License tab renewal coming to Cub Foods as kiosk pilot expands

Drivers soon can add license tabs to their grocery list if they shop at Cub Foods stores in the metro area.

Over the next few months, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) will install kiosks at 15 of the grocery store sites, allowing drivers to register vehicles in a process as simple as withdrawing money from an ATM or renting a movie from Redbox, said Tony Anderson, DVS director of operations.

"We are going to where customers shop to increase convenience" Anderson said. "They don't need to make a special trip."

The machines provided by Intellectual Technology Inc. come with step-by-step instructions that appear on a screen in English or Spanish. A voice-assisted option also is available.

Drivers can scan their renewal notice or enter their home address, license plate number or vehicle identification number, then follow the on-screen prompts. Drivers also must enter insurance information.

Kiosks will calculate the total due and add a $4.95 convenience fee. Drivers swiping a credit or debit card also will pay a 2.49% surcharge, the same additional fee imposed when using a credit card when renewing in-person at a DVS or deputy registrar's office, online or by mail. The machines don't accept cash.

When payment is complete, the kiosk spits out a receipt and prints new tabs.

"It's a very quick transaction," Anderson said. "By the time you pull out of the parking lot, your registration is updated."

Deputy registrar's offices near the kiosks will receive part of the fee collected to make up for a potential drop in business, Anderson said. The offices conduct business for the state, but in most cases are independently run. Two of those offices, Maplewood and Jordan, closed this year, saying reimbursements from the state were not covering expenses.

A change in state law two years ago paved the way for the self-service option. A pilot debuted this spring in South St. Paul and Rochester. DVS has processed 293 kiosk transactions so far, Anderson said.

DVS processes more than 5.6 million tab requests a year. Anderson isn't sure how many Minnesotans will use the kiosks, but even if they don't, DVS hopes the machines will serve as a reminder for people to renew, he said.

"We want people to use the right color sticker," Anderson said.

Transit mobility fair

The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority will put on a first-of-its-kind mobility fair to showcase how people with disabilities can use public transportation.

Agency representatives will demonstrate how seat belts for wheelchairs and scooters, lifts, and ramps allow accessibility to buses and vans at the fair from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Burnsville Transit Station, 100 E. Hwy. 13.

"The point of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is to remove barriers for mobility riders," MVTA spokesman Richard Crawford said. "Mobility riders are important to us. It can be intimidating to get on a bus, and this is a good opportunity to learn the ropes."

SouthWest Transit also is participating in the event, which allows for riders to offer feedback and suggestions for improvement.