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Andrew Collier describes customer‑service, enforcement and privacy priorities as new DMV commissioner nominee
Summary
Andrew Collier, nominee for DMV commissioner, outlined his background as a state trooper and deputy commissioner, said he will prioritize simplifying DMV services and consistent enforcement, and affirmed adherence to existing privacy and immigrant‑data rules during a Senate Transportation hearing.
Andrew Collier, introduced to the Senate Transportation Committee as the commissioner nominee for the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, described his background in state policing and agency leadership and outlined customer‑service and enforcement priorities for the department.
Collier said he began his career as a state trooper in 2010, worked as a drug recognition expert and later served as deputy commissioner of the Department of Liquor and Lottery before taking the DMV role. “If I don’t understand it, no one else is going to understand it. And I just want to keep it simple,” Collier said when asked about improving DMV access and reducing bureaucratic friction.
On customer service, Collier said he intends to treat DMV as a retail‑style public service and reduce unnecessary barriers on the website and in office processes. He said the department will seek to publish licensing information more clearly — for example, making dealer certification lists public — and pursue periodic customer surveys to measure satisfaction.
On enforcement and safety, Collier said consistency matters. “You can’t enforce your way out of everything,” he said, adding that enforcement combined with education and consistent messaging is necessary to change driver behavior.
Committee members raised past concerns about DMV staff sharing immigration information and about whether front‑line staff welcome and assist non‑English speakers. Collier said DMV follows the state’s settlement agreement referenced in the discussion and will adhere to statutes and policies governing data sharing: “We hold people’s data…to the highest possible” standard, he said, and emphasized he has no intention of deviating from existing law.
Collier also described recent internal leadership choices: he said Matt Russo was appointed deputy commissioner after internal interviews and gubernatorial approval. He said DMV will continue efforts to reduce wait times, improve website content, and make services more frictionless for Vermonters. Collier told the committee he and DMV staff plan to visit field offices and seek feedback from local offices.
Committee members thanked Collier and indicated they would take a confirmation vote in the coming days; no vote was recorded during the hearing.
