(Opinion) Governor Hochul to Overhaul New York State DMV

Governor HochulPhoto byWikimedia

Governor Hochul has announced plans to modernize the Department of Motor Vehicles in New York State.

“As a former County Clerk, I know first-hand the importance of the DMV in providing critical services to New Yorkers,” Hochul said in the release. “These investments are a major step forward in the DMV’s strategic modernization as we look to create a quicker, easier and more convenient experience for everyone.”

The plan will introduce automation that is supposed to speed up processing times and eliminate paper forms wherever possible. It is also supposed to allow the DMV to offer more online and self-service options.

Anyone who has stood in line at DMV for half and hour or more, only to be told you have the wrong form, you can't do whatever it is you thought you could do, or you don't have the right person with you, may appreciate this step forward.

Whle some functions of DMV are generally to the benefit of society, such as renewing drivers licenses and skills periodically. Driving is a priviledge, not a right, and should have some responsitibility associated to it.

Vehicle inspections, though perhaps overdone, are mostly a good thing. In comparison, in Florida there are no inspections, and you can see some real death-traps driving around with parts falling off, wheels wobbling, and belching smoke.

Florida, in fact, doesn't call itself the DMV at all, but more honestly "the tax department," since that is really their reason for existence.

No helmet law for motorcycles, either, which does, from time to time, help clean the gene pool, I guess. Speed and "rules of the road" tend to be more guidelines than actual rules in practice. The resultant daily parade of ambulances to the major hospitals is impressive.

Several questions, however, come to mind perusing this announcement.

• Will the changes make DMV employees become more friendly and practice outstanding customer service? (I have on occasion experience this, to be fair, but not often.)
• Why do you have to pay sales tax on a used car that already had the tax paid when the original owner bought it?
• Why do you have to keep re-registering a car? (once it is registered "on the road" it should be good until you replace or remove it from service.)
• Can the customers (taxpayers) get a CLEAR explanation of what is needed BEFORE they get in line?

Just some thoughts to consider while you look at the additional cost involved for the upgrade. Some or all of these question may be naieve, given that the goverment never met a tax it didn't like.