DMV hopes added manpower cuts wait times

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles said it plans to boost manpower to reduce wait times so people don’t have to stand on line outside in the heat.

To help alleviate the long lines, the DMV is hiring for 75 positions, 63 of which are scheduled to staff Las Vegas offices. The target start date is Aug. 14.

DMV customer Cathy Bittinger has written to the agency about the wait times, citing her experience.

“At least put the lines indoors or someone will die this summer trying to get their driver’s license!,” she wrote. “I am forced to go in person this year to renew my driver’s license because I am turning 65.”

She is not the only one who says the DMV could be doing a better job.Some DMV customers at the North Decatur location, 7170 N. Decatur Blvd., voiced concerns about the matter but declined to give their full names.

Matt applied online to get a number, 116, going to the DMV site at 7:45 a.m. when the sign-ups became available.

“It’s convenient as long as you get on before 300 people. Otherwise, they cut it off,” he said. “You’ve got to be quick.”

He received updates on how soon he had to appear at the DMV office. As a resident for nearly 20 years, he was acquainted with the old system before cellphone alerts.

“It’s a lot nicer,” he said. “It used to be all day, spent here, just hanging out. So, this is definitely improved.”

John arrived at the DMV at 7:30 a.m. (the office opens at 8 a.m.) to get his number. Nearly two hours later, he was still sitting there, his number about to be called.

“It’s too slow; it could be faster,” he said, “The worst part? Wasting my time here at the DMV on my day off.”

John said there should be more locations and additional ways to address DMV matters online.

Kevin Malone, public information officer for the DMV, said the No. 1 complaint was “the waits, because the waits are very long right now. The reason why is a combination of factors. It boils down to supply and demand. We lost well over 100 positions during the recession, and since then, the demand for services has simply outstripped the supply.”

He reported that valley DMV offices handle roughly 1,100 customers per day, operating six days per week. In 2013, DMV records show, the four Las Vegas metro offices served 1,429,887 customers; the average wait time was 40 minutes.

The metro offices are at 7170 N. Decatur Blvd., 8250 W. Flamingo Road, 2701 E. Sahara Ave. and 1399 American Pacific Drive.

In 2014, records show the DMV served 1,734,367 customers, an increase of more than 304,000 customers. With that higher traffic, the average wait time doubled. For the first two months of 2015, the trend continued upward and so did the wait.

“We’re probably going to top 2 million people this year,” Malone said.

In March, the DMV made public a study, Wait Times at DMV: A Case of Supply and Demand, in which DMV director Troy Dillard addressed increased wait times.

“Many of our customers, especially those in our busier offices in Las Vegas and Reno, have been dealing with unprecedented wait times and the frustration level has been high. There are no words I can offer that will erase those frustrations. However, I believe our customers deserve an explanation as to why our wait times have increased so dramatically over the past several months,” he wrote.

As for the heat, Malone said staff members keep an eye on the temperature and will move the line inside if necessary. Staffers will also go outside, speak to those in line about their particular concerns and advise them how to accomplish their task online.

“The Henderson, Decatur and Flamingo offices have enough inside to accommodate the line,” Malone said. “When it gets hot outside, we do move the line inside. Sahara’s got a little less room, but most of the time, the line should be entirely inside at Sahara.”

He said there are no set criteria for determining when to move the line indoors; it is up to the manager’s discretion.

“And anyone who is disabled does not have to stand in line,” he said. “All of the offices have handicapped windows, and handicapped people do not have to wait in that line.”

For more information on the study titled Wait Times at DMV: A Case of Supply and Demand, visit tinyurl.com/nvdmvwaittimes.

To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.