Dash Pass might come back to Las Vegas DMV offices

CARSON CITY — Dash Pass, a remote line management system that allowed people to reserve a place in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles, could be making a comeback in Las Vegas.

DMV officials on Friday said they will test a new and hopefully improved Dash Pass system beginning next month in Reno. If all goes well, it could then be re-deployed in Las Vegas.

Dash Pass was rolled out about a year ago. It allowed people to log into the DMV website to get in line. The system would then text the number of people in line ahead of them to provide an approximate wait time so they could go about other business before arriving at the DMV.

But officials said too many people reserved a place in line and then didn't show up, clogging the system and causing delays. The remote access system was suspended at metropolitan DMV offices in July.

DMV spokesman Kevin Malone said Friday that a pilot project will allow appointments to be scheduled and remote check-ins, but people will have to physically check in at the office to verify they are there before they are called to a window. Appointments made via the website will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Customers who used remote check-in but aren't there when called will have to check in again at the counter and get a new place in line.

Those with set appointments will be asked to check in 10-15 minutes early. If they are more than 10 minutes late, their appointment will be canceled, Malone said.

The test program in Reno will run Nov. 2-Nov. 30.

"For the pilot project, we will allow customers to schedule appointments no more than two weeks out and not past Nov. 30. The two-week window is subject to change as the pilot progresses. Customers have to schedule at least 24 hours ahead of time; no same-day appointments," Malone said.

The program will then be assessed before any further decisions are made and whether to expand it to other locations, Malone said.

Long wait times at DMV offices in Las Vegas and Reno have been an ongoing problem for the agency and a headache for motorists who have had to endure hours in long lines. But DMV officials said they are making progress to ease the frustration.

Wait times at the busiest urban offices collectively have been cut by 65 percent since June, thanks to additional staff and more online transaction options, officials said.

Four offices in Las Vegas saw wait times drop by 61 percent, from 107 minutes on average to 42, the agency said. The Reno office saw an even bigger decline of 82 percent, from 126 minutes on average to 23.

"The new staff approved earlier this year have made a huge difference," said DMV Director Troy Dillard, who was set to retire after Friday. "We're keeping more windows open throughout the day. Some offices occasionally reach zero wait times during slower periods of the day."

Nevada lawmakers this year approved funding for 75 new DMV workers. Dillard said that since July 1 the department has trained more than 100 new and replacement employees who are now serving customers.

Dillard said that besides new staff, there was record use of alternate services, such as the "DMV in a Box" kiosks at various establishments statewide.

Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Find her on Twitter: @SandraChereb.