Administration of vehicle registration law gives Secretary of State Hewlett name advertising as well as chance to do favors for taxpayers

(LEADS) computer in the State Armory in Springfield, which in turn is linked to the automobile department computer containing information on registrations, titles, and driver license records. If the information is not on the computer — and this can happen during renewal periods — an inquiry is relayed to the Secretary of State's inquiry section in the Centennial Building in Springfield where a staff of 16 works in shifts around the clock, seven days a week. Here also a Western Union teletype provides connections with the FBI and law enforcement agencies in other state- But delays in providing information during the peak renewal periods give concern to the Secretary of State, and a new system will be introduced 1975 that will reduce this delay and offer other advantages.

'Regi-titIe' conbines processing
The new system, known as "Regi-title," will combine registration and titling of vehicles as well as a new team approach to processing paperwork that will speed up production, reduce costs, and minimize human error by lessening the monotony that accompanies repetitive tasks. The new system is based on the fact that in addition to the annual renewals, about three million transfers and new issues of plates to newly acquired vehicles are handled during the year. Transfer applications (on trade-ins) or new applications are accompanied by applications for a certificate of title, showing ownership of the new or used vehicle. Twenty-four different forms are now used in registering and titling vehicles. The new system will use two forms, one for vehicles registered on a calendar year basis, one for vehicles registered for the fiscal year.

In the past, the variety of forms moved from station to station for checking with a considerable amount of "basket time." Under the new system, all the steps in processing an application (up to mailing the plates) will be performed by teams of 10, sitting along a table, screening applications and money orders or checks as they move to a computer-connected unit at the head of the table which will assign a number, key the check to the number, etc. Applications with errors or incomplete information will be pulled out and sent to a follow-up unit. A dozen teams are now applying the new concept.

Applications pulled out of the processing flow will be followed up with long distance phone calls during the evening hours (when taxpayers are at home and the State's WATS lines are little used) for missing information. Trial use indicates that errors can be corrected for 60 cents each compared to a standard cost of $3 for follow-up by letter. The office has been writing about 20,000 letters a month in the past.

New forms available in spring
The new system is now in the training stage for automobile department employees. They are said to welcome the new system because it introduces a team concept into what used to be a tedious process of checking a single entry in assembly line fashion. Later in the year workshops will be held for auto dealers who originate most of the transfer and title applications. The new forms themselves will not be available until spring.

When the new system is working properly, information on newly issued titles and license numbers will be almost instantly available 24 hours a day. This will eliminate the delays that now occur between the clerical processing and feeding the data into the computer, because computer input will be the final station at the team table.

'Regi-title' system, now being introduced, combines registration and titling, using team approach to speed work, cut costs

Illinois Issues/January 1975/23