MERLIN Lives in Montana!
No, not the wizard of King Arthur's court! MERLIN is a revolutionary new computer-based approach to managing all of the motor vehicle registrations and drivers registrations for the Big Sky state. State of the art is an understatement!
The brain child of the Montana Motor Vehicle Division, MERLIN is the outward expression of their mission to "continuously strives for excellence in customer service." Standing for "Montana Enhanced Registration & Licensing Information Network," is a computerized approach to maintaining motor vehicle records of all kinds makes for a efficient and eventually cost-effective approach. While it won't roll out all at once, this spring MERLIN debuted it's new, efficient approach to managing new titles and their registration within Montana.
MERLIN is just one example of how the Montana Motor Vehicle Division is committed to streamlining and improving the services it provides to Montana residents. The project was approved by the state in 2003 and will cost an estimated $29 million over time. With nearly two million registered vehicles and over 160,000 drivers coming through the system each year, the cost per is fairly low.
Features of MERLIN that will make registering vehicles and drivers better and more efficient are the following online services available at the official Montana state website:
- Vehicle Registration Renewal Service - With MERLIN you will be able to register vehicles simply by keying in your vehicle registration by way of title number, vehicle identification number (VIN), or the vehicle number found on newer Montana titles.
- Appointment Scheduling Service - No more waiting in lines! Can you imagine it? Thanks to MERLIN, it's like magic because in certain driver exam stations in places like Billings, Bozeman, Helena and others listed on the site, you can actually make an appointment online to get a driver license!
- Driver History Records Service - For the first time online, MERLIN allows you and authorized businesses like insurance and freight companies to view driver record information online by proving their user information. All that you or an approved user has to do is enter the name, driver's number and driver's birth date of a driver to ascertain their driving record. Useful for dad's screening friends and dates, as well as companies that hire professional drivers! However, these secured online records don't show the following: Social Security number, addresses or former driver license numbers.
- Vehicle Search Service - This MERLIN function is a great tool to anyone who is considering buying a used vehicle, and it is open to businesses and to you. Instantly users can come by vehicle records such as who owns the vehicle, the title history, and other pertinent registration information.
That's just a taste of the magic that MERLIN can seemingly do. The future looks even brighter once motor vehicle and driving record information are linked into a common database which will autonomously update and cross-reference record changes across all affected records for increased consistency and far greater efficiency. Once the project is fully complete, the Motor Vehicle Division of Montana will be a model for the rest of the nation. And that's no magic trick, but rather through the ingenuity and hard work of your fellow Montanans.
