Motor Vehicles, Department of

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/22/08.

Mission

The NYS Department of Motor Vehicles is a customer-oriented agency whose employees and partners work together to promote traffic safety, protect consumers, provide information services and collect revenues for the benefit of the people of this state.

Budget Highlights

The Executive Budget recommends $363.2 million All Funds ($0 General Fund, $363.2 million Other Funds) for the Department of Motor Vehicles. This is an increase of $24.1 million All Funds ($0 General Fund, $24.1 million Other Funds) from the 2007-08 budget. This net change primarily reflects the addition of capital spending to accommodate the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), funding to implement the Internet Point Insurance Reduction Program (IPIRP), and other minor increases, net of some savings in non-personal services spending. The Executive Budget recommendation includes $32.1 million of Federal funds, a decrease of $1.2 million from the 2007-08 budget due to a projected decrease in grants to the Governor's Traffic Safety Commission.

The Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund, supported primarily by revenues from motor vehicle fees, highway use and motor fuel taxes, will fund $221.5 million, or 61 percent of DMV's budget. The balance is financed by Federal funds and special revenue funds supported by various fees and fines.

The Executive Budget recommends a staffing level of 2,943 FTEs for the Department of Motor Vehicles; an increase of 114 from the 2007-08 budget. This primarily reflects increased staffing needs for implementing WHTI.

Major budget actions include:

• Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: In 2008, the Federal Government's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will require all travelers to present a secure document, such as a passport or other document, or a combination of documents, that denote citizenship and identity when entering or departing the United States. DMV is planning to provide optional enhanced drivers licenses and non-driver photo identification cards to be designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as WHTI-compliant documents for land and sea travel border crossings. These enhanced documents will expedite border crossing by the inclusion of technology to facilitate scanning as well as include physical security features to guard against tampering. WHTI-complaint drivers licenses and non-driver photo identification cards will provide an efficient and convenient identification alternative to a passport or other documents for travelers to meet these new requirements. The additional cost for a WHTI-compliant license or non-driver ID card will be $20 per document. DMV plans to enhance customer service by hiring 110 FTE's to accommodate the additional WHTI customers, and it plans to enhance its anti-fraud initiative through the expanded use of photo comparison technology and through the purchase of additional identification authentication equipment. Costs for WHTI, including technology procurements, are projected to total $15.9 million in SFY 2008-09; DMV estimates the collection of $52.5 million in revenues in the program's first year of implementation, declining significantly thereafter as the initial wave of WHTI customers are processed for the optional license.

• Internet Point Insurance Reduction Program: DMV will establish a pilot program to study the use of the internet and other technologies as an effective tool in the delivery of the accident prevention course program. IPIRP will allow drivers to reduce the points on their licenses through successful completion of an Internet driver safety course. Program expenditures are projected to be $1.4 million in SFY 2008-09 and will be supported by dedicated revenues generated from course provider and course participant fees.

2008-09 Executive Budget — Agency Presentation
Motor Vehicles, Department of (PDF)