The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), a leader in mobile technology and online accessibility amongst state agencies, will look at making publications such as the driver’s handbook available on e-readers as a way to further enhance customers’ experience, department chief information officer Bernard Soriano said today.
Bernard Soriano, CIO, Department of Motor Vehicles Photo courtesy of DMV Public Affairs
Constantly developing and brainstorming new solutions, such as an iPhone application and online appointment services, has been a priority within the department for years, according to Soriano.
"Our department has always taken the stance that we want to be a leader at enhancing customer service, and as such we’re really embraced Web 2.0 technology for a number of years now," he said.
After first releasing training videos on the DMV’s YouTube channel in 2007, used by the public and driving schools, the DMV developed a mobile application in only 90 days, using staff who had enough prior knowledge to create the product, Soriano said. The DMV Now application, released in early 2010 and with more than 170,000 downloads, features instructional videos, sample tests, and, for Android users, reads text messages aloud for drivers.
"[The] DMV mobile application offers services to the public, but not anything transactional," Soriano said. "We don’t have a mobile application specifically to do that, and that’s something that we are going to be certainly looking at."
While improving technology access for the public, the department has faced challenges. Developing a presence on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter required that the department develop policies about what to publish on the sites. Choosing platforms for mobile applications, such as the Kindle or Nook for e-reader technology, has also presented challenges, he said.
The DMV will highlights its efforts during Government Mobility 2012, an event to be held next month focusing on private and public-sector solutions. The department will participate in the government "Solutions Center," sharing solutions with other state agencies working to improve mobile technology. Soriano and DMV Director George Valverde will also speak on a panel about government mobility.
In addition to presenting mobile strategy and online solutions such appointment notifications and the virtual hold system, the DMV will present the department’s new kiosks, Soriano said. The kiosks allow customers who need in-person transactions for translation services, immediate registration stickers and cash transactions to skip the long waits and complete the transaction with a machine placed inside a DMV location.
The 35 machines in locations across the state average 100-200 renewals per day per machine, saving time and the $14 cost of each in-person transaction in field offices, said Soriano, who wants to bring a machine to the Mobility Event, although transportation might be an issue.
The Government Mobility 2012 event will take place Feb. 8 at the Sacramento Convention Center. The event is free. Preregistration is required and space is limited.
