GLEN BURNIE, MD (September 27, 2021) – The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) has been honored with two service awards and a security award from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) for the agency’s work in innovative use of technology, improvement through efficiencies and fraud prevention and detection. The AAMVA Awards honors individuals, teams and organizations who have committed time and resources to safety initiatives, outstanding customer services, public affairs and consumer educational programs. “I am so proud of our entire MDOT MVA team for continuing to find new ways to effectively and efficiently serve Marylanders while maintaining premier customer service,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer. “The last 18 months brought unprecedented challenges that our team turned into opportunities to make the administration better.” The awards were presented during the 2021 AAMVA International Conference, which was held virtually due to the pandemic. During the conference, MDOT MVA Administrator Nizer was named the chair of the 2021-2022 AAMVA International Board of Directors. Nizer was appointed MDOT MVA Administrator and Governor Larry Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative in August 2015. She also serves a member of the AAMVA Region 1 Board and a member of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety. She received the AAMVA Chair Award for Excellence and Achievement in 2018. “AAMVA is a tremendous partner in our shared mission to promote highway safety, security and service, and I am proud that Chrissy Nizer will lead its Board of Directors in the coming year,” said Governor Hogan. “Chrissy’s selection as the AAMVA International chair is a testament to her leadership abilities, and a great source of pride for our state, MDOT MVA and its hard working employees.” “MDOT MVA’s achievements in promoting safety and delivering premiere customer service, efficiency and innovation reflect the priorities and standards of Chrissy Nizer,” MDOT Secretary Greg Slater said. “The awards MDOT MVA earned from AAMVA this year are the latest examples of Chrissy’s outstanding leadership and dedication. As chair of the AAMVA International Board, Chrissy will use those qualities to advance the association’s critical mission.” AAMVA is a nonprofit working to develop model programs in motor vehicle administration, law enforcement and highway safety. Founded in 1933, AAMVA serves North American motor vehicle and law enforcement agencies. The association’s mission – Safe Drivers, Safe Vehicles, Secure Identities, Saving Lives – guides its activities, resources and programs in driver licensing, vehicle titling and registration, motor carrier services, identity management and technology solutions. MDOT MVA’s trio of 2021 AAMVA awards focus on service and security. In the category of Improvement Through Efficiencies, AAMVA recognized MDOT MVA for its effort in streamlining processes by expanding online services for commercial driver’s license holders. In May 2020, MDOT MVA debuted the ability for CDL customers with a valid medical certificate on file to process a renewal, correction or duplicate product online or through a business kiosk, eliminating the need for those customers to come into a branch office. AAMVA’s Fraud Prevention and Detection Award praised MDOT MVA’s customer agents and dedicated investigators for their efforts to thwart a fraudulent military document scheme that spanned multiple states and exploited a benefit MDOT MVA offers for military service veterans. MDOT MVA’s Military Skills Test Waiver Program allows an exemption from the skills test for veterans whose military occupation involved operating a vehicle similar to a commercial vehicle. The investigation uncovered that CDL applicants were being accompanied by an individual in a U.S. military uniform and presenting counterfeit and/or suspicious documentation to establish the applicants’ eligibility for the Military Skills Test Waiver Program. In both the Regional and International Award categories, MDOT MVA received an Innovative Use of Technology award for its development and implementation of First Stop, an online tool that helps customers navigate the many online options available to them by creating a customize dashboard. This award recognizes jurisdictions that implement technology tools that directly enhance access to services or the service experience. For the last several years, MDOT MVA has encouraged customers to check if their transaction can be completed online before coming into a branch office. COVID-19 closures and limited appointments created an even greater need for more online services, and the development of First Stop provides customers with a direct route to all available eServices, making them easily accessible. “Congratulations to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration on their award-winning work,” said Mike Dixon, outgoing chair of the AAMVA International Board of Directors. “Their efforts exemplify the best of the AAMVA Community, representing constant customer service improvements and working to keep communities safer by recognizing and combatting fraud.” For a full list of the 2021 winners and more information about the AAMVA Awards, click here. ### | 
