DMV has long line of excuses for delays

The official line is that the Department of Motor Vehicles is one of the most efficiently run government agencies in the state.

Before I go on, please allow me to beg you: Don't shoot the messenger.

Now if you are reading this after having spent an entire day winding through various lines at a DMV office, you are undoubtedly prepared to join my legion of "fans," such as the angry reader who likes to call me Road Monkey.

Believe me, I am not an apologist for the DMV, but with so many motorists waiting for hours to complete a seemingly menial task such as renewing driver's licenses or registering vehicles, I'll attempt to explain what is happening and how our state representatives hope to remedy the problem.

I haven't been subjected to the awful lines lately, but from what I understand from my spies, they make the E-ticket ride line at Disneyland look like the line at a Danny Bonaduce boxing match. The lines at DMV offices throughout the valley are so long that some residents must take vacation time to do their business.

What is happening at DMV offices can only be described as a perfect storm.

It started last year, when state lawmakers rejected the DMV's request to add 130 positions; 99 of those workers would have been "technicians," people I often refer to as crabby pants DMV clerks who act as if every day is the worst day of their lives.

This move makes me wonder if any of these elected policymakers ever stand in line themselves, whether their blood boils when they see DMV workers milling about or chatting or whether they are given special treatment. Certainly something for a later report.

In July, shortly after legislators decided not to approve those positions, DMV workers were forced to take one furlough day per month. These two developments, combined with regular sick leave and vacations, are why you see a third of the stations unattended during the offices' busiest times, which is pretty much every hour of every day.

That's bad enough, right? But wait, there's more. The state implemented two new programs that add additional paperwork and a healthy dose of confusion.

The first is the Advanced Secure Issuance card, which isn't mandatory yet. But the additional paperwork required from motorists opting for the Real ID card program has caused some snags.

Not that a trip to the DMV was ever smooth sailing, but you used to get through the information line where paperwork was skimmed over before you were issued a number and eventually sent to a technician, who approved the documents and the license. Then your photo was taken.

Now the technicians stationed at the information counter not only look over the paperwork but also enter data into a computer. After that process, they send you over to get your photograph taken -- and your photo is taken regardless of whether the license is ultimately approved.

Procedures were changed for security reasons, in part because 9/11 terrorists had multiple driver's licenses. The folks at DMV hope that anyone attempting to obtain a fraudulent identification might be scared off when they see their photo will be taken first rather than at the end when it's clear they've made it through without being nailed.

Once motorists finally visit the clerks' stations, they experience an additional delay. Earlier this month, the DMV launched a new program called Nevada Liability Insurance Validation Electronically (LIVE). Insurance information pops up on the screen and both the technician and the driver review it and make changes if necessary.

The program is designed to prevent motorists from acquiring insurance long enough to register their vehicles, then canceling it. Rather than receiving insurance updates from companies monthly, the DMV is notified immediately if an insurance policy expires or is canceled.

Motor vehicle officials believe the snags and confusion will eventually subside. They have also tinkered with the traditional process, creating two information lines -- one for driver's licenses and one for registration -- with the hopes they will spare some visitors a lengthy wait. DMV reps also emphasize that not everybody is required to visit an office to renew their license; it can by done by mail or online.

These folks realize they are the most hated state-run agency (their words, not mine). But before railing on them too much, consider this: Unlike other state agencies such as the welfare office or court system, the DMV deals with a massive amount of people. Essentially, it serves almost every resident between the age of 15 until death, which is the point you may think you're reaching by the time you get out of the place.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at 702-387-2904, or send an e-mail to roadwarrior@reviewjournal
.com. Please include your phone number.