Check back here for the latest AAMVA news and information.

Annual International Conference Wraps Up

10/02/2023

AAMVA's 2023 Annual International Conference (AIC) took place last week (September 26-28) in Madison, Wisconsin. Special thanks to outgoing Chair of the Board Kristina Boardman for hosting this unique in-person networking and educational event. This year's AIC showcased the latest trends in the motor vehicle and law enforcement community and provided a forum for chief administrators to learn and grow from fellow colleagues. Conference sessions covered a wide variety of topics tailored to the AAMVA community. The conference ended with the swearing in of our new International Board of Directors and the transition from Kristina Boardman (WI) to Spencer Moore (GA) as Chair. View our 2023 AIC Flickr album for pictures from the event or watch the wrap up video on YouTube. Photos featuring all of this year's award winners can be found in our 2023 AAMVA Award Winners Flickr album. Presentations are available for download on our website (available for AAMVA members only). Thank you to all conference staff, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees for making this conference a success. We look forward to seeing you at next year's AIC in Atlanta, Georgia! 

Anne Ferro Receives Chair’s Award of Excellence

10/02/2023

On September 26, 2023, during AAMVA's Annual International Conference, Kristina Boardman, outgoing chair of the Board, presented the prestigious Chair’s Award of Excellence and Achievement to Anne S. Ferro, Outgoing President and CEO of AAMVA. Anne was named President and CEO of AAMVA in September 2014 after a 5-year assignment as the Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In her AAMVA role, Ferro led the association in providing solutions and services to government agencies in the United States and Canada who are responsible for driver licensing, vehicle registration and title services, and traffic law enforcement. Read about Anne here, and watch the video below to learn more about Anne's impressive career and see the immense impact she has had on the transportation industry and our community.

Now Available: Strengthening Distracted Driving Education, Legislation, and Enforcement, Edition 2

10/02/2023

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as “any activity that diverts attention from driving.” With the proliferation of personal electronic devices and in-vehicle technology in our society, many jurisdictions have enacted or pursued enhancements to distracted driving laws to reduce or eliminate crashes in which the proximate cause is distracted driving alone or in combination with other violations. Every day, approximately nine people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in crashes involving distracted driving. The purpose of this white paper—Strengthening Distracted Driving Education, Legislation, and Enforcement, With Focus on Distractions or Inattention Involving ADAS- and ADS-Equipped Vehicles Edition 2—is to provide guidance to jurisdictions on strengthening distracted driving education, legislation, and enforcement. 

Newly Updated: Law Enforcement Guide for Non-U.S. Driver Licenses, Edition 2

10/02/2023

In this updated PDF guide, AAMVA's subject matter experts provide guidance on checking non-U.S. driver identification, specifically as it relates to driving privileges. Included is information regarding the process for authenticating non-U.S. driver licenses, international driving permits, authenticating government-issued driver licenses, U.S. Travel and Identity Documents, Foreign National Passports, and U.S. Department of State Foreign Diplomat Driver Licenses. Click here to access the guide.

New MOVE Magazine: 2023 Issue 3 Is Now Online

10/02/2023

he new issue of MOVE Magazine is now online! Articles in this issue contain a wide range of industry topics, including: how the Driver History Record functionality is keeping the roads safer; new technologies that are helping DMV contact centers operate more efficiently and provide better quality service to customers; a detailed Q&A with Spencer R. Moore, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Driver Services and Incoming AAMVA Chair; and much more.

MOVE Magazine, AAMVA's award-winning flagship publication, provides a variety of unique articles and offers updates on policy issues and regional news, feature stories, Q&As and statistics, and more. Explore MOVE Magazine online at movemag.org.

CSTIMS Subcommittee Meets in San Antonio

10/02/2023

On September 20, 2023, members of the Commercial Skills Test Information Management System (CSTIMS) Subcommittee and the AAMVA Driver Systems team met in San Antonio, Texas. The subcommittee members in attendance included Tandy Alexander (WA), Kyle Binkley (MI), Gregorio Degrazia (TX), Lisa Ewing (TN), Aldine Hobbs (NV), Joel Holcomb (WV), Howard Ogg (CO), Heather Perkins (ID), Numan Sikandar (VA), Roneé Slagle (IA), Kenneth Stewart (OR), and James Wright (OH). The group held in-depth and focused discussions on many important commercial skills testing topics, such as the modernized skills test, modernization of the CSTIMS application, and desired future functionalities and enhancements to add.

AAMVA Leadership Academy Applications Now Being Accepted

10/02/2023

The Leadership Academy provides professional development opportunities for future leaders in the AAMVA community. This week-long program will include modules on defining leadership, team building, collaboration, coaching, public speaking, and more. It is an intense training opportunity focused on the unique characteristics of leading and managing a motor vehicle or law enforcement agency. The program will take place April 8-11, 2024. Attendees must have the approval and support of the Chief Administrator of their agency to apply. All expenses will be paid by AAMVA. The draft course outline provides more information on topics that will be included. Class size will be limited to 20 participants and we can accept only one application from each jurisdiction. See what prior participants had to say about the AAMVA Leadership Academy in this video. If you are interested, please fill out the application form and send it along with your resume to Janice Dluzynski. Applications are due by November 15, 2023.

Annual International Conference Kicks Off this Week

09/25/2023

AAMVA's 2023 Annual International Conference (AIC) will take place September 26-28, 2023, in Madison, Wisconsin! The conference provides an opportunity to discuss relevant driver's license, motor vehicle and law enforcement related issues with peers. As with every AAMVA conference, the ability to network is one of the most beneficial experiences, and this year's AIC provides several networking opportunities, as well as interactive learning opportunities. Jurisdiction attendees will learn about the successes and challenges of others, share ideas, build relationships, and discover the many products and services provided by our industry partners that can assist in your mission. Industry attendees will have the opportunity to meet with key players in the driver's license, motor vehicle and law enforcement arenas. Visit the 2023 AIC website for more information and to register!

Automated Vehicle Subcommittee Members Present at ADAS & AV Technology Expo

09/25/2023

Bernard Soriano with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Nanette Schieke with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, and Paul Steier from AAMVA, attended and presented at the ADAS & AV Technology Expo September 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, California. Nanette and Paul discussed the AAMVA publication, Safe Testing and Deployment of Vehicles Equipped with Automated Driving Systems, and shared updates that are underway for the 4th edition of this document. Bernard provided an update of the testing and regulating of automated vehicles in California, as well as lessons learned from these activities.  

Now Available: Certified Driver Examiner Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Modules

09/25/2023

AAMVA is excited to announce the release of two new training modules in support of the International Driver Examiner Certification (IDEC) Certified Driver Examiner (CDE) training materials: 
 

• Module G1 Overview of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for Driver Examiners
• Module G2 Common ADAS Safety Features and How They Work.  

These modules do not cover self-driving or automated driving systems (ADS). They focus on vehicle safety features that are widely available for consumer purchase today. The training modules were developed to assist jurisdictions in educating their driver examiners and other jurisdictional staff on ADAS as it relates to driver testing practices. Topics covered include the potential benefits and concerns, the role of the driver examiner, terminology, common categories of safety features, how ADAS works, consistent licensing practices, and an overview of select ADAS safety features. These training modules will assist member jurisdictions with training driver license examiners on their role when conducting driver testing in vehicles equipped with ADAS, especially as technology advances. For additional information please contact Denise Hanchulak.

AAMVA Visits South Dakota

09/25/2023

Julie Knittle, AAMVA’s Director of Member Support for Regions 3 & 4, visited the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the Department of Revenue. Meetings included Directors John Broer and Rosa Yaeger along with their leadership teams. AAMVA highlighted programs and resources available to the South Dakota agencies and discussions covered a range of topics including customer service, contact centers, identity documents, CDL, system modernization, legislation, and priorities for the upcoming year.

AAMVA Visits New Mexico

09/12/2023

On September 7, 2023, Julie Knittle, AAMVA's Director of Member Support for Regions 3 & 4, and Brian Ursino, AAMVA's Director of Law Enforcement, had meetings with the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (NMMVD) and the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) in Santa Fe, NM. The NMMVD meeting included Cabinet Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke, MVD Administrator Htet Gonzales and others from her leadership team, with conversations focused on NMMVD operational priority areas. Topics included mDL, automated vehicles, license plates, and contact centers to name a few. The NMSP meeting was with Deputy Chief Matt Broome and Major Alex Rodriguez and focused on AAMVA products and services that can assist the NMSP in accomplishing their mission, as well as opportunities for the NMSP to become more engaged in the AAMVA community. AAMVA then hosted a joint NMMVD/NMSP lunch where leadership from both agencies acknowledged how critical collaboration is to the success of each agency in providing exemplary service to their constituencies. The day ended with a tour of an NMMVD field office. 

CDLIS Subcommittee Meets in St. Louis 

09/12/2023

From August 22-23, 2023, members of the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) Subcommittee and the AAMVA Driver Systems team met in St. Louis, MO. The subcommittee members included Edith Diaz from Arizona, Cyna Turney from Arkansas, Garfield Shelton III from California, Kevin Acker from Colorado, Lacey Hane from Kansas, Taylor Boivin from Maine, Jamie Snowden from Maryland, Christopher Olson from Michigan, Amber-Lynn Daniels from Ohio, and Kristle Bevins from Virginia, as well as Carlos Dequina and Andrew Nagel from FMCSA. The group held in-depth and focused discussions on upcoming federal mandates, including the Exclusive Electronic Exchange, the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, and the National Registry II final rule. The group also discussed the CDLIS roadmap.

Now Available: NMVTIS 2022 Annual Report and Financial Audit

09/12/2023

The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) Final Rule requires AAMVA, as the system operator, to prepare an annual report and procure an independent financial audit. The NMVTIS 2022 Annual Report is the 14th publication and was recently published by the U.S. Department of Justice. It covers October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022, and details the performance of NMVTIS during the 12-month reporting period. Check it out to learn about how NMVTIS is working for motor vehicle agencies, law enforcement, DMV vehicle title investigators, and consumers. 

AAMVA Special Alert – SSA Impostor Awareness 2023

09/12/2023

We are providing this information to members on behalf of the U.S. Social Security Administration to share with your customers. You can help SSA and others by spreading the word through all your communications channels. For example, you can: 

• Display SSA’s slide presentation in your waiting areas or other areas with high traffic. The slide presentation is available at the bottom of Social Security’s Scam Awareness Materials webpage for you to download. 
• Encourage any customer who has been contacted by an imposter to report the event to oig.ssa.gov.

Together, we can stop these scammers and protect the public we serve. Read more here.

AAMVA Visits Hawaii

09/05/2023

Several members of the AAMVA team visited administrators and staff from the Hawaii Department of Transportation, City & County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and County of Hawaii, Vehicle and Registration Licensing Division. The AAMVA representatives included Julie Knittle, AAMVA’s Director of Member Support for Regions 3 & 4, and members of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVITS) team: Vivienne Cameron, AAMVA's Senior Director of Business Solutions; Tom Manuel, AAMVA's Senior Manager of Business Solutions; Amir Chaudhry, AAMVA's Quality Assurance Senior Lead; and Evgenia Tyrsina, AAMVA's Vehicle System Project Manager. AAMVA highlighted programs and resources available to Hawaii. The group also discussed topics ranging from vehicle services, driver services including mobile drivers’ licenses, customer service, contact centers, road safety issues, and upcoming events. The NMVTIS team held in-depth discussions with county and city staff, along with staff from the Department of Information Technology (DIT), as they explored and identified strategies for Hawaii to become fully participating in NMVTIS. Discussions are expected to continue in the following weeks. The AAMVA team also toured field operations to better understand services provided in the differing locations.

Texas Joins State-to-State Verification Service and Driver History Record

09/05/2023

AAMVA congratulates Texas on successfully implementing AAMVA’s State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service, including Driver History Record (DHR) functionality, during the weekend of September 2, 2023, becoming the 39th participant using the S2S service. All migration activities have completed on schedule. CDLIS and S2S services are fully operational now. AAMVA would also like to thank volunteer jurisdictions Arizona and Utah who assisted with Texas’s migration. Texas will now be able to use SPEXS to perform both its CDLIS and S2S functions. This means, among other things, that Texas can track pointer information related to its Base Driver Licenses, Permits for Base Driver Licenses, and Identification Cards. Read more here.

AAMVA Seeks Program Director for CDL and Driver Programs

09/05/2023

AAMVA has recently initiated a search for a new Program Director for CDL and Driver Programs on the Member Services and Public Affairs team. This position is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of projects, programs, and best practices/policies related to driver licensing, focusing on commercial driver licensing (CDL) issues, as well as conducting analysis, research, and preparation of reports in support of driver programs. This includes (but is not limited to) providing expertise and technical knowledge to jurisdictions and serving as a resource for CDL examiners and CDL program coordinators. The position will also coordinate the annual CDL Coordinator’s conference and annual train-the-trainer and trainer update classes. Click here for more information and to apply.

Reminder: AAMVA's Learning Management Systems is Available

09/05/2023

Gain CDLIS, S2S, PDPS, NMVTIS and mDL knowledge with AAMVA’s Learning Management System (LMS), a web-based on-demand training application. This great learning experience allows members and contractors (with approval) to take on-demand training any time and on any device. Currently, there are a total of 74 on-demand training courses available for CDLIS IT, CDLIS Reports, SPEXS WebUI, S2S IT, PDPS IT, NMVTIS IT and mDL as well as four certified learning paths for CDLIS 101 basics, CDLIS 201 intermediate, CDLIS 301 upper intermediate, and 401 advanced. Certifications are available and ready for download once learning paths have been completed. For a list of the on-demand training courses and learning paths available, please visit AAMVA’s technology systems training site.

Reminder, the best use of the LMS is to take the learning paths, and pass them, which leads to certification. On-demand courses are more suited for when you are not interested in certification, and just want to peruse the training material. AAMVA has a pre-recorded webinar on the LMS, including how to browse through and enroll in new courses. AAMVA has a pre-recorded webinar on the learning paths as well as a PowerPoint presentation.

To access AAMVA’s new LMS, log in to aamva.org, then go to MY AAMVA and select the ‘Access IT Training Portal’.

Texas To Begin Using State-to-State Verification Service and Driver History Record

08/28/2023

Texas will begin using AAMVA’s State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service and S2S Driver History Record (DHR) from Tuesday September 05, 2023. Tasks related to onboarding Texas will be conducted during the weekend of September 02, 2023. During this process (Saturday evening to Tuesday morning), there will be periods during which the CDLIS/S2S Central Site (Central Site) will be in inquiry-only mode or unavailable (over and above the regularly scheduled maintenance window of 2:00 AM ET to 5:00 AM ET on Sunday, September 03, 2023). AAMVA is taking all steps possible to minimize service interruptions and will be sending alerts notifying states of Central Site availability throughout the process. Read more here.

AAMVA Presents at National Conference of State Legislatures Roundtable 

08/28/2023

On Monday, August 28, Brian Ursino, AAMVA’s Director of Law Enforcement Programs, presented at the National Conference of State Legislatures Fines & Fees Roundtable in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Brian provided an overview of AAMVA's Reducing Suspended Drivers and Alternative Reinstatement Best Practices, Edition 3, with a focus on AAMVA's recommendations that driving privilege should not be suspended or withdrawn for non-driving offenses, but suspensions and withdrawals should still happen for failure to appear and for unpaid fines (but only for FTAs and FTPs related to driving offenses). Brian also discussed alternatives to suspension/withdrawal if a person meets the jurisdiction’s definition of indigency. 

Jurisdiction to Jurisdiction Learning Visits Program: North Carolina Visits Arizona

08/21/2023

AAMVA’s Jurisdiction to Jurisdiction Learning Visits Program provides funding to jurisdiction members to send staff on a visit to another jurisdiction to learn firsthand about their programs and services. In June 2023, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles staff (including technology staff) visited the Arizona Department of Transportation to learn about their system applications, S2S sharing model, modernization journey, and lessons learned from these efforts. Please visit our website to learn more about the Jurisdiction to Jurisdiction Learning Visits Program and to apply.

AAMVA Hosts Train-the-Trainer Course in Utah

08/14/2023

AAMVA conducted a Commercial Driver License (CDL) Train-the-Trainer (Instructor Development) Course, the week of August 7th, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The course was 52 hours long for the class of thirteen attendees. The hands-on training course for CDL examiner trainer candidates focused on how to utilize and teach the Modernized CDL skills tests from the Commercial Examiner (CCE) Instructor Manual developed and maintained by the AAMVA International Driver Licensing Examiner Certification Executive Board. AAMVA is planning on hosting another CDL Train-the-Trainer Course in 2024. For additional information please contact Driver Testing.

AAMVA Attends GHSA Annual Meeting in New York

08/14/2023

AAMVA was a sponsor and exhibitor at the 2023 GHSA Annual Meeting this week, August 12-16, 2023, in New York, NY. Brian Ursino, AAMVA's Director of Law Enforcement, presented in the impaired driving session providing an overview of AAMVA’s Ignition Interlock Program Best Practices. The AAMVA booth was staffed by Chelsey Hadwin and Rob Stershic with support from Patrick Fernan, Denise Hanchulak, and Brian Ursino.

   

Michigan To Join State-to-State Driver History Record

08/14/2023

Michigan will begin using the State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service Driver History Record (DHR) functionality on Monday, October 16th, 2023. Tasks related to onboarding Michigan will be conducted during the weekend of October 14th, 2023. During this process (Saturday evening to Monday morning), there may be periods during which the CDLIS/S2S Central Site is in inquiry-only mode or is unavailable (over and above the regularly scheduled maintenance window of 2:00 AM ET to 5:00 AM ET on Sunday, October 15th, 2023). AAMVA is taking all steps possible to minimize service interruptions and will be sending alerts notifying states of Central Site availability throughout the process. Read more here.

AAMVA Seeks Five Individuals to Join Identity Management Team

08/14/2023

To maintain the jurisdiction’s role as the primary source of identity and help fulfill these needs, AAMVA is expanding its Identity Management staff with five additional positions. These positions have been created to enhance AAMVA’s ability to deliver best practices, standards, and information-sharing for both the physical and digital credentials. Additionally, these positions will provide better representation of the AAMVA community in the identity management ecosystem and enable expanded engagement with relying parties to increase trust and acceptance of jurisdictional issued identities. Click here for more information and to apply.

AAMVA Visits Members in New Hampshire

08/07/2023

Ian Grossman, AAMVA's Vice President of Member Services and Public Affairs (and incoming President and CEO), and Patrice Aasmo, AAMVA's Director of Member Support for Regions 1 & 2, visited the New Hampshire Department of Safety last week in Concord, New Hampshire. The New Hampshire team attendees included bureau chiefs, managers, examiners, and staff, as well as representatives from the New Hampshire State Police. Ian and Patrice provided an update on AAMVA programs and resources available to members, benefits of collaboration with various stakeholders, as well as further opportunities for AAMVA engagement. An afternoon team-building session with the NH DMV management team was informative, fun, and provided further opportunity to connect with each other. Big thanks to Director John Marasco and his team for their attention to details for the day, and for the extended warm welcome and hospitality.