Pub. 1 2019-2020 Issue 1

22 AB 516 Is Here and DMVdesk is Ready Y ou may have heard, and you may be wondering if it’s true. AB 516, the long-awaited mandate requiring all vehicle dealers in California place temporary tags on newly sold autos before they leave the lot, went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2019. But did it really? Is that a hard deadline? Could the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) hand out a grace period? Well, those who have been living in the trenches of get- ting the word out to California dealerships and ensuring they are ready for the transition would like to address those questions in three simple ways. Yes, dealerships, there IS an AB 516 Contrary to anything you may be hearing, AB 516 is real, and it went into effect as soon as the clock switched over and we said goodbye to the last vestiges of 2018 and said, “Good morning!” to the reality of 2019. Yes, it’s an honest to goodness deadline DMVdesk and Vitu have been following the progress very closely from the DMV and they have said that the January 1 deadline is the real deal (refer to VIN Memo VIN 2018-20). If you don’t have a temporary plate on a motor vehicle leaving your lot as of January 1, 2019, you’re at risk of having your business shut down. No, AB 516 will not roll out slowly There is no grace period for this. The DMV has stated as much and it’s why DMVdesk and Vitu are ready to handle anything that comes its way in this new world. That includes making sure all of its partners are set up with the key ingredient for running temp tags, Virtual Reports of Sale (VROS). Vitu and DMVdesk have been onboarding hundreds of dealerships to ensure they don’t miss one minute of a sales day all because their First-Line Service Provider wasn’t ready to facilitate their needs. Not only that, but the RMP team is training any and everyone on the procedures and what AB 516 means for clerks in this new way of working. This way, all those responsible for running the temp tags understand the process and no one is at risk when the time comes. What to expect from DMVdesk It’s understandable there are these questions around the implementation and enforcement of AB 516. The reality has started to truly set in and many are worried they aren't ready and will lose their license. That means 2019 will begin with lost revenue at a notoriously slow time of year for new car dealers. DMVdesk wants to make sure that doesn’t happen to anyone and all of its support staff are set up to be there for any dealership in need not just on day one, but right now. Vitu and DMVdesk’s preparation started last year when the reality of AB 516 still seemed very distant. Kelly Kimball began spit balling ways to prepare our partners and ourselves for what was coming. A task force was cre- ated to divide and conquer addressing the various needs that would be arising from this “new normal” in vehicle selling. Everyone — the Dev team, Account Executives, RMP, Audit, Fulfillment, Support and beyond — rallied together to set up a system that was reliable and easy to understand and use. Beginning in early summer of 2018, our Account Executives on-boarded dealers onto Virtual Reports of Sale (VROS) — the key to issuing temp tags in 2019. The RMP team presents free, in-depth training courses for all California dealers preparing them for what to expect, how to handle it and answering any questions surrounding AB 516. As a matter of fact, as you’re reading this you’ve probably already ordered your first batch of Temp Tag paper, set up your printers, and we’ve shared how we’re helping you through any unforeseen circumstances. It’s all very exciting. Ready when you are, no matter what The truth is, DMVdesk was burning the midnight oil for most of 2018 so that when January 1, 2019 hit, you wouldn’t have to. So, yes, AB 516 is real and, yes, it is a hard deadline and no, DMVdesk won’t leave you in the dust. We’ve got you covered and that’s a promise. 3 Linda R. Morris, Writer at Vitu