Responding to State Specific Requirements
When the Florida and Georgia legislatures made sweeping changes to tow statutes in those southern states, Auto Data Direct (ADD) responded. The popular web-based service, known for its electronic certified notification letter tools and access to real-time registration and title data, modified its program to assist tow operators in meeting the new requirements.
In Florida, effective January 1, 2020, all towing companies, title companies who process tow liens, mechanic shops and body shops are required to send their notification letters for sale or lien through an approved third-party service. If your company is an Auto Data Direct (ADD) customer and already process letters through its DirectPost-Office (DPO) product, your business is all set. ADD has provided a high-quality, third party notification system recognized by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) since 2003!
When the Georgia legislature overhauled its rules, which became effective September 1, 2019, it required tow companies to send a notification letter developed by the Council of Magistrate Court Judges by certified mail or hand delivery. It included changes in the timeframe during which letters must be sent. And again, ADD responded by modifying its system and letters to meet the new requirements. As an added benefit, the Georgia Department of Revenue has designated ADD as its authorized vendor for motor vehicle records. For details on Georgia’s statute changes and information on ADD’s designation as an agent for records, visit dor.georgia.gov/abandoned-vehicles.
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 an easier 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, Missouri and Tennessee. Whether ADD has letters specific to a tow operator’s jurisdiction, its record access and letter services using custom forms are available either directly through an ADD account or through many tow management systems. ADD contracts with many top integrators to provide easy access to its record and letter tools.
ADD’S Suite of Online Tools Are a Game-Changer for Tow Companies
DPO is a tow operator’s best friend. It combines letter creation with state record searches to complete forms and send certified letters through the United States Postal Service without an aggravating trip to the Post Office!
As a compliment 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 from a jurisdiction, in real time. As already mentioned, the Georgia DOR has designated ADD as its official agent for records.
Using ADD’s National Title Pointer helps narrow down the search when the state of origin isn’t easily identified. The Title Pointer uses data provided directly from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) to find the most recent state of title. Once identified, ADD’s customers can search the real-time database if that state is available or send a good faith letter directly from their ADD account to the appropriate jurisdiction. The National Title Pointer report also meets state requirements that call for a NMVTIS vehicle history to be run on vehicles prior to processing notification letters, as is the case in Florida.
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, or if it was undeliverable. The DPO archive provided in an ADD account gives tow operators documented proof that notification requirements were followed if a question arises about whether the appropriate actions were taken to find the owner/lienholder prior to holding a public sale.
ADD is in the unique position of being the only NMVTIS history provider that is also a consolidator of JSI (junk, salvage and insurance) data for industry members, making both accessing a history and reporting data as easy as 1, 2, 3. For tow/wrecker operators who need to report junk or salvage vehicles to NMVTIS, ADD provides a solution from the same web-based account. Any entity that deals in more than five junk and salvage vehicles per year must provide specific vehicle information to the national database on at least a monthly basis. NMVTIS reporting applies to any vehicle a company parts out or crushes, or any vehicle for which a salvage certificate, a certificate of destruction or similar document is obtained. If a business has the right to sell or re-title, rebuild, restore or crush the vehicle, and it is a junk or salvage vehicle under the federal definition, it must be reported to NMVTIS.
ADD’s NMVTIS upload tools are designed to help businesses fulfill the reporting requirement quickly and easily. Two account types are available to suit any size business or upload volume. Full-service accounts include individual vehicle entry, batch vehicle entry using a spreadsheet and business-to-business processing which can be arranged with the customer’s IT staff, all for a low per-report fee. Basic-service accounts include no-cost individual entry and emailed confirmation receipts.
Learn More About ADD and Get Started Today!
ADD provides innovative tools every step of the way for tow operators focused on ensuring their business processes are efficient, accurate, and cost-effective, all backed by the friendliest, most knowledgeable customer service in the industry.
If your company already has an ADD account but is not using DPO, just click the orange DirectPost-Office icon in My Apps to begin processing your notification letters. If you are new to ADD, click on the sign-up button on its home page to take advantage of these valuable business tools. And, if you use the services of a tow management system, ask if you can access ADD services through your current provider.
ADD’s secure web-based system allows account holders to access services through any internet-capable device. The easy-to-use system is affordable and saves precious time and money when it comes to moving impounded vehicles through the required processes. With no contract or monthly fee, ADD allows its customers to pick and choose the services they need, when they need them.
For more information or to schedule on online demonstration and training class, or to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives, call 850-877- 8804 or email info@add123.com.
