March 16, 2016

Rutigliano, Fairfield County Lawmakers Push for ‘Consumer-Friendly’ Alternatives to DMV

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HARTFORD- State Reps. Brenda Kupchick (R-132), David Rutigliano (R-123) and John Shaban (R-135) submitted testimony today in support of the privatization of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

House Bill 5041, An Act Concerning the Privatization of the Department of Motor Vehicles, received a public hearing in the Transportation committee after House Republican members signed a petition to successfully force a hearing on the bill after the Democratic leadership on the Transportation committee refused to raise the bill for a public hearing.

The proposal would allow the state to expand the types of services that can be performed by private contractors — such as AAA.

Currently, residents can obtain limited license services at AAA but there are many other services such as CDL licensing or title transactions that could be done. States across the nation provide efficient services and we should do the same.

Rep. Kupchick said, “It makes sense for the state to shift some services away from DMV given their deplorable performance especially in light of our current budget crisis. Businesses like AAA are set up with the infrastructure to handle many services that would save money, improve efficiency and serve the public’s need more adequately.

“It is my hope we take a serious look at ways the state can modernize, streamline, and subcontract portions of this system without creating further burden on the shoulders of our residents,” said Rep. Rutigliano.

“The obstacles to service that our residents have had to put up with are absurd,” said Rep. Shaban. “We have the resources to run our motor vehicle licensure and management system more efficiently; let’s employs them.”

Over the past year-and-a-half Connecticut lawmakers have received countless constituent complaints where the DMV has failed to operate effectively or appropriately.

Taxpaying citizens have over the last 18 months faced an enormous amount of problems with the agency ranging from the inability to get a test appointment to obtain a driver’s license within a reasonable time frame to having their registration erroneously cancelled by the DMV without due cause.

Most of the DMV problems were reported after the new computer upgrades were implemented. Upgrades to the DMV computer system whose sole purpose was to improve efficiency and shorten wait times for Connecticut residents.