What Should You Consider When Choosing a Low-Cost Interlock Provider?

For those advising individuals with restricted licenses, managing individuals in monitored populations, or coordinating the compliance of a commercial fleet of vehicles, the cost of an interlock is not just a matter of the monthly rate for the lease of the interlock. Rather, the total cost for a 12 month period of time with a restriction can differ by hundreds of dollars among providers.

Services of various providers offering interlock services will differ in terms of accuracy and completeness of reports generated, in terms of flexibility of scheduling service and calibration appointments, and in terms of frequency of violations not caused by a person returning to drinking after having a license restricted while it is under restriction. Therefore, when recommending services of providers offering interlock services to individuals with restricted licenses, to people monitored for drinking and to people in charge of vehicles of commercial fleets of such people, cost of services of various providers offering interlock services will not be the only factor to be taken into account.

Reading a quote on a like-for-like basis

Low Cost Interlock Sacramento providers are typically comparing the lease rate on their monthly fees. Since the lease rate is typically the least variable cost, the variation in full program cost will be primarily in the installation, calibration, missed appointments, lockout resets, and removal costs. Build out both quotes to full program cost using the same service frequency and program length to ensure a fair comparison.

Components to price separately

The fee for removal of the interlock device from your vehicle should be written down for you at the point of sale. If not, then that provider is hiding something from you in the rest of their relationship with you.

Certification status and the reporting chain

Make sure only state approved monitoring authority devices are installed to satisfy a restriction and review the current list of approved devices for monitoring authorities by brand and model (note, most providers have several approved and unapproved versions of seemingly identical devices).

How events reach the monitoring agency

What is the reporting chain to the monitoring authority for violations, etc.? How does the Interlock Provider report data to the monitoring authority? What is the turnaround time for such reports? Who at the Interlock Provider reviews and prepares reports for submission to the monitoring authority for violations, etc. As required by the terms of the client’s sentence/restriction. Preferably real time reporting via cellular network of lockout and/or failed retest (including rolling retest) to enable clients’ explanation of events to be deemed to be valid (i.e. Not to be a drinking event).

• Ask whether the provider distinguishes between a positive breath sample and an aborted or incomplete test in its reporting.
• Confirm who at the provider can be reached to explain a data log to an agency, and whether that person is local.
• Establish the process for submitting a client explanation or supporting documentation alongside a flagged event.

Service network density and appointment capacity

Typically within 60 days of the date of installation, a device must be re-calibrated. Missing a required service within the time frame for such service will result in a lockout event. The key factor is whether or not the provider can schedule a service within the required time frame, typically within business hours (8am to 5pm). It is easy to look up the address for a provider’s service center but finding out if they can provide service on short notice is far more important.

Testing capacity before you commit

Technicians of service centers are usually working alone and therefore can only service one location at a time. The technician is driving from location to location. This is the reason why clients with mobility issues, clients who work night shifts or who have several vehicles that are not driven on a regular basis need mobile service in the ignition interlock market, and a provider such as Low Cost Interlock Sacramento is worth shortlisting when that kind of scheduling flexibility is the deciding factor.

Device behavior and avoidable violations

The most disputed events are not drinking events but rather events that result in a reading but then go away in a few minutes on a retest. Such events are caused by mouthwash, certain medications, fermented foods, etc. Each interlock device handles such events differently which can result in a client having more compliance problems, etc. Than another client.

1. Confirm whether the unit prompts an automatic retest after a low positive rather than logging a single reading as a failure.
2. Check the rolling retest window and whether the alert allows enough time to pull over safely.
3. Ask whether a camera is required in your jurisdiction, and if so, how image quality performs in low light, since unusable images can themselves be treated as noncompliance.
4. Review the fuel cell type and the manufacturer’s stated drift rate, which affects false readings between calibrations.

Contract terms worth negotiating before installation

These are sometimes referred to as early termination fees, and set out the number of days’ notice that a client must give for termination of the early termination portion of the agreement. In practice, these are written as month to month agreements, and contain early termination language.

Points to settle up front

What are the terms around wiring damage at removal of the interlock and how much notice is required for removal of the interlock. If a client’s vehicle is to be sold or has been totally written off whilst they are still on a restriction what happens to their account. Can the provider transfer a device from one vehicle to another and if so what is the cost for such a transfer. These are terms and conditions that are rarely, if ever, advertised but can cause so many problems once a program is underway.