Technology buffs have a new Arizona license plate option available to them with the introduction of electronic digital plates.

For over a year, the Arizona Department of Transportation has tested this technology on a limited number of its fleet vehicles throughout the state to determine operational capabilities and endurance under multiple weather conditions.

ADOT also collaborated with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to ensure that the look of the plate and its messaging capabilities conform to legal requirements and law enforcement best practices.

The plates, called Rplate Digital License Plates, are LTE wireless connected devices similar to a tablet. The license plate number is constantly displayed, and the technology allows for added messages such as “invalid,” “stolen” and other notifications if needed.

While use of the Rplate is authorized by the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, it’s not available at MVD or Authorized Third Party offices. Motorists who wish to buy the plate must do so through participating resellers, including vehicle dealerships and professional auto service providers or the plate manufacturer, Reviver Auto. The plate’s cost is determined by the manufacturer, and MVD does not receive any proceeds from sales.

For more information: reviverauto.com.

PHOENIX – Until now, getting a more involved vehicle identification number inspection through the Arizona Department of Transportation has required a trip to an inspection site or Motor Vehicle Division office and waiting on a first-come, first-served basis.

That’s changing. Customers are now able to schedule Level 2 and Level 3 VIN inspections through ServiceArizona.com for the Glendale MVD office location. ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, which handles these inspections, anticipates adding online scheduling for five other locations in Maricopa and Pima counties later this summer.

These inspections confirm the identities of vehicles by matching VIN numbers to titles and other ownership documents.

Offered at MVD offices and Authorized Third Party providers, Level 1 VIN inspections are for out-of-state vehicles without proof of title or registration and for bonded titles. While most vehicles are verified at this level, follow-up inspections sometimes are required by officers at Enforcement and Compliance Division inspection locations:

Level 2 when a vehicle’s VIN number can’t be matched or the VIN number isn’t there.
Level 3 when a vehicle is a restored salvage or recovered stolen vehicle, or has been involved in a collision.

The change, part of ADOT’s efforts to continuously improve its customer focus using the Arizona Management System, adds to online appointments launched in 2016 for road tests and those applying for a Voluntary Travel ID.

“This scheduling feature will provide a lot of value to our customers by allowing them to fit the inspection into their schedules instead of arriving early at an office and waiting,” said Jeff Stanhope, Enforcement Services Bureau chief for the Enforcement and Compliance Division. “The new feature made sense given that our officers inspect an average of 840 vehicles per week in the large metropolitan areas.”

To schedule an appointment, visit ServiceArizona.com and click on “Vehicle Inspection Appointments.”

Customers should arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointments and check in with the Enforcement Services representative.

ADOT’s goal is to have all VIN inspection locations statewide available for online scheduling by the end of the year.

A list of VIN inspection locations can be found at azdot.gov/mvd under Enforcement.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has added another transaction to the growing list of things drivers can do at home to avoid lines at MVD offices.

Customers applying for a duplicate driver license or ID card can now print their temporary credentials at home using plain paper. MVD has eliminated the requirement that those credentials be printed on special blue-tinted stock used only at MVD locations.

“There was a misconception that the paper used by MVD to print temporary credentials added a level of security, but that wasn’t the case,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “Making this change means people can do this from the comfort of their home on ServiceArizona.com and MVD staff have more time to serve people who need to visit an office. It’s one more way that MVD is getting customers out of line and safely on the road.”

A temporary credential, a receipt showing that the customer has applied for a duplicate driver license or ID, is used until the customer receives the permanent credential through the mail.

Processing duplicate or replacement credentials is the second most common transaction in MVD offices. Lowering the number of transactions that must be done in person helps the division reduce office waiting times and serve customers more efficiently.

The change doesn’t entirely eliminate the use of the blue-tinted MVD credential form, which will still be required for commercial driver license and permit applications. Customers obtaining their first driver license or ID or who need a photo update will also need to come to an MVD location.

PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey announced this week that Arizona drivers who have ordered the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness specialty license plate have helped raise $2 million for cancer screening and treatment in the past decade. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Motor Vehicle Division has issued nearly 110,000 Pink Ribbon plates since 2006 when legislation authorizing the plates took effect.

A portion of the funds from the Pink Ribbon plates is allocated for the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Well Woman HealthCheck Program, which helps pay for screening and treatment of breast and cervical cancer for uninsured women in Arizona. Over the last 10 years, the Well Woman HealthCheck Program has received $1.9 million from the Pink Ribbon program.

“Cancer is a physically, emotionally and financially devastating disease for families,” said Governor Ducey. “When drivers in Arizona choose to put one of the Pink Ribbon license plates on their vehicles, they’re doing their part to help thousands of women beat breast and cervical cancer, and to ease the burden the diseases have on our families and friends. The millions of dollars raised proves once again that Arizona citizens will step up to help others. I commend everyone who has participated in this special program.”

In 2015 the Well Woman HealthCheck Program provided services to more than 5,500 women. Of those women screened, 81 were diagnosed with breast cancer, two were diagnosed with cervical cancer and 25 had pre-cancerous cervical lesions that were removed.

“Early detection of breast and cervical cancer gives women who are diagnosed with the disease the best chance to recover and live longer, cancer-free lives,” said Dr. Cara Christ, ADHS director. “It takes several diagnostic steps to confirm a cancer diagnosis, which can be costly for women who are uninsured. Thanks in part to the funding from the Pink Ribbon license plate program we provided 11,984 breast cancer screenings and 7,560 cervical cancer procedures in 2015.”

“October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means it’s a great time to highlight the Pink Ribbon vehicle plate that has been so successful in raising money and awareness to combat this disease,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “We’re proud to see Arizonans respond so enthusiastically to the Pink Ribbon campaign.”

Specialty plates can be ordered online through ServiceArizona.com for a $25 fee. Seventeen dollars from each Pink Ribbon license plate goes to the Well Woman HealthCheck Program. The remaining cost is used for the production and shipping of the plates.

PHOENIX — Taking the road test for a driver license has long involved showing up at an Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office early in hopes of getting a time slot to take the test that day. And often plenty of waiting.

That’s changing as of this week. Customers are now able to schedule road tests up to 30 days in advance through ServiceArizona.com for 11 office locations in the Phoenix metro area and northern Arizona. MVD will be bringing remaining offices online over the next two weeks.

The change, part of MVD’s efforts to continuously improve its customer focus, adds to online appointments launched in April for those converting a driver license or ID card to a Voluntary Travel ID.

“This new feature will provide a lot of value to our customers by allowing them to fit the test into their schedule instead of spending half a day at an office waiting to take it,” ADOT Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “This is another step forward in achieving MVD’s vision of getting customers out of line and safely on the road.”

To schedule an appointment, visit azdot.gov/roadtestinfo, which has step-by-step instructions for arranging road tests. Customers can fill out and submit a driver license application online, get a list of documents needed to obtain a standard driver license or Voluntary Travel ID and schedule their road tests onServiceArizona.com.

Once at the MVD office, those with appointments can check in at a kiosk rather than waiting in line at the information desk.

Applicants must meet all requirements before taking the road test, including passing the written test. Appointments are only for road tests, not the written portion of the exam.

As part of ADOT’s agencywide commitment to continuous improvement, MVD is experimenting with other ways to reduce wait times, an effort that has led to process improvements that include printing temporary credentials at customer service windows instead of sending customers to a separate line. Customers who need to retake the driving test now go directly to the testing area instead of first waiting in line to re-verify their applications with a representative.

An experiment at MVD’s West Phoenix location has found that having customers line up rather than relying on the number-calling system dramatically reduces wait times, and that innovation is rolling out to other large MVD offices. MVD has also seen positive results in experimenting this summer with expanded office hours in the Tucson area.

“All of the process improvements, like road test appointments, help make MVD more efficient and customer-oriented,” Jorgensen said. “All aspects of MVD are on the table as we continue to experiment and innovate to improve the overall customer experience.”

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/mvd.