Fixed budgets precluded hiring more staff to address the volume. JeffCo InTouch Express Lane, an online motor-vehicle registration renewal program. Dubbed The Express Lane, the online renewal program is an extension of the county's JeffCo InTouch Web site and kiosk network. Alabama counties are tasked with collecting registration fees based on vehicle valuations set by the state.
Counties then take a commission to offset administrative costs.
With more than 650,000 motorists registered in the county, and more moving in each month, the traditional processing of tag renewals was placing a heavy burden on county staff. We needed to automate the renewal process somewhat, and the next logical step was to open it up to the Internet, which we feel is the future. Using BEA Systems' Tuxedo online transaction processor application, Openshaw Media Group was able to bridge the gap between the county's NT Web server and Unisys mainframe. A server-based kiosk manager application developed by Openshaw Media Group allows remote maintenance and administration of kiosks. A failure at one of the system's four kiosks sends an audible alarm to the county's network operations center.