In what it says is a response to feedback from the auto glass industry, LYNX Services has made two changes to the METRYX program. METRYX was rolled out earlier this year and has gone live on the internet this week (see glassBYTES August 5, 2005, METRYX™ Industry-Wide Auto Glass Service Provider Registry Launched).

According to a memo issued by LYNX and sent to Allstate Glass Claim Express Participants, the two "functional changes" relate to the request for driver's license information and the verification of information.

"We have feedback from some service providers that providing the full driver's license number causes some concerns for them and their technicians. Therefore, we have created a change in response to these concerns," the memo reads.

The change: full driver's license numbers are no longer required. Instead, companies are asked to provide the "last four alpha or numeric characters of the driver's license number. This change addresses the expressed concerns, yet will allow verification of data on matches of name and with a unique identifying number."

Industry talk had indicated a concern with regard to personal privacy laws about sharing identification information such as social security numbers and driver's license numbers. According to the Social Security Administration, states are no longer allowed to use a person's social security number as the state driver's license number, since President Bush signed into law the intelligence reform and terrorism prevention act of 2004 (public law public law 108-458).

Also changing is the glass shop's ability to change and update information in the registry.

"The glass service provider's authorized user may correct or modify at any time their company profile information submitted to the registry," according to the memo.

Both changes are effective immediately.