The NCDMV will return to its regular hours soon, as Saturday was the last day the department will offer weekend hours for walk-ins.
The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles expanded walk-in services in June across 82 out of 115 statewide driver license offices in an effort to cut wait times and long lines. With this service, customers without an appointment would not have to wait until noon to be seen.
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But on the last Saturday of the offered services, the line at one Triangle office wrapped around the back of the building, leaving some without even the option to be seen.
Patricia Ellis arrived at the DMV office on Avent Ferry Road around 6:30 a.m., where she was one of the more than 300 people already standing in line.
“We are very frustrated,” said Ellis. “We are told that we are not guaranteed to be seen, no matter what number we are. I’m very frustrated having to wait, especially seeing elderly people, young people, all kinds of people waiting in line. People are sitting in chairs as if you’re at a lawn party.”
Some people even camped out before sunrise, even with the possibility of being turned away.
The loss of Saturday hours is disappointing to those who have made more than one attempt to get things done.
"I don't think that's a good idea because you see how many people are out here on the weekend. Imagine the weekdays," said Charles Johnson, a resident waiting in line. "A good solution would be is to build a bigger facility in a better location. Because this location inside a shopping center is real congested."
In a statement provided to WRAL News, the NCDOT said the following:
People are rightfully frustrated at our ability to meet the current demand. This summer, we added Saturday hours at an additional four offices to the previous 16 and increased the people we served by 80%. To do so, our employees volunteered to work overtime. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet that will fix our issues, but instead, it will take a combination of initiatives that allow more people to conduct business online while speeding up our processes at the office. NCDOT spokesperson
We know we are not where we need to be and we are committed to meeting the expectations of North Carolinians
Multiple state attempts to address DMV issues
North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek said in a news release that the NCDMV needs to focus more on improving its workforce situation — including staffing and personnel flexibility — to improve customer service.
Shortly after that release, an audit conducted and announced by Boliek’s office in early August gave new context to the department's challenges toward providing timely service to customers at driver's license offices.
He said creativity and innovation are needed to improve the customer experience at the NCDMV. The good news? “It can happen quickly,” he said.
“As part of the audit our team fanned out across the state of North Carolina and engaged [employees] in driver's license offices across the state," Boliek said.
“And guess what? They had some great ideas, they really know what they’re doing at the ground level and they have some fantastic ideas that we believe can help every single North Carolinian and help the DMV become more efficient.”
Never-ending lines outside buildings and outdated technology are two things Boliek said aren’t acceptable in a state with a booming population and growing economy.
While it’s unclear what the department plans to concretely do to shorten wait times, especially after the Saturday walk-in hours go away, Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins and DMV Commissioner Paul Tine said they are committed to addressing these issues and more outlined in the findings of the audit.
In a one-on-one interview with WRAL 5 On Your Side, newly appointed DMV Commissioner Paul Tine promised shorter wait times and fewer headaches for North Carolinians in need of DMV services.
“It’s going to get better,” he said. “I wouldn’t be in the job if I didn’t believe I could make a serious impact.”