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MVA Electronic Vision Exam Certification System Helps Citizens Age 40+ Renew Driver's License Online

With August being "National Eye Exam Month" it seemed appropriate to highlight the award-winning Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration's (MVA) Electronic Vision Exam Certification System, a program that embraces the State of Maryland's customer service promise by enhancing the citizen-to-government experience.
 
Due to a statutory requirement, individuals age 40 and over must pass a vision screening test in order to renew their driver's license.  This legal requirement required these customers to either visit an MVA branch office or mail in their renewal form after visiting their vision provider, causing delay in receiving their new license.  
 
The MVA introduced the Electronic Certification System as a proactive effort to reduce branch walk in traffic and customer wait times. Through a public-private partnership between the MVA, the Maryland Optometric Association and NIC Maryland, the online service was developed so that vision providers could submit eye exam results directly to the MVA's Driver License System.  There is no cost to the eye care provider to sign up and use this service.
 
When vision providers use this system, the MVA's customers can renew their driver's license online or at a MVA kiosk and can skip the trip to the MVA.   The Online Vision Certification Service has been overwhelmingly successful and Maryland drivers, vision providers and state government all reap benefits from this program.  Since the launch of the service, 900 Maryland-licensed vision providers have enrolled to use the service and have submitted over 91,204 eye exam results to the MVA. 
 
This digital service improves customer service for MVA customers and vision provider's patients by providing a more convenient way to do business with the MVA.  It also improves the office efficiency for the vision providers and MVA offices by eliminating the paper renewal form process and reducing the amount of MVA branch walk-in traffic.    
MDA Pesticide Licensing and Certification: Businesses Prefer to Renew Online

The Maryland Department of Agriculture's (MDA) Pesticide Licensing and Certification  service continues to be the preferred method for businesses to renew their annual license.
 
Over 90 percent of renewals were completed online this renewal period, which ran through June 30. Prior to the online service, it could take up to three months to complete a renewal process. The online service has reduced processing time to five days resulting i n significant time savings, efficiency gains, and increasing overall customer satisfaction.
 
Feedback from the customer satisfaction survey included this review:  "This has been the easiest, hassle-free way in any state yet to re-certify my whole company for their renewals each year. Thank you!"
 
Businesses begin the online renewal process by entering their license number, license type, and the code provided by the MDA in the email or direct mail communication. Pesticide applicators, technicians, and consultants associated with the business are displayed for the user to provide the requested contact information and re-certification requirements. Once payment is made and approved by MDA Administration, the business license and applicator certificates are displayed for printing and can also be reprinted at any time from the online system.
 
A list of MDA approved re-certification courses, required for pesticide businesses and applicators to remain certified, are available online through a public search. 
 
The following public searches are also available through the online system:
  • Certified Pesticide Businesses
    Businesses providing pesticides or pest control services to the public
  • Certified Pesticide Applicators
    Individuals providing pesticides or pest control services to the public
  • Licensed Pesticide Dealers
    Businesses providing pesticides to other businesses
The MDA's Pesticide Licensing and Certification Renewal Service was developed at no charge for the Maryland Department of Agriculture by NIC Maryland, through a statewide enterprise self-funded eGovernment services contract with the State Department of Information Technology (DoIT). 



Speed Limit Feature Now Available to Boaters on AccessDNR App

Maryland Department of Natural Resources free mobile application AccessDNR, has a new feature to alert boaters of speed limits and zones on state waterways. The new service covers the Chesapeake Bay, coastal bays west of Ocean City, Potomac River and Deep Creek Lake.

Boaters can...
  • Search for speed zones by river system and zoom in to highlight an area of interest. 
  • Clicking on a shaded area of the map displays the appropriate state regulation.
  • View the type of speed restriction governing  an area.
  • Print a map or link the app to the GPS on their vessel to track their route and signal    when they are approaching a speed zone.
"Downloading and using this app raises boater awareness, enhances enjoyment and safety, and could even save boaters some money,"  Boating Services Director Mark O'Malley said. "Speeding tickets carry a fine of $85. This app, in comparison, is free."

Excessive speed and boat wakes were responsible for 56 accidents in 2016. Last year, the  Maryland Natural Resources Police issued 489 speeding tickets and written warnings.
The  AccessDNR app can be downloaded from the iPhone App Store or Google Play. It is the official app from the  Maryland Department of Natural Resources.






 

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Lan Pasek
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