I've provided some updates to our Virginia ELT site: VAeTitleLien.com including an updated FAQ page and some history about the ELT program in Virginia which I found interesting. (Doesn't everyone think ELT history is interesting?)
Cheers!
Image above is "kaleidoscope car" of a Chevrolet Stylemaster in Virginia by Ariel.
Earlier this month DDI travelled to California to visit with the Credit Union Bay Area Executive Coalition (CUBAEC). Over 20 California credit unions attended the event to learn about the mandatory California ELT program that requires participation from credit unions and other lenders by January 1, 2013. (Note, though, that the last sign up date is September 11, 2012.)
Jessica Shand shared briefly about the features of the California ELT program, how they are implemented in our ELT solution, Premier eTitleLien™, and the extra features we incorporate that would be of value to CA credit unions.
Jessica also shared about the national trends with ELT, as more states are implementing ELT programs (South Dakota, Maryland, Indiana, and Iowa all have plans to implement ELT in 2012) and requiring participation either directly (in addition to California, Florida and Georgia will both be requiring participation on January 1, 2013) or indirectly (South Dakota will stop printing titles with liens when their program goes live later this year).
Jessica concluded by discussing how customer service is very important to us and the various ways we try to make things simple and effective for our customers from the contract to training to ongoing assistance with any kind of lien or title issue.
We look forward to working with more California credit unions and other lenders.
Image above is from Golden Gate Bridge marks 75 years since opening against steep odds.
We will be participating in the Georgia Banker's Association (GBA) 2012 Annual Meeting in Asheville, NC on June 10-13. As part of our relationship with the GBA we will be on hand to answer questions about the newly signed legislation in Georgia making the Georgia Electronic Lien and Title program mandatory.
The mandatory legislation bill was signed into law on May 1, 2012. The bill begins requiring participation in ELT as of January 1, 2013, though it does allow for the Motor Vehicle Division to phase in the program.
DDI has been processing Georgia electronic titles since the beginning of the ELT program in July 2008.
Image above is of Chimney Rock State Park in Asheville, NC.
Image above is of Flags at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery from Raising Money for Flags for Cemetery.
We recently made a few changed to our Ohio ELT information site: OHelt.com including the addition of a FAQ page. One interesting point about electronic or non-printed titles:
I understand that titles are not automatically printed by the BMV after I release my lien. How does my customer get a printed title?Ohio uses the term "non-printed" to designate electronic titles. An owner should request a printed title in person from a county office. There is a fee as this request generates a replacement title.
Note that a "non-printed" title can be requested by anyone in Ohio: owner or lienholder. A paper title is not required for every transaction. For instance, Ohio answers the question "My title is an electronic title. How may I sell my vehicle to a dealer?" by explaining
The dealer can complete a BMV 3772 form to allow the transfer to or from a motor vehicle dealer. It has a provision for stating mileage and power of attorney.
Image above is an "Advertisement for the Army Press from the Cincinnati Type Foundry Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, about 1862" from the National Museum of American History at the Smithosonian.
We recently updated our Nebraska information site, NEelt.com, with some additional information about the Nebraska ELT program. Some of the questions from our FAQ page:
Are lenders required to participate in the Nebraska ELT program?
No. However, the state does not send paper titles with liens or other confirmation messages to non-ELT participants.
How do I sign up for the ELT program?
You need to complete the "ELT Lender Application" form. Find copies on etitlelien.com.
Are boats included in the ELT program?
Yes. The ELT program applies to anything titled by the DMV. See the Certificate of Title: Motorboat page.
Image above is Orange Kayak on a Nebraska Lake by boatbuilders.us.
Florida House Bill 1223 (CS/CS/HB 1223) titled Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles was implemented into law by the Florida legislature and Approved by the Governor on 4/27/2012. The bill changes the language of the Florida statues to require participation:
Section 22. Subsection (8) of section 319.24, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
319.24 Issuance in duplicate; delivery; liens and encumbrances.—
(8) Notwithstanding any requirements in this section or in s. 319.27 indicating that a lien on a motor vehicle or mobile home shall be noted on the face of the Florida certificate of title, if there are one or more liens or encumbrances on the motor vehicle or mobile home, the department shallmayelectronically transmit the lien to the first lienholder and notify the first lienholder of any additional liens. Subsequent lien satisfactions shallmaybe electronically transmitted to the department and mustshallinclude the name and address of the person or entity satisfying the lien.
and
Section 23. Subsection (7) is added to section 319.27, Florida Statutes, to read:
319.27 Notice of lien on motor vehicles or mobile homes; notation on certificate; recording of lien.—
(7) The department shall establish and administer an electronic titling program that requires the electronic recording of vehicle title information for new, transferred, and corrected certificates of title. Lienholders shall electronically transmit liens and lien satisfactions to the department in a format determined by the department. Individuals and lienholders who the department determines are not normally engaged in the business or practice of financing vehicles are exempt from the electronic titling requirement.
DDI attended a presentation by the Florida HSMV in May 2012. They made it clear that the law would be implemented on January 1, 2013 without a grace period. They have not yet released a list of exempt lenders but are unlikely to make exceptions for anyone normally engaged in lending. This requirement means that the HSMV will reject applications for liens from lenders who have not yet enrolled in the ELT program.
I'd like to encourage lenders not to wait until the end of the year to enroll. Florida does not charge an enrollment fee. The application process for ELT was taking 2-3 weeks, but has increased lately to 3-4 weeks because of the increase in applications to Florida.
For more information about our product, Premier eTitleLien™, and instructions on enrolling in Florida, please visit www.etitlelien.com.
Image above is Palm Tree decals from Dezign with a z.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be expanding their ELT program beginning July 1, 2012. The ELT program builds on the mandatory electronic lien filing program put in place July 1, 2010. We have been working with Wisconsin providing them input and feedback as they develop the specifications for their new goals.
From the Wisconsin DOT site:
Title to lien holder
Effective July 1, 2012, Wisconsin will become a title to lien holder state. Any title with a lien will be sent to the lien holder rather than the owner. Lien holders can choose to have either paper titles or electronic titles.
If a vehicle has multiple liens, the liens will be listed on titles in date order. The title will be delivered to the lien holder whose loan was listed first; however, each lender will have equal repossession rights to the vehicle. Each lender will continue to receive a Confirmation of Security Interest (Lien) Perfection notice.
Electronic titles
On July 1, 2012, Wisconsin will also become an electronic title state. When a lien is listed against a vehicle, lien holders are encouraged to receive titles electronically via electronic service provider. The advantage to electronic delivery is that, in these cases, Wisconsin would not be issuing a paper title to the lender/financial institution or owner of the vehicle until the lien is satisfied. WisDOT is currently developing methods for the delivery of titles electronically. Please check back within the coming weeks or sign up for our lender mailing list for continuing updates.
Our ELT solution, Premier eTitleLien™, already works well with the WI ELT program. These upcoming changes will help further improve Wisconsin Electronic Lien and Titles.
Image above is 2006 New Beetle cabrio convertible by Nathan Wells.
A great press release about our company and Premier eTitleLien™:
Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) Reports Record Growth in First Quarter 2012 and Announces Premier eTitleLien™'s New Look for Electronic Lien and Title (ELT)
Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) surpasses 1,800 customers and introduces a new look to Premier eTitleLien™, a cost-effective, user-friendly, solution for streamlining vehicle titling.
Lexington, SC, May 04, 2012 -- Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) has unveiled the most recent version of Premier eTitleLien™, which introduces users of the electronic titling software to a fresh new look complete with innovative, state-of-the-art features, exclusive to the system. This news comes as DDI has surpassed 1,800 customers, and achieved record sales growth during the first quarter of 2012. The month of March alone brought growth at a rate of 30% for DDI. Glenn Thames, President and CEO of DDI remarked, "The record growth experienced by DDI is a direct result of the personal commitment to customer service that DDI offers lenders by providing a secure, user-friendly, web-based application utilizing the latest technologies, while only charging for the transactions a customer actually processes, and never locking a lender into a contract."
Premier eTitleLien™ is a secure, web-based application which allows lienholders to participate in a state's ELT program and remain in complete control of their title portfolio. Premier eTitlieLien™ offers lienholders a wide array of value add features, including: VIN Inquiry, Lien Alert, generating customized State Forms, NADA and other valuations. Lienholders are able to manage vehicle titles electronically, and receive an electronic record of a lien in lieu of a paper title. With Premier eTitleLien™, lenders have access to their electronic records and the tools needed to streamline the titling process. DDI also offers solutions for complete title management, including paper title services.
The electronic titling program benefits motor vehicle agencies, lienholders, and vehicle owners. Motor vehicle agencies benefit by providing more timely data exchange, improving data accuracy, and reducing and controlling the use of secure forms. Electronic titling benefits lienholders by reducing mailing costs, reducing physical storage requirements, and deterring the inherent fraud associated with duplicate titles and paper title releases. Vehicle owners benefit by receiving clear titles upon the release of the lien of the electronic title.
"A newly added DDI customer insisted that it was the service she received during the selection process that set DDI apart from other ELT service providers and drove her to choose DDI." Thames adds,
"Serving over 1,800 customers nationwide is a tremendous achievement for DDI, and I am confident that this number will only accelerate as DDI strengthens its commitment to being the Premier ELT service provider in the nation, delivering the most effective ELT solution with the highest level of customer service."
Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) is a software technology company that provides electronic titling services and software solutions for lienholders in the United States. DDI now serves over 1,800 lenders throughout the US.
Image above is Luxury train Deccan Odyssey on tracks again with completely new look.
Dan Walters wrote an opinion piece for the Merced Sun-Star praising improvements at the CA DMV. "The DMV has become a model of consumer friendly service and the intelligent use of technology that seems to escape other agencies." He goes on to quote a February 24, 2012 article from the California Legislative Analyst's Office:
"Over the last 10 years," the report says, "DMV has made efforts to improve customer service and increase efficiency, so that customers have additional options for renewing their vehicle registration." In addition to access via home computers, the agency maintains self-service kiosks in its field offices, and has contracts with a number of private businesses for electronic transactions.
The LAO report cites the ability that auto dealers have to electronically handle vehicle registrations and titling transactions (through California's BPA program) as an example of direct cost savings and efficiency improvements. The report notes that registration renewals through business partners increased 18 percent over the previous year.
We are expecting similar efficiency gains as the ELT program becomes mandatory in January 2013. In addition to printing fewer paper titles, enforcing electronic transactions for titles with liens will help reduce fraud and save additional trips to DMV offices.
May all your DMV visits be pleasant!
The Georgia Bankers Association (GBA) published their May 11, 2012 edition of the GBA E-Bulletin today. In it, they notified newsletter readers of the newly passed and signed legislation mandating participation in Georgia's ELT program.
Legislation for mandatory Electronic Lien and Titling (ELT) in Georgia was signed by Gov. Nathan Deal earlier this month. Wording in the bill requires participation in the GA ELT program as of Jan. 1, 2013. No exceptions to the requirement are listed.
GBA is pleased to announce the renewal of GBA's endorsement of DDI as a GBA Strategic Partner and as GBA's preferred provider of ELT. If your bank makes any auto loans, you'll want to give Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI), a call.
DDI can help make compliance with the new law easy for your bank. DDI's Premier eTitleLien™ product allows banks to start electronic vehicle titling with the Georgia Department of Revenue with no upfront costs, support fees, software to install or monthly minimums. For more information about how Premier eTitleLien™ works, please contact Ann Gunning at 803.808.0117.
Image above is an unissued 1850s bank note from The Bank of Athens, Georgia.
From: Prospective Premier eTitleLien™ Customer
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 10:04 AM
To: Current Premier eTitleLien™ Customer
Subject: DDI (DMV)
Hello Mr. [Adams],
I was given your name and e-mail information as a reference from DDI (Decision Dynamics, Inc. Can you give me some of your thoughts regarding their program. If you could let me know what you like and dislike about them that would be very helpful. We do only auto loan is California.
I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate any comments you may have.
Regards,[Emily Baker]
[Community FCU]
[555-555-5555 x555]
From: Current Premier eTitleLien™ Customer
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 1:30 PM
To: Prospective Premier eTitleLien™ Customer
Subject: RE: DDI (DMV) Reference
Importance: High
Hello [Emily],
We have been using Decision Dynamics, Inc., [DDI Technology] since Fall 2010, and they are WONDERFUL! They have been very helpful in the set-up phase, their software/documentation is easy to follow, they offer training webinars, and their ongoing support is proactive. For our California registration they coordinated with the DMV so that any potential "speed bumps" were minimized. We are currently live in the five states where most of our members reside.
Further, their pricing structure is per-transaction based and there are no hidden fees, nor minimum usage requirements. At various times I have spoken with Ann Gunning (their CIO), Angela Younginer, and Jessica Shand -- each contact has exemplified their commitment to excellent customer service. Your e-Titling needs will be in good hands with DDI.
Best wishes,
[Thomas]
[Thomas Adams]
[Director of Finance]
[Another Community FCU]
Image above is a letter from Henri Matisse to a friend in Venice from henri-matisse.net.
South Dakota is on schedule to implement their new ELT program on July 1, 2012. DDI has been working with the South Dakota DMV providing input and feedback about their program, including sharing the recommendations on AllAboutTitles.com, the site we maintain as a resource for state DMVs.
So far the SD DMV has shared two drafts of their ELT specifications with us and it looks like a good program. The DMV has taken a lot of lender feedback into account. Some key points about the program as we understand it:
We will provide more details as the program rules are finalized.
Image above is Ft. Pierre, South Dakota: 4th of July Parade, 2002.