minutes. That's right: 10 minutes.

Tom Opalka, MVD's commercial driver license, medical review and vehicle for hire program manager, explains it this way:

“We took an outdated, inefficient application process and applied modern technology and methods to it.”

This is the essence of continuous improvement, and it reflects a commitment involving this entire agency, including those of us in ADOT Communications. A fun way to think about this effort, and an example we're using at ADOT, is the video above showing how auto racing pit stops have advanced from 1950 to today. It's two minutes long, but the ending and lesson are well worth the wait.

When we announced last week that the State Transportation Board has approved ADOT's five-year construction program for state highways, we shared two key ways our agency will measure how it's answering Governor Ducey's call for state government to continuously improve its value to Arizonans:

• Bridges: ADOT strives to keep the percentage of highway bridges rated in good or fair condition at 95 percent or more.
• Pavement: ADOT aims to increase interstate highway rated in good condition from 73 percent to 80 percent as measured by smoothness.

These are among the key performance indicators ADOT will use to measure its continuous improvement as an agency. We will tell these stories as well. But there are many, many other indicators – and ways we are working to improve results – across ADOT's various functions.

This is an exciting way of looking at how we do business at ADOT. We look forward to sharing this story with you.

By Angela DeWelles / ADOT Communications

Earlier this month, when we blogged about how ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division is seeking new ways to get Arizonans out of line and safely on the road, we mentioned that MVD is experimenting to see what works and what doesn’t.

We want to tell you more about that today…

Experimenting to improve customer service

Right now, over in the West Phoenix MVD office at 51st Avenue and Indian School Road, a team of ADOT employees is working to reduce customer wait times. The location has become a laboratory of sorts.

The team, which includes staff from the West Phoenix and other MVD offices, MVD leadership and ADOT’s continuous-improvement specialists, holds regular brainstorming sessions in a room that is now covered in a colorful assortment of sticky notes, as you can see in the photo above. The yellow notes are used to list process steps, pink are for problems, blue are for solutions and orange record whether additional data needs to be collected.

Post-it Note Wall

“We are looking at everything from driver licenses to titles and registrations and brainstorming possible solutions to issues with those processes,” said West Phoenix MVD Office Manager Steven Parra, who in addition to his other duties oversees the experimentation. “It’s exciting to be a part of a venture where we get to actually test the ideas we come up with to see if they work.”

Managing the queue

One major changes at the West Phoenix office has to do with the way people are called to a customer service window.

You’re probably familiar with the way MVD offices work: You take a number when you get there and wait for it to be called. At the West Phoenix location, MVD is experimenting with a different way.

At present, no numbers are called (it’s so much quieter than before). After checking in, customers line up along a path through the lobby marked by yellow tape. While one MVD employee walks down the line to make sure customers have what they need to complete their transactions, another directs people to the next available customer service window.

The initial results are promising. We’re seeing that customers are getting in and out in 30-35 minutes on average versus the usual wait average time of more than an hour.

While the change seems to be a good one so far, MVD will continue to closely study the results before rolling it out to other offices.

But wait, there’s more…

In addition to innovations that will come from the West Phoenix office, MVD has already made several changes through its continuous-improvement process. These include printing temporary credentials at the customer service window instead of sending customers to a separate line. Also, a customer retaking the driving test now goes directly to the testing area instead of first waiting in line to re-verify his or her application with a representative.

There are even more changes in the works. Some ideas will work. Some won’t. Both are part of a process that will lead to the final step of continuous improvement: acting, in this case by identifying ways that all MVD offices can reduce customer wait times.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on the progress. Stay tuned for more blog posts about MVD's continuous-improvement effort.

After serving their country, too many veterans face obstacles that can lead to homelessness…

A number of agencies, including ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division, help address the problem by participating in an annual event called the Maricopa County StandDown.

Bringing many services together under one roof, the StandDown allows homeless and at-risk veterans to easily access the resources they need to regain stability. During this year’s StandDown, held Jan. 28-29 in Phoenix, veterans received housing information, legal aid, benefits help, details on Social Security and other assistance. Sleeping areas and shower facilities were available, along with meals, clothing and haircuts.

MVD employees helped veterans obtain driver licenses or state identification cards – vital credentials to have when searching for a job or applying for programs.

An MVD employee takes driver license photos.

“That ID becomes very crucial for veterans to get housing and basic assistance,” MVD Western Region Manager Kyle Ulibarri said. “A license is important, too. It’s another thing that can help them get to a job interview, medical appointments and other services.”

Dozens of MVD employees teamed with ADOT Information Technology staff to bring along 12 full work stations so they could offer driver license applications, renewals, written examinations and even the road skills test. Some worked with county and municipal courts – also StandDown participants – to help clear up motor vehicle record issues that might have prevented someone from getting a license.

MVD employees hand out sandwiches, cupcakes and other treats at the 2016 StandDown.

Besides helping with licenses and IDs, MVD offered food and snacks. MVD employees raised money and reached out to vendors for donations so they could provide more than 1,800 sandwiches, cupcakes and other treats.

Alfonso Sanchez, MVD’s commercial driver license examination coordinator, says participating in the StandDown is very rewarding and a nice way to help those who have served.

“It’s a phenomenal to be able to give back,” Sanchez said. “It’s an incredible feeling to be part of the StandDown.”

Early stats from the 2016 StandDown show that MVD processed 779 transactions on site and assisted 885 veterans. More information can be found on the Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance website. To learn about MVD’s participation in previous years, check out these blog posts.

A new law is soon going to allow spouses and dependents of first responders killed in the line of duty to register a vehicle free of the vehicle license tax.

Developed as a way of expressing gratitude to those who serve and protect our communities, the law goes into effect at the start of 2016. Here’s what you need to know...

These qualifying family members of law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency responders may exempt one vehicle registered in their names from the vehicle license tax and $8 registration fee:

• A spouse for as long as he or she remains unmarried.
• A child of the fallen responder who is under age 18.
• An unmarried full-time student at least 18 years of age and under 23 years of age.
• An unmarried dependent who suffers from a disability that began before age 23 and remains a dependent of the surviving spouse or a guardian.

Those who wish to apply for this exemption can go online to the ADOT website and download the Survivor of Fallen Responder Exemption form. The form must be certified by the employer of the fallen responder stating that the responder did work for the agency and died in the line of duty or died from injuries suffered in the line of duty. The certified form can then be turned in to the Motor Vehicle Division to get the license tax waiver.

Surviving dependents who are full-time students or disabled will be required to show proof of college enrollment or disability.

Those who qualify for this exemption are encouraged to keep the completed form for their records so they may use it for each year they qualify for the vehicle license tax waiver.

Find more details on our website.