State officials say the replacement for Minnesota’s troubled driver and vehicle registration system known as MNLARS seems to be off to a good start.
Driver and Vehicle Services spokeswoman Megan Leonard says agents for the new MNDrive system handled more than 21,600 transactions on Monday, the first day the system went live.
Leonard says no major problems were reported as customers conducted business online and in person.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division (DPS-DVS) launched the new vehicle services system along with a driver services system upgrade to FastDS on Nov. 16. MNDRIVE replaces the Minnesota License and Registration System (MNLARS) and provides an all-in-one system for DVS, deputy registrar and driver’s license agent office staff processing driver and vehicle services.
“Our business partners and customers deserve a system that meets their driver and vehicle service needs now and well into the future,” DPS-DVS Director Emma Corrie said in a released statement. “We launched MNDRIVE after months of hard work and collaboration, seeking intentional input from those who are now using the system to serve Minnesotans. The software used to develop MNDRIVE is tested and tried in several states and will better position us for future upgrades, evolving technology and customer needs.
Corrie added that the agency will listen to feedback from customers moving forward, and asks Minnesota residents to be patient with DPS-DVS staff as they adjust to the new system.
The state spent more than $100 million on MNLARS before eventually giving up on the troubled system. The Legislature directed the Department of Public Safety to replace it by the end of 2020.
