Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Friday, October 9, 1998
Kokua Line
A company is faxing out fliers with the heading "Maui Motor Vehicle Registration with the cooperation of The Hawaii Judiciary," saying you can obtain your drivers license records from any state or your record and traffic abstract from Hawaii by phone. You just charge it to your Visa or MasterCard. It says the cost of a Hawaii driver abstract is $21.50. When you call the number on Oahu and on Maui, the recording says, "Welcome to DMV," making it sound like it's an official government agency. Can you find out more about this? Officials alerted about
vehicle registration firmNeither Maui County nor the state Judiciary is involved in any way, officials said. The Judiciary referred the matter to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs "for review of possible state and federal law violations."
DCCA's Office of Consumer Protection has opened an investigation, executive director Jo Ann Uchida said today.
Of concern are three potentially misleading statements in the fliers, said Michael Broderick, administrative director of the courts.
One is the name Maui Motor Vehicle Registration; another is the reference to the Judiciary. The third concern is the statement that "the cost of a Hawaii driver abstract is $21.50."
Traffic abstracts are public records of the District Courts which report convictions and pending and outstanding moving traffic violations.
The public can get copies directly from the District Courts for $7, Broderick said.
After being contacted by the Judiciary, the reference to the Hawaii Judiciary was removed, Chris Schaeffer, operations manager for Maui Motor Vehicle Registration, said yesterday.
"It was an error and we apologized," he said. "We didn't intend to phrase it that way."
He said the "error" was on 200 fliers faxed last week.
He insisted, however, the company had a right to use the name "Maui Motor Vehicle Registration" because it is legally registered with the state and does not say "Maui County."
Maui County officials say otherwise.
"The title of their company (DMV Express Service) and the name on their flier appear to be a violation of the (state) Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act," said Peter Lee, a deputy corporation counsel for Maui County.
That act states someone engages in a deceptive trade practice if he/she "1. Passes off goods or services as those of another. 2. Causes likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to the source, sponsorship, approval or certification of goods or services. 3. Causes likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding as to the affiliation, connection or association with or certification by another."
Lee said, "Clearly, this appears to be a violation of that law."
The county intends to send the company a "cease-and-desist letter," pending an investigation, he said.
"If they fail to do that, we will turn it over to the DCCA."
Carmelito Vila, manager of the County of Maui Division of Motor Vehicles, said he asked the corporation counsel to investigate when he received separate inquiries -- and copies of the flyer --from Kauai and Honolulu about a week and a half ago.
To people who turn left to go through the Chevron station at 11th and Harding avenues in Kaimuki to get on the H-1, instead of waiting at the traffic light. Auwe especially to the man driving a light-colored Altima Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 9. He cut into oncoming traffic, then turned left to go through the station. One second later, he would have hit a boy waiting to cross the street. Police need to post someone there, it's so dangerous. -- No name Auwe
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
