The old saying for athletes is, “No pain, no gain.” 

At the Motor Vehicle Division we are all about reducing the pain of an office visit or using our services online. In fact, over the past few years we’ve made a lot of changes that have increased online service options and significantly reduced wait times in our offices. 

That’s the good news. There’s even better news to come, but, there’s a little bit of pain before we get to the better news.

That pain is upon us. Through Tuesday, April 21, MVD will not be able to offer any kind of services throughout Arizona. None at all. Online, offices, through Authorized Third Party providers; nothing. That’s unprecedented and it’s clearly an inconvenience for you. We don’t like that, but the reason is a good one. 

Our computer system is old. Really old. So old that Moses might recognize it. OK, not that old, but some parts are more than 35 years old and they’re just not going to be useful anymore. It’s time for a change, and that brings us to this complete interruption of MVD services.

In order to replace the creaky old system, we need to unplug it and put a state-of-the-art computer system in its place. That takes some time and it has to be done all at once. As soon as it’s installed, MVD employees will work long hours to test it again and again to make sure it’s ready to serve you. 

When everything’s ready to go, office transactions will be more efficient and the real noticeable changes will be online. 

ServiceArizona.com will still be there, but many online services will be directed to your secure, personal AZ MVD Now account. If you’re a current MVD customer, you already have an AZ MVD Now account, you simply need to activate it. You can get there at azmvdnow.gov or through ServiceArizona.com. Setting up the account is easy and free, and it features multi-factor, password protection for your security. 

You will be able to get more than 30 MVD services at AZ MVD Now. Do basic title transfers, apply for a license or ID, manage your mandatory auto insurance status, look up your vehicle title and registration status, figure out when you need to pay certain fees or other costs, put money in your account for future needs, request a refund, and a whole lot more.

We live in a world where people buy groceries, pay bills, do banking and so many other things online. MVD is in the digital world, too, and our presence there will continue to grow. That also means for people who need to visit an office, we’ll be able to serve you more rapidly. It’s a win-win.

But for the next few days, there will be some hassle. Short term pain, for long term gain. We appreciate your patience and look forward to serving all our customers very soon.

ADOT gets a lot of attention for the creative highway messages we put up from time to time. Occasionally, we get to have some fun with them, and that’s usually when we get a little love that proves that people really do read these things. 

Their impact is huge. And that’s why we’re happy to see some very timely information being added to some of these signs. 

For much of April, you may see a message urging you to use ServiceArizona.com for your MVD needs. While that’s always a good idea since more than two-thirds of MVD services are found there anyway, it’s especially important now. The current public health situation means that while MVD offices are open, we’re limiting the available services to just those that absolutely need to be done in person, and we require an appointment, too. It’s all about social distancing and keeping everyone as safe as possible. 

We’re helped by a couple of factors. The state has granted an automatic six month extension for driver licenses that were set to expire between March 1 and Sept. 1. Those office visits can be delayed. Also, the REAL ID deadline, which was Oct. 1, 2020, has been pushed back a full year. Getting your AZ Travel ID is still important, but it can wait.

That means very few things really need to be done in person. If you’re unsure, you can call our statewide customer service number at 602.712.2700 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and a customer service representative will help you. Chances are, you can get things done online.

And if you’re rolling down the highway, look for a message board with a friendly “SOCIAL DISTANCE USE MVD ONLINE AT SERVICE ARIZONA” reminder. And tell a friend.

Did you know that MVD employees live in the real world? Believe it or not, it’s true. We have to register our vehicles, renew our license, take care of title work and all those other things you can get done at MVD.

We know the pros and cons of an MVD visit, and we’d like to think (because data show it) that over the past few years, the customer experience has gotten a lot more efficient and quicker.

Obviously, for the time being things are a bit challenging. And that’s why we’ve had to make some changes on the fly, so to speak. Because of our new favorite term, “social distancing,” we’re limiting MVD office visits to only those essential services that have to be done in an office, and everything is by appointment. The number of services that require you to come by an office is actually pretty small. Of those, two biggies, renewing a license or getting an AZ Travel ID, can actually wait a while.

Getting an AZ Travel ID matters, but it can wait a bit. That’s because the federal government has extended the deadline from October of this year to Oct. 1, 2021. That extra time means that you should put it off until we’re past this public health situation. Also, for anyone whose driver license is set to expire between March 1 and Sept. 1, it’s automatically been extended by six months. It’s already a part of your motor vehicle record, but if you really want a physical license with the new date you can order one online at ServiceArizona.com.

That brings us to our call to action for all of you. Since very few services really need to be done at an office, please try ServiceArizona.com first. Once you’re there, you’ll see an application called AZ MVD Now. This is a secure, personal account that every current MVD customer already has. All you need to do is activate it. Right now, it provides basic title services, a chance to look at your vehicle registration history, take the learner’s permit test online and a few other things. In about a month, a lot more will become available at AZ MVD Now.

We’ve developed a short video explaining AZ MVD Now. It really would be worth your time to take a look and get a better idea of how MVD is working tirelessly to get Arizona out of line and safely one the road. Expanding our online presence is a huge part of how we’re doing that.

We here at the ol' ADOT ranch love the men and women who ply the roadways in commercial vehicles. 

Whether it's driving a big rig all over the fruited plain or delivering doughnuts to the local gas station, commercial drivers are, in many ways, the lifeblood of our economy. (Kinda like doughnuts are the lifeblood of many of the hired hands here at the ranch).

But we digress ...

Because of our respect for these hardworking folks, we're proud to let the world know that getting Commercial Driver License (CDL) services at the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division has become a lot easier. 

Time was, CDL services were only available at select locations throughout the state. We knew it wasn't the best way to do things, so we made a bold decision, and, well, improved the situation. 

That's not a novel idea at the MVD. We're on a mission to continuously improve and implement the principles of the Arizona Management System, which is designed to empower all state employees to make changes for the better. 

In the CDL world, this means most CDL services are now offered at all full-time MVD locations statewide and anyone who needs to get a CDL or most other commercial driver service doesn’t have to go to a special CDL office anymore. The only exception is commercial driver road tests, which are available at many, but not all, MVD locations.

You can learn more in this media release we put on our site.

And if there are any doughnut delivery drivers out there ... you know how to find us.

Many of us probably don’t think twice when asked to show a form of identification. Our identification can be in the form of a driver’s license, student ID card, military ID, or passport. Imagine you are a veteran who is experiencing homelessness and not having any identification at all. What does a veteran do?

For many years, the Arizona Housing Coalition’s Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance has sponsored an event called Maricopa County StandDown Day. The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has been a partner at this event as long as I can remember. It is held at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, to help veterans with such government services as identifications, housing assistance, medical services and the list goes on.

MVD employees are there to help with driver licenses, identification cards, and title and registration services. Our driver's license transactions include written tests and vision screenings along with road tests. We set up temporary computer workstations so all the transactions are recorded in our system.

This year, MVD employees assisted 769 veterans experiencing homelessness. They processed 671 transactions, administered 21 written tests, and conducted 13 road tests.  We now have veterans who have some type of identification card and can gain access to services they need.

I am very proud of our partnership with the annual StandDown Day and wish to thank our MVD employees who help our veterans who are in need. Helping our veterans gain identification is a service we are proud to offer and a small gesture of our appreciation for their service to our country.  

ADOT employees assisted more than 760 veterans experiencing homelessness last week at the annual Maricopa County StandDown at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

Nineteen Motor Vehicle Division customer service representatives, who worked at temporary computer workstations, provided driver license, identification card, title and registration services for the event, held Jan. 23-24. Driver license transactions included written tests and vision screening with road tests in a vehicle provided by Courtesy Chevrolet, said MVD West Region Manager Kyle Ulibarri.

“Providing MVD services at StandDown allows veterans to get their driving privileges or identification cards issued in one spot. By having their driver license or ID, they can apply for other services to help get back on their feet,” he said. 

Ulibarri said it’s rewarding to help veterans to get back on the road, obtain a job or get government benefits.

“MVD employees get to see firsthand how powerful a driver license is for a person and how much it impacts their day-to-day living situations. It provides a great sense of pride in the work that they are doing to know they can potentially impact one veteran and help get their life back on a positive path.”

Information Technology PC Tech Tabion Johnson said he volunteers to honor veterans.

"I want to give back to those people who stood up for us," he said.

The ADOT team was located next to the temporary court facilities, making it easier to resolve problems in hours that might have taken weeks under typical circumstances. The Maricopa County StandDown, coordinated by the Arizona Housing Coalition’s Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance, each year brings together organizations to help veterans under one roof, including government services, housing assistance, medical services, education services, haircuts and pet care.