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PostAug 17, 2007#26

Anyone with eyes can track a license plate number visually. Anyone with an RFID reader can track a license plate number via radio frequency. There's really no difference when you think about the initial concept.



Of course, if these RFID readers were placed as sensors throughout our infrastructure, networked together, and combined with software -- that could make a pretty interesting real-time tracking system.



But, that's now how it would start. It'd start out more innocuously, like as a means to pay tolls without stopping ala I-Pass in Illinois. Or as a means to help law enforcement better perform their jobs, because we all know this would be more effective than a bluebird. Then when we're hooked on out, they build out the more interesting stuff. You know, kind of like putting a frog in a lukewarm pot, and slowly turning up the heat. ;)
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PostAug 17, 2007#27

I thought this was interesting, and somewhat related to the topic:


Public votes with feet at various area license offices

By Jo Mannies

POST-DISPATCH POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

08/17/2007



Revenue up • Lions Club in Ferguson has office where income rose 50 percent in a year



Revenue down • Income at ex-state office in St. Louis is down a third since it went private



The Ferguson Lions Club runs a license office in a former exotic-pet store in a struggling part of town just north of Interstate 70. Even so, motorists from around the area are beating a path to its door.



In the past year, the office's income from processing drivers licenses and auto tags has risen 50 percent. That includes some corporate contracts to handle vehicle fleets, says office manager Terri House.



The extra profit has allowed the Lions Club to increase its college scholarships from $800 apiece to $1,000 and to spend more on eye screenings for area children, hearing tests for the elderly, youth programs and donations to food pantries.



Damir Huskic, who runs a license office on South Kingshighway in St. Louis, has fared far worse.



His office income has plummeted since 2005 by about a third — from $644,000 to just under $430,000.



Huskic, who declined to comment, operates one of the 11 formerly state-run offices that Gov. Matt Blunt has converted to privately run operations in the past two years.



Before their conversion, most of the 11 were among the state's busiest license offices. That's no longer the case.



In fact, the entire Missouri network of 183 privately run license offices has seen dramatic shifts in fortune since 2005 — and an overall drop in income.



Read more>>>


I used to go to the South Kingshighway office for my DMV transactions. After it went private, they reduced their staff by half, and the wait times and service deteriorated (not like they were great before). Since then, I've gone to City Hall for plates and renewals, and to Deer Creek to renew my drivers' license (the downtown office doesn't handle DL-related transactions). Both places are okay as far as DMV offices are concerned, as the employees are generally friendly and competent, but they get slammed frequently. (I'm guessing that maybe these offices are benefitting from the downturn in business at the South Kingshighway office?)



Just curious...does anyone know of another nearby DMV office that does a decent job but doesn't get quite as busy as City Hall or Deer Creek?
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PostAug 17, 2007#28

I've been to the small office in Clayton and I was the only one there. I've also used the office on N. Florrisant near UMSL - where they didn't ask for address verification for my driver's license.
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PostAug 17, 2007#29

Grover wrote:I've been to the small office in Clayton and I was the only one there.


In fairness, I was the only customer at the City Hall office a couple of times. But when I replaced my stolen plates a couple of weeks ago, I had a 35 minute wait. It seems like business at that office is feast or famine, and the former condition is to be expected given the number of people downtown during the workday. I can't complain about that, and the service there has always been as good as can be expected. I just think they might need more employees and definitely a larger space.



I may have to give the Clayton office a try in the future since it's close to school. I've heard from others that the service is decent there.
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PostAug 17, 2007#30

[rant]My experiences with the Missouri DMV are enough that I understand why people steal tags off of cars. Not saying it's right, but it takes so long to get something you need or need to return because you don't have the right information. Also, the safety inspection is a joke. I just got one done on my truck at Dobb's and they say I need new exhaust. I don't see what that has to do with safety at all. Hopefully I can find a place that doesn't see $$$ when you walk in.[/rant]
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PostAug 17, 2007#31

Grover wrote:I've been to the small office in Clayton and I was the only one there. I've also used the office on N. Florrisant near UMSL - where they didn't ask for address verification for my driver's license.
I think the most successful ones will be those that are the most lenient and do not follow proper procedures. When I obtained replacement tags yesterday in Bridgeton, I just told them my tags had been stolen and showed them my registration papers which are good through 2008. Contrary to the sign on the wall, There was no verification necessary that the tags had been stolen via a police report.



There is nothing stopping anyone from abusing this process and claiming tags had been stolen when they hadn't. I wonder if there are state controls to monitor unusual numbers of stolen tag claims by individuals?
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PostAug 17, 2007#32

The Clayton office is very good - it's busy first thing in the morning and at lunchtime, but at other times the line is usually quite short. The last few times I've renewed my plates there I've been in and out in less than 10 minutes. The people who work there are pleasant to deal with too.



The Triple-A office in the 3900 block of Lindell is also set up to do license and plate renewals. You don't have to be a Triple-A member to make use of it, but if you are a member you get a reduction on the agent fees.
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PostAug 17, 2007#33

Jump up and down in the middle of the street screaming "I am a mushroom cloud laying mother5ucker and you are going to pay!"
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PostAug 18, 2007#34

I lived in an apartment complex in Creve Coeur a number of years ago that had carports for the resident's cars. I'd gotten my new stickers and was going to put them on the night before they expired but it was raining, so I decided to wait until the next morning and put them on before I headed to work. When I got to my car the next morning, I had a $40 ticket on my windshield for not having current stickers on my vehicle! I contested, but it didn't do any good.



To stop a moving vehicle for not having current tags is one thing but it's just downright nasty to do what occurred above. When I get calls from policemen associations asking for donations, I think about that incident and tell them "No thanks."
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PostAug 19, 2007#35

:?: I thought a vehicle parked on private property didn't need to be licensed.
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