Ed Bobit: We Need Uniform Title Laws

"In a society in which there is no law, and in theory no compulsion, the only arbiter of behavior is public opinion. But public opinion, because of the tremendous urge to conformity in gregarious animals, is less tolerant than any system of law. When human beings are governed by 'thou shalt not,' the individual can practice a certain amount of eccentricity: when they are supposedly governed by 'love' or 'reason,' he is under continuous pressure to make him behave exactly the same way as everyone else." George Orwell: Orwell Reader, edited by Richard H. Rovere, pp. 292-3. Politics vs. Literature.

One of the true mysteries in our business is the total lack of conformity in title laws for vehicles. The confusion and cost caused by no uniformity within our states on titles inflicts a severe hardship in doing business within the fleet area.

Some states such as Alabama and Kentucky do not have any 'title' laws at all; i.e. a law requiring that the owner of a vehicle have documentation proving ownership. Alabama also has no law requiring that a car be insured, nor an auto-inspection law.

What is more, you can obtain car titles in Alabama through the mail. As cited recently in the Wall Street Journal, the grand jury of Selma found that while Route 1 in Selma's postal zone (Dallas County) has but 447 mail boxes, there were 4,093 buyers of 1971 tags reportedly claimed in that stretch of road using the address.

The need for legislation of a national uniform title law is obvious. And there is now a ray of light that may lead to that end.

Lou Fazio, Butler Auto Auction's general manager, has long been active in supporting this kind of legislation. He reports that both the National Auto Auction Association and the Eastern Auto Auction Association have been interested, and they have met with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators who have allocated the project to the Highway Traffic Safety Technical Advisory Board of the American National Standard Institute. The Board, in turn, will work with the AAMVA and SAE committees with the same interests. They are tabbed as the D 19 and D 20 committees.

Their objectives appear admirable

1.      Develop standards in terminology.

2.      Develop standard procedures to establish ownership and security of interest.

3.      Develop standards for registration of commercial vehicles in multi-jurisdiction operations.

4.      Develop uniform records and documents compatible with data processing use.

5.      Develop uniform procedures for original, transfer and renewal registrations for motor vehicles.

6.      Develop registration procedures capable of accommodating vehicle inspection requirements.

7.      Develop registration procedures that will expedite efficient disposal of abandoned and derelict motor vehicles.

If you share our concern for the need of a uniform title law we suggest that you write directly to Mr. Herbert J. Aiken, Chairman, Model Vehicle Registration and Certificate of Owr ship Procedures, 1828 L Street, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036. It will help.