Kentucky’s Division of Driver Licensing supports state’s most prevalent profession with new online portal
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 22, 2017) – For years, Kentucky’s commercial drivers – who transport passengers, deliver products and provide heavy-equipment services – have faced the frustration of interrupting their personal and professional schedules to visit a circuit court clerk’s office, locate a post office or find a fax machine to submit commercial driver’s license (CDL) paperwork. However, that inconvenience ends today with the launch of My CDL: Kentucky CDL Document Portal, a new digital solution provided by Kentucky’s Division of Driver Licensing (DDL) to maximize efficiency and improve customer satisfaction.
“We are pleased to offer our 136,000 CDL customers a modernized, secure method to submit documents,” said John-Mark Hack, commissioner of the Department of Vehicle Regulation (DVR). “By submitting applications and self-certifications and uploading medical examiner’s certificates and waivers to the My CDL portal, commercial drivers will save time and money, receive document status updates electronically and remain on the road without disruption to their daily schedules.”
According to Census Bureau data compiled by National Public Radio, the most widespread occupation in Kentucky has belonged to truck, delivery and tractor drivers from 1988-2014. Kentucky’s DDL call center staff and commercial driver’s license section support these drivers on a daily basis.
“In April alone, our CDL section received almost 6,000 calls,” said Matt Cole, director of the Division of Driver Licensing. “This type of call volume caused us to pause and evaluate how to provide great service to our customers utilizing technology and available resources.”
My CDL offers several functions that will reduce the need for CDL holders and applicants to seek customer support. Last year, commercial drivers in Kentucky submitted 149,820 CDL applications, medical examiner’s certificates and self-certifications – all manually processed by state employees and federally funded temporary staff. In 2016, Kentucky was notified federal funds would no longer be issued for temporary CDL support staff, accelerating the need to manage an increased workload with a lighter workforce.
By accessing My CDL at mycdl.ky.gov, commercial drivers can now complete their CDL application and self-certification online and upload a picture of their medical examiner’s certificate and waiver from any smartphone, PC, laptop or tablet. Visitors to the site will initially be redirected to the Kentucky Business One Stop (KBOS) portal to create a KBOS account. Users will then gain admittance to the My CDL portal, where they can begin submitting CDL paperwork.
Each time a document is submitted, the My CDL user will receive an email confirmation. Within 10 days of submitting their paperwork, users will be alerted via email whether their reviewed documents meet federal guidelines or require further attention.
“Losing 12 support staff from the loss of federal funding had great potential to impact customer satisfaction, so we were determined to find a solution that would accommodate the needs of our CDL customers and our CDL staff,” said Cole. “The online portal, developed in-house at no cost by our IT department, provides commercial drivers the freedom to submit paperwork at their convenience anywhere they travel, reduces our manual processes and allows us more time to devote to customer support.”
The My CDL portal is the newest resource available on the DVR’s retooled website, drive.ky.gov, which provides online services for Kentucky motorists. Along with accessing My CDL via drive.ky.gov, CDL holders can also file trucking taxes, renew vehicle registrations, purchase temporary permits and perform additional functions electronically.
“The Department of Vehicle Regulation will continue to develop customer resources like My CDL to support the free flow of commerce and economic development in the Commonwealth,” said Hack.
CDL customers can view a tutorial for navigating My CDL: Kentucky CDL Document Portal at https://youtu.be/ASVTd3c48Uo and can access My CDL quick reference guides at http://bit.ly/2qc7xwK.
Stay current with services provided by the DVR at facebook.com/DriveKY.gov, twitter.com/drivekygov and drive.ky.gov.
