$2023-$SP $/$ BAN$--5003-8$O$1--$OL$-$SP$-2023/$ Case Paper $1$: DMV $($LO$4)($LO$5)$

Case Paper $1$: DMV $($LO$4)($LO$5)$

Read the case study DMV a case study in modernization. In a single Word document, minimum of $7$ full pages $($excluding cover page and citation$),$ APA format, answer the following questions. Using the week's reading materials and video to guide your responses. Use the questions as section headings.

Identify the most important facts surrounding the case.

Identify the key issue or issues.

Specify alternative courses of action.

Evaluate each course of action.

Recommend the best course of action.

The DMV: A Case Study in Modernization

Background Information

Tuesday, December $15,2015$

$10$:$00$ a$.$m$.$ to $12$:$00$ p$.$m$.$

State Capitol, Room $3191$

INTRODUCTION

All levels of government are under pressure to better serve residents; as more services become available online and on mobile devices, customer expectations and industry standards are shifting. The Subcommittee on Modernizing Government will explore whether California's departments and agencies are keeping up with those expectations and becoming more convenient and smarter or are providing a diminishing level of service relative to industry standards.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles $($DMV$)$ provides many core services, and it is in many ways California's largest customer service company, with $33$ million registered vehicles and $25$ million licensed drivers. ${?}^1$ Despite its reputation in popular media, the DMV has transformed the way many Californians interact with state government, becoming more focused on modern customer service expectations. This hearing focuses on DMV$\text{'}$s practices that can serve as a model for other agencies to become more customer$-$facing. It will also serve as a starting point to discuss how the State can continue to improve customer service at the DMV and elsewhere.

RECENT MODERNIZATION REFORMS

Overview

The DMV$\text{'}$s recently expanded online payments and appointments system has substantially reduced wait times at field offices. ${?}^2$ Fueled by the campaign slogan $-$ "Don't Stand in Line, Go

Online!" $-$ the DMV$\text{'}$s online business now allows residents to renew their licenses, register their cars, change their addresses, and more. This is particularly convenient as users can now complete tasks on their own time. The DMV even has a dedicated mobile application for smartphones that allows users to renew their vehicle registrations or make in$-$person appointments. The DMV processes millions of online transactions every year, allowing residents to avoid time$-$consuming trips and reducing wait times for those tasks that do still require an in$-$person visit, such as taking a driving test.

Yet there is room for some improvement. For example, the DMV$\text{'}$s mobile app does not allow license renewals or driver records requests. Americans have begun to expect all services to be available through mobile apps, and some data shows Americans spend $90\%$ of their time in apps, not their mobile browser. ${?}^3$ As a recent survey showed, nearly $40\%$ of Americans, and $51\%$ of $1844$ year olds, want to use their mobile phone to access government services. ${?}^4$ The same survey showed that the two$-$thirds of respondents prioritized license renewals, registrations, and permits. Moreover, smartphones are the primary online portal for one in five Americans $-$ especially for those with low incomes and low educational attainment levels. ${?}^5$ Unless the DMV and other departments rapidly develop mobile applications for traditional government services, some residents may be left with a lower level of service.

Not everyone accessing DMV or other state government services needs, or is able to use, a mobile application. There remain a number of situations where a physical presence is needed, either because of the type of interaction or because of a lack of internet access. For those without online access, the DMV provides self$-$service terminals at $50$ field offices, where customers can receive vehicle registration cards and tags instantly. And this year, the DMV handled more than $500,000$ new customers under $AB60,{?}^6$ yet in$-$person wait times continued to improve for the Department.

Much of DMV$\text{'}$s progress has been made concurrently with other massive administrative projects, such as AB $60$ implementation and regulations on autonomous vehicles. And despite a setback in $2013$ on the Information Technology Modernization project, the Department continues to improve their software and data capabilities. Going forward, the DMV must move through regulations for and manage data sharing and privacy concerns for the new "motor voter" law. An outstanding question will be how the DMV$\text{'}$s infrastructure can handle these new responsibilities while kee