(WETHERSFIELD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is now accepting appointments for learner’s permit tests in the Old Saybrook office as part of the department’s major computer upgrade so that businesses and customers can do more transactions online without coming into a DMV office. Old Saybrook now joins Waterbury, Danbury, Bridgeport, Cheshire, Norwalk, Wethersfield, Hamden and Willimantic in offering learner’s permit testing by appointment.

This test-by-appointment system is part of a new and growing service DMV  started in 2012 to help customers avoid waiting in line. It captures DMV’s efforts to better integrate technology that produces taxpayer savings and makes government more responsive. The first available appointments start May 13.

“From the start, our goal has been to make it easier to do business with state agencies by streamlining government and making it more accessible to residents,” said Governor Malloy. “In particular, the current operating environment at DMV is 30 to 40 years old and does not provide the flexibility for on-going state and federal changes that will be required in the future. Through DMV’s Modernization Program, we are upgrading various pieces of antiquated technology and systems used throughout the agency in a manner that facilitates efficiency and practicality. Based on the feedback we have received from DMV customers thus far, we are making significant progress toward that goal.”

The modernization program is bringing a number of different enhancements to DMV and the most popular so far has been scheduling online a learner’s permit test. Other efficiency changes by offering online services include certain registration renewal, checks on status of licenses and registrations, and look ups for vanity plate combinations. However, test-by-appointment is the most popular. More than 90 percent of customers who have visited the eight offices so far offering the service said they would recommend it to others. Old Saybrook has become the ninth office taking appointments for teen and adult learners’ permits.

“We are making strong strides in this effort to turn around an old system that posed many inconveniences to customers. Customer convenience is at the heart of the reasons we are doing this upgrade and these all are necessary changes that we simply cannot afford not to make,” said DMV Commissioner Melody A. Currey.  “These are also complex changes to be made and while some deadlines came and went, we have held steady on a path to success and the positive results are happening. We also need to remember that technology has changed significantly in the last three decades and that has prevented us from making the service improvements until now that we feel are needed for our customers.”

The modernization of DMV’s computers has also paved the way for several other changes and more are expected by the end of 2014. In place already, for example:

·         Learner’s permit testing by appointment;

·         Leasing companies and car dealerships now have real-time connections to DMV computer; networks for registrations of customers purchasing vehicles;

·         Checking driver’s license status;

·         Check Wait Times online for DMV Offices;

·         Fill out vehicle registration form online;

·         Car dealers can now renew their business licenses online;

·         Cancel lost or stolen license plates;

·         Online registration renewal for certain registrations for those owners who don’t owe property taxes, have late emissions tests due and other kinds of issues that would prohibit the renewal of a registration;

·         International Registration Plan (IRP) renewal payments for trucking companies;

·         Registration lookup;

·         Vanity plate lookup.

Coming soon by the end of the year will be the following online services:

·         Customers will be able to check online whether certain problems will cause trouble with a transaction at DMV. Problems include tax delinquencies, failure to have insurance, outstanding parking tickets and emissions test violations. This service will help fewer customers to be turned away at branches for these kinds of compliance issues.

·         Improvements to the existing online registration renewal program;

·         Reprint a registration certificate from a home or other computer ;

·         Cancel a registration online;

·         Order online special plate, such as vanity plates;

·         Order online replacements for mutilated plates;

·         Provide new option online for customers to be contacted by DMV – either by mail or e-mail.

In addition, the current cashiering system is extremely antiquated and needs to be updated. The computers overall need to connect seamlessly to each other so a complete picture of addresses, vehicles, compliance issues, such as property tax, parking tickets and emissions tests, are seen all together when a transaction is done.