Early vehicle registration renewals improving ahead of summer PCS season

WIESBADEN, Germany - While an average of two days improvement on vehicle registration renewals compared to the same period last February and March may not seem like a lot, the steady shift to earlier renewals combined with several other new initiatives has U.S. Army in Europe and Africa motor vehicle registry officials optimistic about minimizing customer traffic and wait times this summer.

"Anyone who has dealt with statistics knows that numbers take time to shift," said Vic Baez-An, USAREUR-AF Registry of Motor Vehicles Operations Manager at Sembach Kaserne. "Although the mean has only moved up by two, that shift from renewals previously being done 20 days prior on average to 22 days out now in such a short time shows people are paying attention and getting after it."

Not only that, but Baez-An added that in the past, the average would shift negatively toward the summer months, "so instead of the average renewals being 22 days from expiration, it would only be 16 or 17. We're not seeing that this year, so the negative trend is staying flat, which makes it positive."

To help reduce the "summer surge" traditionally associated with vehicle registration during the peak PCS season, re-registration mailers started going out earlier this year: 90 days prior to license expiration .

The actual registration window remains at 75 days prior to expiration, due to host nation law and agreements.

"We still want people to get in and get their renewals done as soon as possible," said Baez-An. "Most of the garrisons are currently seeing low throughput, so now is the absolute best time to take advantage and get your renewal done before the summer rush. It's important to remember that the 75 days early keeps your same expiration date without losing time."

The earlier renewal notifications are only one initiative that's been implemented by a joint USAREUR-AF, Air Force and Installation Management Command-Europe operational planning team (OPT) to reduce customers and speed up processing at vehicle registration offices this summer.

The OPT also stood up pilot programs last month at USAG Bavaria, USAG Stuttgart and Kapuan Air Station to reduce the number of times the same customer needs to physically get in a queue and conduct an in-office transaction associated with getting new license plates issued.

The pilot program allows owners to pick up their vehicles without temp plates, take their car through inspection, and if they pass, only have to be seen once to get their permanent plates. This process, however, can only be done at installations where the VPC is co-located with the inspection station and registration office, to preclude driving a non-plated vehicle on public roads. Proof of insurance and other documentation are also required to pick up the vehicle without plates from the VPC.

Another successful initiative has been the installation of safety-kit vending machines at several inspection facilities. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service-provided machines have reduced the number of people being turned away for not having items such as first aid kits, warning triangles or safety vests, allowing them to purchase those on site and eliminating second visits. The vending machines had an immediate impact with nine potential inspection failures averted the first week of operation.

A planned effort to temporarily increase staffing at the vehicle registration offices this summer to help with customer throughput, however, is on hold and being re-evaluated for options in light of the current DoD hiring freeze.

Meanwhile, the joint OPT continues to meet weekly to address ways to improve the vehicle registration process and is also exploring an on-line registration system app that would also reduce in-office visits.

"This is a high-priority issue across the theater, and we are continuing to look at all of the options available to us to streamline the process ahead of the busy summer transition," said Tommy Mize, IMCOM-E Director. "While we are implementing incremental changes for immediate impacts to benefit our customers, we are also exploring long-term alternatives to align the service to the needs of our communities and improve quality of life."