With the arrival of spring and the ongoing vaccination efforts, there is hope for a return to more freedoms. COVID-19 is still with us and unfortunately three of our regions made the tough decision to cancel their annual conferences, which were scheduled to be held in the spring and early summer. As conditions continue to improve, we are excited to bring our community together and hold our Annual International Conference in person in Denver, Colorado. We will be taking recommended precautions to keep everyone safe while together and there will be specific guidance as planning gets underway.

Over the past year, all our members have effectively adapted to the environment under a pandemic. Residents in our jurisdictions have been able to obtain DMV services through highly modified procedures in our offices or virtually. Our collective efforts have been critical to ensuring the viability of economic activity and public safety within our respective jurisdictions and across the nation. As we effectively fulfilled our duties, we became quite competent in conducting business in the virtual realm.

This edition of MOVE continues the conversation regarding technology and the future of how DMVs conduct their business. Conducting our business virtually has been a necessity to operate in a COVID-19-impacted world. Remote services prior to the pandemic offered customer convenience but are now in demand to reduce exposure. Assessing what the public and stakeholders will expect from DMVs in a post-COVID-19 environment will be an important component in our future planning and strategy work.

The AAMVA-funded study, Trends Impacting the DMV of the Future, conducted by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. under contract to the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is a wonderful thought piece on societal and technological trends and potential impact on the future delivery of DMV services. Updated in the early months after COVID-19 struck, the study offers information that may assist in strategic planning.

During the first virtual AAMVA Workshop and Law Institute, one of the sessions included a panel discussing the digital future of DMV business. This topic has been of considerable interest among our members. In many respects, the future is now, with much change having already been implemented. The process has started, but there is much more opportunity to leverage current technology and plan for future developments in the months and years to come.

As you contemplate what the future holds for your portion of the DMV business, you can rest assured that it will be an exciting one. In the meantime, let’s hope for a quick transition out of this COVID-19 environment and a return to more in-person events!

– Mike Dixon

2020–2021 AAMVA Chair of the Board

Download and watch recorded video sessions from the Workshop & Law Institute, including “The Digital Future of the DMV Business.”