Improvement Through Efficiencies

This award is presented to jurisdictions for improving internal processes by going green, reducing costs, streamlining processes, and/or doing more with less.

This is an agency award and is awarded one per each region and among those, an international winner is selected.

Each agency may submit only ONE entry.

Criteria for selection:

  • Outcomes are cost savings, efficiency gains
  • Outcomes are measurable
  • Project/program received other awards or positive feedback

2025 Winners


International and Region 3

Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division

Iowa MVD Driver Issuance Basics WorkshopIowa DOT, MVD

Iowa DOT’s Motor Vehicle Division successfully launched the Driver Issuance Basics Workshop, a hands-on, in-person training experience designed to improve the consistency and quality of onboarding for new MVD and County Treasurer driver issuance staff. This workshop represents a new standard in staff development, ensuring all driver issuance personnel receive uniform training aligned with our state and agency’s policies, procedures, and best practices. By implementing a standardized, supportive training model, Iowa DOT MVD aims to improve employee retention, reduce turnover and associated hiring costs, while supporting commitment to providing a consistent and positive customer experience to customers across the state. 


Region 1

Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration

Maryland's NAPHSIS Clean UpMaryland MVA

In an effort to ensure records were received when a customer passed away outside of Maryland and enhance data integrity, the MVA recently partnered with the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS) to leverage their Electronic Verification of Vital Events – Fact of Death service. This service allows the MVA to receive death records from all 42 participating jurisdictions. By expanding data sources outside the state of Maryland, the MVA aimed to further accomplish its goal of maintaining accurate driver record data.   


Region 2

Service Oklahoma

Dedicated Drive Test Centers and Online ProcessingService Oklahoma

A long visit to take a drive test is now a thing of the past at Service Oklahoma, thanks to  two dedicated Drive Test Centers in Oklahoma City and Broken Arrow. Both opened by early 2024 and are strategically located in the state’s largest metro areas. These centers offer an efficient experience, primarily designed for teens to take their drive test and complete the licensing process in record time. While open to all qualified applicants, these centers address the unique challenges teens and their families historically faced when applying for an Intermediate License.  At these Drive Test Centers, customers arrive, take their drive test and can leave immediately. The online product handles credential processing digitally, eliminating the need for new drivers to remain on-site for in-person processing by an examiner. This streamlined workflow means the entire visit—from test to departure—typically takes under 30 minutes, greatly improving customer experience.     


Region 4

Montana Motor Vehicle Division

Redefining Efficiency and Accessibility in the Montana MVDMontana MVD

The Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) replaced the driver portion of its outdated legacy system (MERLIN) with CARS (Credentialing and Registration System). With CARS, customers can access over 16 types of driver transactions—one-third of all services—through an online, mobile-friendly portal. This has made completing transactions simpler and faster, with over 100,000 transactions already processed online. These online services have had ripple effects across the MVD system. Every transaction completed online frees up staff and resources for in-person appointments, dramatically improving availability and efficiency at exam stations.