Michael Garvey, founder of License Monitor Inc. (LMI), determined there was a need for pertinent employee driver license information after witnessing first-hand the devastating effects caused by many improperly licensed motor vehicle operators. Statistics show that drivers with numerous moving violations are three times as likely to get involved in accidents that result in fatalities or serious injury. Also, close to 75 percent of drivers who have a license suspended or revoked continue to drive. Michael’s goal was to convert driver license data into an effective, time-saving management tool to help employers manage drivers, develop programs to improve driver performance, and reduce the number of traffic accidents and the injuries that result from them.

Michael developed a patented software application that provides employers with real-time records of employee driver license activity. His license monitor application gives companies a way to mitigate this risk. When he needed help developing a strategic and tactical business plan in the late 90s, Michael consulted business advisor Jerry Kobre at the Westchester SBDC. His business plan, which ultimately won a national business plan competition at Notre Dame University, identified market potential, set clear strategies for reaching the marketplace, and identified resources needed for implementation.

License Monitor represents a revolutionary shift in the way motor vehicle records (also known as driver histories) are accessed, analyzed and utilized. Instead of checking a record once a year and not knowing about the driver’s activities for twelve months, License Monitor pro-actively monitors and notifies an employer of all activity, convictions, suspensions, DWIs, etc, on a driver’s license as soon as it happens. License Monitor’s technology makes Department of Motor Vehicle information useable, as evidenced by the fact that numerous state agencies, authorities and municipalities purchase reports from License Monitor.

As his business grew, Michael Garvey returned to the SBDC several times for assistance and financing. In recent years, he was offered, considered and turned down a multi-million dollar deal to purchase the company. License Monitor Inc.’s customers include the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), Con Edison, Keyspan, Cablevision, Eastman Kodak, Anheuser Busch, Time Warner Cable, and many other smaller private and public organizations. License Monitor was the New York SBDC’s “High Tech Company of the Year” in 2002.