Arizona’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) faced a daunting task when modernizing its 40-year-old infrastructure. The existing system was leading to long wait times and cumbersome in-person processes, with limited online functionality. Also looming over the modernization is that the MVD tried upgrading once before, but a lack of a shared vision between the state and its vendors prevented a successful project.

The MVD needed two fundamental shifts. Most importantly, they needed to create a culture of innovation. With that, they then had to build a new system that was customer-centric, efficient and resilient enough to evolve. Enter AstreaX, a long-time technology collaborator with the Arizona MVD, and Kyndryl, the MVD’s electronic service partner. Together, they rebuilt the MVD’s technology from the ground up, ultimately creating the MAX system, a secure, cloud-based platform that handles everything from driver and vehicle services to motor carrier operations, scheduling and queuing, and more.

Arizona’s MVD system improvements are saving citizens over 2.5 million hours annually.

“Our goal, our mantra, is: out of the line and safely on the road,” says Eric Jorgensen, director, Arizona MVD. “Anything we do, that’s how we judge our success.”

The results speak for themself: Before MAX, average MVD wait times in metro Phoenix well exceeded an hour. In October, the average wait time was 10 minutes. Most customers are in and out of the office in under 20 minutes.

Driving Results

After five years of development, Arizona launched MAX at the height of the pandemic in April 2020. The new system allowed the MVD to keep operating and serve customers remotely, exactly when accessibility mattered most. Customer adoption has skyrocketed since launch, with over 4.8 million Arizonans now managing their vehicle and driver services through online accounts, an adoption rate exceeding 70% in the state.

Satisfaction has been high, too. The MVD pays close attention to customer surveys, tracking how easy the experience is, and nearly 90% of customers have said it’s been easy. “That people are having such a positive experience about the DMV really says something,” says Jason Gladstone, director of customer success at AstreaX. “That’s what we really wanted—a customer-centric product.”

Altogether, according to the Arizona MVD, these system improvements save citizens over 2.5 million hours annually.

Building the Network

Arizona’s MVD eschewed a traditional vendor-driven or out-of-the-box software model and instead had its partners act as contractors of sorts, which helped create control, transparency and alignment. “Find ways to align incentives, and find good partners who care about good government,” Jorgensen says. “We’ve been able to do that with our partners, and it makes all the difference in the world.”

The MVD also pursued a “shared-source” model, which allows other jurisdictions to implement MAX at no cost for the base code. Jurisdictions including Wyoming, Virginia and Alberta have signed on, allowing them to reduce costs while also sharing innovations. This collaborative approach reduces risk, builds consistency and accelerates efficiency across jurisdictions, Jorgensen says.

“What happened, which I didn’t expect, was that a community has formed around this system,” Gladstone says. “All of the participating jurisdictions get together four or five times a year to solve these problems together, which has led to some great collaborative developments.”

Jorgensen says that the post-MAX era is one of “continuous improvement,” with the team building on what they’ve already launched. For instance, they’ve unveiled several “TeleMVDs,” self-service kiosks that function like DMVs and are equipped with scanners, printers, credit card machines and more, including the ability to remotely interact with a live customer service representative. The TeleMVDs create additional convenience for customers, including expanding access to remote and tribal communities.

AstreaX and the Arizona MVD have also expanded into digital identity. The AstreaX Digital Wallet, which will be launching for Arizonans on both Android and iOS later this year, securely stores mobile driver’s licenses and IDs compliant with AAMVA and ISO standards—and will soon integrate vehicle info, student IDs, hunting licenses and more.

Reflecting on the development, Jorgensen says, “Our employees want to do good work. When you give them the opportunity to create a good and efficient government, it feels fantastic. It feels like a great legacy to leave behind.”