Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Kodak Alaris has capability to help DMV with new REAL ID rollout

Kodak Alaris recently participated in a panel to see how the company could help motor vehicle bureaus meet REAL ID requirements.

Initiated after 9/11 and passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards.

Kodak Alaris joined executives from the states of Maryland and Ohio, as well as the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators on a Federal News Network panel discussion on Feb. 11. Highlights included the current status of the REAL ID rollout and successful workflows for processing required application documents.

Beginning Oct. 1 this year, the federal government will require a driver’s license, permit or ID card to be REAL ID compliant in order to board a domestic flight or enter military bases and certain federal facilities. REAL ID application requirements vary by state but all include documentation of legal name, birthdate, Social Security number and more.

“Everyone is in a little bit of a different place,” said Ian Grossman, vice president of member services and public affairs for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. “If you scanned all of the states you’d see different levels of implementation.”

Ohio, for example, uses a time-consuming process that requires clerks to manually review and verify documents to confirm authenticity. The state of Maryland uses a scanning process designed to recognize documents and look for specific information, Kodak Alaris officials noted.

“As public demand for REAL ID compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards continues to grow, motor vehicle offices are experiencing paperwork bottlenecks and a huge administrative burden,” said Kodak Alaris Public Sector Business Development Manager Kyle Cotner. “In the digital age, people expect efficiency and security. We need to make sure DMV staff have access to smart solutions that can streamline the REAL ID application process and improve the customer experience.”

Kodak Alaris and Integrated Document Technologies have developed a network-connected capture solution that sits at the front edge of the motor vehicle department’s process to allow “point-of-origin” capture and directly integrates into business systems to streamline processing of REAL ID applications.

The Infuse Smart Connected Scanning Solution provides real-time acknowledgment if an application is in compliance with requirements at the point of scanning, officials said. With the push of a button, all application documents, including a passport, can be fed, scanned and validated while the customer is onsite.

“In the digital age, people expect efficiency and security. We need to make sure DMV staff have access to smart solutions that can streamline the REAL ID application process and improve the customer experience,” Cotner said.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

Federal funding available to improve traffic safety

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is making nearly $30 million available to improve traffic safety in New York. The highway safety grant program will provide funds to local, state and not-for-profit agencies for projects that improve traffic safety and reduce deaths and serious injuries due to crashes.

The grants support enforcement initiatives, public education and information, research, traffic records, child passenger safety and community awareness projects.

“New York continues to lead the nation in highway safety initiatives, protecting motorists, passengers and pedestrians through strategic and innovative programs,” said Mark Schroeder, state Department of Motor Vehicles commissioner and GTSC chairman. “This funding will continue to advance our efforts by supporting unique and effective education and enforcement initiatives designed to save lives and keep New York’s roadways as safe as possible.”

The funding is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by the GTSC. Last year, $32.6 million was awarded to 550 projects that focused on three types of drive safety initiatives including $28.3 million for highway safety grants, $2.4 million for police traffic services and $1.9 million for child passenger safety.

The Finger Lakes region was awarded more than $636,000 in grant funding through the program last year. In 2018, the total number of crash fatalities statewide last year was the lowest on record.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer