By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – The brand new Wabash license branch located at 1679 N. Cass Street held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon. Kent Abernathy, Commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, drove all the up from Indianapolis to attend, make a short speech and help cut the ribbon with Wabash Mayor Scott Long and two branch employees.
Abernathy, who became the BMV’s Commissioner in February of 2015, told MiBash News that he has been to all 132 branches in his first year as commissioner. He added that for many residents, a trip to the license branch is one of the most personal, direct contacts they have with state government. Consequently, Abernathy said that it is very important to get every license branch just right – especially when it comes to convenience for customers. To that end, he explained that the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles takes the approach that they work for the citizens of the state of Indiana.
Over 12 million tortal transactions are done at BMVs all over the Hoosier state every year, with 36,000 coming from the Wabash’s license branch last year. While the state doesn’t open many brand-new license branches every year, the BMV Commissioner noted that three re-locations are scheduled for this year, include one this summer in Marion.
Commissioner Abernathy also talked about the BMV’s upcoming changes for 2017. These changes include a reduction or elimination of hundreds of fees and regulations, in addition to shrinking the number of ways to register a vehicle from 191 to 23. During his speech on Thursday, Abernathy finished by saying that licenses branches are especially important to the agency because it is “where it all happens.”
