Kentucky's 40-year-old vehicle information system crashed Monday morning after an attempted update, halting all new registrations, transfers and titling at county clerks' offices throughout the state.
Boone County Clerk Justin Crigler said the Automated Vehicle Information System (AVIS) — part of a state digital infrastructure he described as "antiquated" — had been glitchy and unreliable since at least July 7. Its crash on Monday forced Boone County to close both of its auto departments for the day.
Crigler said he and other county clerks had been in constant contact with Frankfort throughout the day but didn’t know when AVIS would be repaired. Neither did the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
“Our team of programmers is working diligently to identify the issue and restore service as soon as possible,” said Department of Vehicle Registration Commissioner Matt Cole in a news release.
In the meantime, Boone County auto department workers warned drivers about the crash and accepted some paperwork in person with the intention of processing it later.
“We’re doing everything we can,” Crigler said.
Other auto departments, like those in Kenton and Campbell counties, stayed open despite the crash. Workers in Kenton County remained available to “proofread” paperwork brought to them, ensuring drivers have the correct documents and are ready to return when AVIS is fixed.
