LAS VEGAS SUN
The Department of Motor Vehicles
and Public Safety's troubled new
computer system has experienced
yet another glitch -- this time a
problem that could have resulted
in motorists paying for smog tests
that were not required.
Kevin Malone, spokesman for the
DMV, said the "minor software
problem" in the Genesis computer
system in September caused
notices to be sent out on
registration renewals, improperly
requiring some 1998 and 1999
automobiles to be smog-tested.
The problem has since been
corrected, Malone said
Nevada law requires smog tests
only on vehicles manufactured
after 1967 and on new models
starting with their third registration.
It is estimated that of the 160,000
registration renewals that went out
in the first few weeks in September
a couple thousand had messages
requiring newer model cars be
smog tested, Malone said.
"We got quite a few calls on it,"
Malone said. "We simply told
people to write a note on the
registration renewal form noting
that their cars are not required to
be smogged and then mail the
renewals to Carson City."
The glitch affected mostly 1998
model year cars that were
purchased as closeouts in 1998 at
the time the new 1999s were
coming out. Those cars would not
require smog tests until 2000.
However, 1998 models purchased
brand new in 1997 would be
required to be smogged for the
first time this year, their third year
of registration.
Malone said the DMV plans no
refunds for drivers who got the
unnecessary smog checks, which
cost about $20 in Southern
Nevada.
Malone said that based on the
high volume of calls and e-mails to
the DMV a large percentage of car
owners caught the computer error
and alerted the agency before
getting unnecessary smog checks.
The glitch is the latest in a string
of problems with the $35 million
DMV computer system that went
on line Sept. 7. The computer
errors have led to waits as long as
eight hours before a motorist could
get to a DMV clerk's window. Waits
reportedly are down to about two
hours now.
-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), October 20, 1999