Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Classifieds
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's New?
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More Options
Advertise with us
Contact Us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
The Water Cooler
General Discussion
OK Tag Agencies are Changing
Search titles only
By:
Reply to Thread
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="dennishoddy" data-source="post: 3916706" data-attributes="member: 5412"><p>OKLAHOMA CITY — Many of Oklahoma’s tag agencies will have a new look by he end of 2022 after lawmakers recently approved an overhaul of the system that handles the issuance of driver’s licenses and motor vehicle registrations and titles.</p><p></p><p>In a bid to improve access to driver’s licenses, reduce long lines at tag agencies and increase consistency and customer service, all tag agents who wish to remain in business will be required to franchise their current locations under the Service Oklahoma name and become “licensed operators,” said state Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry.</p><p></p><p>All licensed operators must offer every service required by Service Oklahoma, meet a customer satisfaction matrix and remain open a set number of hours.</p><p></p><p></p><p>House Bill 3419 creates the model that merges the licensing and motor vehicle services currently performed by the Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Tax Commission into one division. Driver’s license oversight will switch to Service Oklahoma starting Nov. 1, and motor vehicle services follow beginning Jan. 1.</p><p></p><p>The vision over the next few years is to add additional services to all Service Oklahoma locations, including the ability to purchase turnpike passes and state records, including birth and death certificates.</p><p></p><p>“You shouldn’t have to drive to Oklahoma City to get those services,” Hall said. “You ought to be able to get it at a licensed operator for Service Oklahoma right there in the district,” he said.</p><p></p><p>Hall said the past few years have created a perfect storm of inefficiencies, noting the existing tag agent system was squeezed by the federally mandated Real ID roll out, COVID-19-related closures and budget cuts.</p><p></p><p>“We also discovered that the expectations of Oklahomans for that delivery system were rising, so we saw an opportunity to drive efficiencies and ensure, hopefully, some long-term economic viability of tag agents,” Hall said.</p><p></p><p>State law requires at least one licensed operator in every Oklahoma county, Hall said.</p><p></p><p>Tag agents who refuse to franchise have the option to continue as licensed motor agents through December 2025. At that point, they’ll have to give up their license or convert to a licensed operator, Hall said. In exchange for franchising, licensed operators will be able to sell their businesses at fair market prices or back to Service Oklahoma at a statutorily-set fee. Currently, the Tax Commission decides who takes over a business when a tag agent retires and at what price, Hall said.</p><p></p><p>He believes over 90% of current tag agents will convert to the licensed operator model.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Regional DPS locations will be transformed into Service Oklahoma shops and continue to offer driving tests and licenses.</p><p></p><p>Service Oklahoma locations will also offer limited appointment scheduling, but plan to transition their services to mostly walk-ins. Hall said Service Oklahoma will not allow its licensed operators to charge for appointments like some current tag agents do.</p><p></p><p>“We were all shocked that they could charge an appointment fee,” Hall said. “That was never the intent of the Legislature, to create an environment where citizens were charged to get a service from the state through an appointment.”</p><p></p><p>Kate Vesper, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kevin Stitt, said the governor found it unacceptable that basic state services that should have taken minutes were taking days or even months.</p><p></p><p>“Gov. Stitt launched Service Oklahoma to fulfill a critical need and to raise the standard for how the state served Oklahomans,” she said. “The improvements in access to driver’s license and vehicle registration are just the beginning for how the state plans to provide best-in-class customer services.”</p><p></p><p>State Rep. Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee, the House author, said the ultimate goal is to ensure there’s a better service for both tag agents and consumers.</p><p></p><p>He said one advantage to the new system is that it won’t allow tag agents to pick and choose what services to offer anymore. He said there are between 30 and 40 tag agencies that don’t offer driver’s license services.</p><p></p><p>Kerbs said some Oklahomans have to travel to Oklahoma City to complete their business. Legislators believe the new plan will make it easier for constituents to access services in their local communities.</p><p></p><p>“The first step is customer service, being able to get this and start getting these products and processes done faster,” Kerbs said.</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.cnhinews.com/oklahoma/article_4bb33154-07a3-11ed-84c1-3f3c52d191d1.html[/URL]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dennishoddy, post: 3916706, member: 5412"] OKLAHOMA CITY — Many of Oklahoma’s tag agencies will have a new look by he end of 2022 after lawmakers recently approved an overhaul of the system that handles the issuance of driver’s licenses and motor vehicle registrations and titles. In a bid to improve access to driver’s licenses, reduce long lines at tag agencies and increase consistency and customer service, all tag agents who wish to remain in business will be required to franchise their current locations under the Service Oklahoma name and become “licensed operators,” said state Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry. All licensed operators must offer every service required by Service Oklahoma, meet a customer satisfaction matrix and remain open a set number of hours. House Bill 3419 creates the model that merges the licensing and motor vehicle services currently performed by the Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Tax Commission into one division. Driver’s license oversight will switch to Service Oklahoma starting Nov. 1, and motor vehicle services follow beginning Jan. 1. The vision over the next few years is to add additional services to all Service Oklahoma locations, including the ability to purchase turnpike passes and state records, including birth and death certificates. “You shouldn’t have to drive to Oklahoma City to get those services,” Hall said. “You ought to be able to get it at a licensed operator for Service Oklahoma right there in the district,” he said. Hall said the past few years have created a perfect storm of inefficiencies, noting the existing tag agent system was squeezed by the federally mandated Real ID roll out, COVID-19-related closures and budget cuts. “We also discovered that the expectations of Oklahomans for that delivery system were rising, so we saw an opportunity to drive efficiencies and ensure, hopefully, some long-term economic viability of tag agents,” Hall said. State law requires at least one licensed operator in every Oklahoma county, Hall said. Tag agents who refuse to franchise have the option to continue as licensed motor agents through December 2025. At that point, they’ll have to give up their license or convert to a licensed operator, Hall said. In exchange for franchising, licensed operators will be able to sell their businesses at fair market prices or back to Service Oklahoma at a statutorily-set fee. Currently, the Tax Commission decides who takes over a business when a tag agent retires and at what price, Hall said. He believes over 90% of current tag agents will convert to the licensed operator model. Regional DPS locations will be transformed into Service Oklahoma shops and continue to offer driving tests and licenses. Service Oklahoma locations will also offer limited appointment scheduling, but plan to transition their services to mostly walk-ins. Hall said Service Oklahoma will not allow its licensed operators to charge for appointments like some current tag agents do. “We were all shocked that they could charge an appointment fee,” Hall said. “That was never the intent of the Legislature, to create an environment where citizens were charged to get a service from the state through an appointment.” Kate Vesper, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kevin Stitt, said the governor found it unacceptable that basic state services that should have taken minutes were taking days or even months. “Gov. Stitt launched Service Oklahoma to fulfill a critical need and to raise the standard for how the state served Oklahomans,” she said. “The improvements in access to driver’s license and vehicle registration are just the beginning for how the state plans to provide best-in-class customer services.” State Rep. Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee, the House author, said the ultimate goal is to ensure there’s a better service for both tag agents and consumers. He said one advantage to the new system is that it won’t allow tag agents to pick and choose what services to offer anymore. He said there are between 30 and 40 tag agencies that don’t offer driver’s license services. Kerbs said some Oklahomans have to travel to Oklahoma City to complete their business. Legislators believe the new plan will make it easier for constituents to access services in their local communities. “The first step is customer service, being able to get this and start getting these products and processes done faster,” Kerbs said. [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.cnhinews.com/oklahoma/article_4bb33154-07a3-11ed-84c1-3f3c52d191d1.html[/URL] [/QUOTE]
Insert Quotes…
Verification
Post Reply
Forums
The Water Cooler
General Discussion
OK Tag Agencies are Changing
Search titles only
By:
Top
Bottom