DMV, AAA in Fairfield, New Haven Counties Fail to Reach Agreement on Services for Non-Members

The state Department of Motor Vehicles and AAA Northeast could not reach a deal for AAA in Fairfield and New Haven counties to continue licensing and ID card renewal services for non-members after Dec. 31, according to the state DMV.

DMV officials said the agency has been in talks with the AAA franchise since it notified the state it would stop serving the general public and serve members only as of 2017.

AAA Allied, which serves Hartford, Middlesex, New London, Tolland and Windham counties, will continue to service all residents.

“The Department’s responsibility is first and foremost to the general public. We need to maintain service levels while controlling costs. As such, we cannot subsidize a private organization’s provision of DMV services if that organization is not willing to find ways to serve the general public,” DMV Commissioner Michael Bzdyra said in a statement.

He added that he hopes AAA Northeast will re-consider its proposals.

In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, AAA Northeast said:

"AAA Northeast remains committed to working with state officials to extend the DMV program in AAA offices into 2017 and well beyond.  AAA has shouldered labor and other costs related to the program, which approached $1 million annually, since its inception in 2001. We remain willing to reimburse the state for an equitable portion of the additional expenses necessary to make the program work, though to date, those additional expenses have been somewhat of a moving target."

The remainder of Connecticut is served by AAA Club Alliance, with local headquarters in West Hartford, and it will continue to provide services to all members of the general public throughout its eight offices around the state, which are in Avon, Cromwell, Enfield, Manchester, Old Saybrook, Plainville, Waterford and West Hartford, Karen Christiana, general manager of AAA Club Alliance, said in a statement.

In October the DMV served the Fairfield and New Haven county AAA with a notice of default.

AAA Northeast offices are located at:

  • Branford: 143 Cedar St.
  • Danbury: 93 Lake Ave.
  • Fairfield: 1201 Kings Highway 
  • Hamden: 2276 Whitney Ave.
  • Milford: 827 Bridgeport Ave.
  • Norwalk: 495 Westport Ave.
  • Stamford: 1101 High Ridge Road
  • Waterbury: 835 Wolcott St.
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