Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Ohio State Highway Patrol Receive National Awards

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), both divisions of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, recently received awards from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) for their outstanding service.

AAMVA’s awards foster a tradition of excellence in the motor vehicle and law enforcement community. The awards allow AAMVA to honor individuals, teams, and organizations who have committed their time and resources to safety initiatives, outstanding customer service, and public affairs and consumer education programs throughout North America. Awards are presented in the following categories:

  • Service
  • Safety
  • Security
  • Public Affairs and Consumer Education

Ohio BMV was awarded the Customer Convenience Award for their “Get in Line, Online” virtual queuing system, which allows a customer to secure a spot in line at the agency without actually being physically present. Once customers arrive to check-in, they move to the front of the line with minimal wait time.

“InnovateOhio and the Ohio BMV collaborated on the ‘Get in Line, Online’ system with the goal of using technology to improve customer service,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who leads InnovateOhio. “This award is a recognition that we are on our way to making Ohio the most innovative and creative state in the Midwest.”

Ohio BMV also received the Improvement through Efficiencies Award for their Vehicle Registration Process Improvements. The Ohio BMV found that there were continued delays in the vehicle registration process due to forms being returned without a signature. To ensure customers were getting their vehicle registration in time, without error, they moved the mandatory signature line to the front of the form. Since making this change, the delays have dropped significantly.

The Ohio BMV has strived to use innovation to make services more convenient,” said Ohio BMV Registrar Charles Norman. “We are honored to receive these prestigious national awards recognizing our efforts to enhance and improve the overall customer experience.”

Ohio State Highway Patrol received the Fraud Prevention and Detection Award – Law Enforcement Agency for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Vehicle Theft & Fraud Unit. The unit initiated a program with the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association to establish a method to combat auto title fraud across Ohio. This program was specifically designed to target those engaged in cloning stolen motor vehicles as well as those using fraudulent titles to remove active liens from vehicle titles. Since the program was initiated, investigators have received dozens of phone calls from various clerks across Ohio, many of which have led to the recovery of stolen vehicles and the arrest of those involved. The unit has also earned the International Fraud Prevention and Detection Award – Law Enforcement Agency.

“The Patrol is proud to partner with the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association to combat auto title fraud across Ohio,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent. “The opportunity for troopers to provide training to the clerks of courts is valuable to Ohio’s front line defense in title fraud, leading to the recovery of stolen vehicles and the arrest of those involved.”