Updated vehicle registration system ready for New Year

The Department of Transportation and the state’s 99 county treasurers have resolved to use a modern new vehicle registration and licensing system in 2005. Tina Hargis leads the D-O-T’s vehicle services division and says they start converting to the new system this weekend — replacing the current system that was new in 1984. She says the current system is “basically a green screen so to speak dumb terminal where you just enter the information.” She says the new system is going to be ” more highly sophisticated business-oriented system” where information and history will be at the fingertips of the treasurers. Hargis says the old system was really only meant to print renewed registrations and treasurers have been making due by using several methods. As an example, she says with the current system if you wanted to note a lien on a title, they had to take it out and type the lien on the title with a typewriter. The new system will type the information right on the title. Hargis says there are now many “stops” put on vehicle registrations to help collect things like back taxes and overdue child support. The old system require a lot of cross-checking with various agencies — but the new system will do it automatically. She says the stop will instantly show up in the system and they will also have the ability to share things electronically with other agencies. Hargis says the system will also make it easier on law officers seeking information on car registrations and titles.She says the new system will have a real-time update as soon as something is entered. She says under the old system, information was updated once a day. Hargis says you should notice faster service and a minor change in you car title. She says the current title is on a legal size form, while the new title is on an eight-and-a-half by 11 sheet. She says there are also new security features included in the new titles. Hargis says the system upgrade cost 10-million dollars — money that came out of the road use tax fund. County treasurers will start transfering information over to the new system this weekend, and will start using it next week.