The New York herald., 1921-08-01
AUTOMOBILE BUREAU
BEING .REORANIZED
No Appointments Of Special
Inspectors Will Be Made
Hereafter.
TO SIMPLIFY LICENSES
Tests for Applicants Not to
Involve Tedious Delays
Under New Plan.
TO SIMPLIFY LICENSES

ALBANY. July 31.-The newly created
State Tax Commission appointed
by Gov. Miller, OF which Walter w.
Law. Jr., is president is reorganiz-
ing the automobile bureau. Drastic
changes in the management Of the Of
flee have been put into effect, and others
are promised While some of these de-
cisions are general in scope they are, In
the main, applicable to the situation in
New York city, where the States does
the bulk of its business. Three out
standing features Of the changes are:
First-No appointments of special in
spectors are to be made. Use OF in
spectors' badges will be discontinued
and the State will save many thousands
of dollars yearly.
Second-System of providing special
license plates for cars is to be abolished
Next year no letters win appear on the
signs, but the numbers will be made
as high as they are required. Another
saving will be accomplished by this.
Third Shifts made in the staff and
combining certain classes of work will
make it possible to avoid the delay IN
obtaining operators and chauffeurs'
licenses at the New York city office
Since July /, when the Tax Depart
ment took over the various revenue pro-
ducing units OF the State, the commits
sioners have been busy with the problems
confronting the automobile bureau. 1t
was thought at the outset the bureau
could be operated at less expense, and
with this object in view it was decided
there was no use for the special inspec-
tors and by eliminating them the manu-
facture of the badges by the State could
be avoided. 1t was agreed to cut out
this expense.
After accomplishing this reform the
department next tackled the question OF
making license plates with serial num-
bers. All sorts of requests were made
for these plates and various reasons
were given by the applicant for the need
of them. When man was not sue
cessful in getting a low number of the
original series he invariably asked for
one of a series with letter attached,
be anxious to get O number because it
was the same as his telephone number
or house address.
1t has taken 4 great deal of time.
especially in New York city. to take
care of the requests for these special
plates. 1t also required the service
Of employees who could be more use
fully engaged. The commission decided
to put an end to the practice. Hereafter
Ile~e VIII De only one series.
The delay in obtaining licenses in
New York city has been perplexing for
some time. When Bert Lord took charge
OF the automobile bureau on July l he
Immediately went TO Manhattan TO
solve this problem. Ife heard complain
ing from persons VINO could not obtain
licenses when they wanted them. Lord
decided the system of issuing licenses
had to be changed. He set at work to
do this. Employees who We're taking
care of the special license plates were
placed in departments where they could
expedite the delivery OF the licenses.
More responsibility was placed on other
heads and the work was systematized
Within a short time better results were
being accomplished.
In sending out notices to applicants
to appear for a road test it was the
custom TO request all to be on hand al
A NJ. AS a result of this many had
to wait hours before Their turn came.
Now the applicants are being told TO
report at different hours during the day
and in this way the work is distributed
and more tests are made daily.