News

One of the most time-consuming and potentially costly challenges for the towing industry is finding the owners and lien holders for towed vehicles that remain unclaimed. For those vehicles, obtaining timely information for notification of lien can be frustrating at best. That’s why ADD has been hard at work on behalf of our customers to provide access to multiple state DMV databases that help you get traction to complete the notification process.

For R.C. Hill, owner of R.C. Hill Mitsubishi in Deland, Florida, a new tool for automobile dealers has already proven effective for after-hours shoppers. Hill is the owner of a Florida dealership currently testing a new product from Auto Data Direct (ADD) that utilizes a Quick Response Code on a scannable sticker affixed to the car. The sticker allows the consumer to access key vehicle data, even when the dealership is closed.

How do I issue a Temporary Metal Plate Transfer? What if a customer decides not to purchase the vehicle after a completed transfer? Can you still print a temporary tag if the customer has a metal plate to transfer? Do you still have to do the transfer paperwork at the tag office? ADD’s wonderful customer service staff answers some common questions about ADDTag’s newest dealer tool.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) has completed the rule-writing process regarding temporary metal plate transfers and in doing so, has made significant changes to the requirements regarding the Electronic Temporary Registration (ETR) System as a whole. ADDTag will assist dealers in complying with the following requirement:

ADD recently attended a presentation given by Katherine Armstrong, a senior Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Attorney at a seminar held by the Automotive Industry Center for Excellence in St. Petersburg, Fl. During this presentation elements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FACT Act), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (also known as the Dodd-Frank Bill) were discussed. The following is a brief overview of the Risk-Based Pricing Rule which may affect you.

ADD is pleased to announce the addition of nine new states for motor vehicle inquiries. These new state records are available to _qualified entities_. To begin an inquiry in one of the new states, start under the New Query tab and simply click the state dropdown box to see a list of states in which your company qualifies for access. Companies who do not currently have motor vehicle inquiry access and meet both the DPPA and individual state requirements can gain access logging in to your ADD account, clicking the New Query tab and following the on-screen prompts. The state inquiry fees vary depending on the state charges, and many states charge for incorrect entries or records not found, so it is important to verify the VIN or tag number before submitting a query.

For many years, Florida tax collectors have had the ability to provide a motor vehicle record to qualified entities without collecting a statutorily mandated 50-cent fee (320.05 FS). Businesses, including Auto Data Direct and its customers, have benefited from this because several tax collectors opted not to collect the 50-cent fee. In its need for additional revenue, the Florida Legislature has closed this loophole effective January 1, 2011. Due in part to the ratification of this legislation requiring the collection of a fee on each inquiry, many counties are turning off their Tag Talk call-in inquiry systems, as most Tag Talk systems are not designed to allow the collection of fees.

Collision Management, an industry leader in tow management software, and Auto Data Direct, Inc.(ADD) the leader in web-based mail and certified mail applications, have teamed up to provide a fully automated electronic management system for the tow industry. Starting from the dispatch call, to billing, to impounded vehicle certified mail notifications, vehicle storage facility (VSF) owners, and tow operators have new tools at their disposal to allow them to complete their administrative processes quickly and efficiently.

NMVTIS compliance audits have begun in conjunction with the CARS program, and the Department of Justice has mailed out thousands of letters explaining the mandatory reporting requirements for businesses that handle junk, salvage and total loss vehicles. Learn how to verify your compliance, and make sure your NMVTIS reports being received by the national database.

Using a single source to access motor vehicle inquiry information from multiple states can streamline business processes and help keep costs low, which is why ADD is working to expand its real-time state motor vehicle inquiries across the southeast and beyond. ADD currently offers tow companies access to motor vehicle inquiries for Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and New York. Within the next few weeks, North Carolina, Tennessee and New Mexico will be available. By the end of the year, we hope to have South Carolina, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Virginia available as well. If your towing company currently has real-time inquiry access through ADD, no additional paperwork or account agreement is required to pull vehicle inquiries from the new states.