JANUARY 8, 2008

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land today announced that commercial driver license (CDL) applicants will take their test on a touch-screen kiosk rather than on paper in several branch offices.

The automated systems, funded by a $450,000 federal grant, provide applicants with immediate test results. They also eliminate the need for branch employees to correct the tests, giving them more time to assist other customers.

"Our drive to deliver cutting-edge conveniences never stops," Land said. "Moving to a paperless CDL test provides applicants with a more effective learning tool. It's also more efficient for the department. We're excited about this latest addition to our impressive list of modern services."

More than 100 systems are in 29 PLUS offices and SUPER!Centers. Land will explore expanding the program to other offices depending on available grant funding.

Benefits include:

• Test questions and answers that are scrambled to prevent cheating.
• Eliminating paper printouts for greater efficiency.
• Immediate test feedback for applicants. A green light indicates which questions were answered correctly and a red light shows the ones that were not.
• Maintaining the privacy of test results. Applicants learn their results at the kiosk rather than at the counter.
• Reducing the time that branch employees must spend with an applicant by about 13 minutes, which is time they can devote to other customers.

Employees queue up the test for applicants and can monitor it from a separate workstation.

A CDL is required for residents who operate a vehicle having a certain recommended maximum total weight, one that is designed to transport 16 or more people, or a vehicle that carries hazardous materials.

Visit www.Michigan.gov/sos for more information on CDL requirements or Department of State services.

Offices with the kiosks are below:

• Central Wayne County PLUS
• Delta County PLUS
• Clinton Twp. SUPER!Center
• Livonia Area SUPER!Center
• Detroit-East PLUS
• Montcalm County PLUS
• Flint Area SUPER!Center
• Kalamazoo County PLUS
• Lansing Area PLUS
• Grand Rapids Area SUPER!Center
• Grand Traverse County PLUS
• Lapeer County PLUS
• North Macomb County PLUS
• Northeast Wayne County PLUS
• Northwest Berrien County PLUS
• Northwest Detroit PLUS
• Oakland County SUPER!Center
• Sanilac County PLUS
• South Kalamazoo County PLUS
• Southeast Berrien County PLUS
• Southeast Macomb County PLUS
• Southeast Oakland County PLUS
• Southeast Wayne County PLUS
• Southwest Oakland County PLUS
• Southwest Wayne County PLUS
• Tuscola County PLUS
• Van Buren County PLUS
• Washtenaw County PLUS
• West Wayne County PLUS