Proposal: BMV Would Guarantee Under-30-Minute Waits

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana House Republicans proposed several initiatives Wednesday they said would improve the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, including offering more services at private businesses, expanding branch hours and guaranteeing a 30-minute wait for most transactions.

House speaker Brian Bosma said Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration already had improved an agency plagued with problems for at least two decades. But more improvements were needed, he said.

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Video: Proposal: BMV Would Guarantee Under-30-Minute Waits

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The BMV already offers limited service at one car dealership and is looking at a pilot program for six more by the end of the year, but transactions are limited to titles and registrations. Bosma said more transactions should be offered.

Examples of possible other providers would be AAA Motor Clubs, insurance agencies and banks.

Under their proposal, people who have to wait longer than 30 minutes for most transactions would have their transaction fee waived.

The plan would require all full-service branches to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Bosma said he talked to the governor about the proposals Wednesday morning, and although Daniels didn't say yes or no to the initiatives, he was open to discussion.

The BMV announcement was the latest in a series of pledges or proposals Republicans have made for the legislative session in January.

The House Democrats' leader, Pat Bauer, said the Republicans' BMV plans don't address what the Democrats say is the real problem with the agency: the commissioner, Joel Silverman.

The BMV had a problematic switch to a new $32 million computer system in July. Several tasks could not be performed for days, and other glitches resulted in hourslong waits in some branches.

Many lawmakers were upset when the BMV permanently closed 24 branches last year. Silverman said he did it to free up money and transfer employees to other branches to improve overall services, but no more closings were planned.

Democrats have called for Silverman to be fired.

"When you have a management problem, you change managers, so you ought to fire Silverman," Bauer said Wednesday.

House Democrats have criticized Daniels for privatizing parts of state government, especially his lease of the Indiana Toll Road to a private, foreign venture.

They have said in general that outsourcing often leads to state employee layoffs and poorer service because private companies are mostly concerned about making a profit.

House Republicans have a 52-48 majority, and both major state parties say control of the House is their top priority in the November election.

The car dealership that offers BMV title and registration services two days a week is in Rockport, about 20 miles east of Evansville. Those services are available to customers and the general public, said BMV spokesman Greg Cook.

A bank in Amboy -- about 50 miles north of Indianapolis -- also offers BMV services.

Silverman told a panel of lawmakers last week that the agency plans a pilot program at six more dealerships in which titles and registrations would be offered to people who purchase their vehicles there. He hopes to have the program in place by the end of this year, Cook said.

Services could be available at the dealerships because a new computer system gives the BMV the ability to control data input and accuracy, Silverman said.

But he does not want services provided at dealerships to go beyond titling and registrations because of security concerns and federal regulations. That means they will not be able to handle drivers licenses, state identification cards and other services.