News in 2019

The 2019 Legislative sessions in Florida and Georgia brought substantial change to tow and wrecker operators in those states. Auto Data Direct has the industry covered when it comes to meeting these new state regulations!

In Florida the notification process is changing with the passing of HB 431. Effective January 1, 2020, all Florida towing companies and auto repair/service facilities are required to send their notification letters through an approved third-party service. Additionally, the third party provider (ADD) will be required to set up and maintain a publicly available website that allows owners, registrants, lienholders and insurance companies to search for notices.

Georgia’s HB 307 resulted in a major overhaul to the towing statute. Tow companies must send the notification letter developed by the Council of Magistrate Court Judges by certified mail or hand delivery. There are also changes in the time frame during which letters must be sent. The first letter is required to be sent within the first 5 days of impound, but the second letter can be sent 15 days after impounding. Again, Georgia tow and wrecker operators currently using ADD’s DPO service are ahead of the game! ADD modifies its system and letters to meet new requirements as they are implemented by the state.

For those who aren’t familiar with ADD’s DirectPost-Office (DPO) certified mail product, it was launched in 2003 to provide Florida towing companies a simple way to send notification letters to owners, lienholders and insurers by creating certified mail and inserting the letters into the USPS mail stream electronically. Since then, DPO has expanded its letter services for towing operators in Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Tennessee.

As a complement to DPO, ADD’s multi-state real-time motor vehicle records save time, money, and frustration when it comes to getting notification letters out in a timely manner. Coined DMV123, ADD’s most sought after service allows its customers who qualify under the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) to search through its secure system using a VIN and immediately retrieve the most current record available in real time. Currently ADD offers tow and wrecker operators access to more state databases than any other company of its kind.

Once a vehicle is towed and the record is accessed, DPO allows the data to be merged into the appropriate form, saving keystrokes and ensuring accuracy. Once the letter is electronically submitted to the mail stream, DPO allows for tracking the certified letter every step of the way providing details on when the letter(s) was received and by whom, or if it was undeliverable.

If you’re not using DPO, just click the orange DirectPost-Office icon in My Apps to begin processing your notification letters

As always, we’re dedicated to bringing innovative and cost-effective solutions to help the towing, mechanic and body shop industries with notification requirements. For more information about DirectPost-Office, email info@add123.com or call one of our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives at 855-300-3455 . Se habla español.