DMV officials reported today that an all-out, department-wide effort to lower the amount of time customers have to wait in line for service has paid off, with the latest statistics showing that the largest 91 offices have slashed average wait-times from almost an hour to just under 30 minutes.
"We're very pleased we've been so successful so quickly," said DMV Director Chon Gutierrez. "Governor Schwarzenegger made it top priority to improve service at the DMV and get wait-times down, and he gave us the tools to make it happen. The dedicated employees at the Department deserve a lot of credit for improving the way we do business. This is a real success story, and we're just getting started," he said.
"The results are impressive. The Santa Monica office went from a wait-time of 98 minutes in January to just under 20 at the end of July. San Francisco went from almost 52 minutes to under 23, South Sacramento went from 51 minutes to 15 minutes, and San Diego cut its average wait time by two thirds -- from 67 minutes to just over 22," he said.
Gutierrez explained that shortly after Governor Schwarzenegger took office, the Governor instructed Business, Transportation & Housing Secretary Sunne Wright McPeak to take the necessary actions to reduce customer wait-times and improve service at DMV. Secretary McPeak and Director Gutierrez scoured the DMV budget to identify savings and redirected enough funding to fill some 400 positions that had been lost due to the state hiring freeze. Hiring and training started in March, and the first technicians reported for work at the most impacted offices in March. The impact was almost immediate: Wait-times started to drop.
But adding more people wasn't the only answer.
"We created an 'Ignite' team consisting of our most experienced and enthusiastic people to help DMV offices implement more than 30 'best practices' and to provide a personal message of thanks to our employees for their hard work," said Gutierrez.
In a continuing effort to maximize gains on wait-times and line reductions, DMV is also testing software based machines that can dispense vehicle registration license plate tags and registration cards. These touch-screen kiosks allow customers to enter information from their registration renewal notices, pay their fees using cash, checks and credit cards, and within seconds complete their transactions.
DMV is testing the first machine at the Sacramento Broadway office and plans to install one in the Los Angeles office in the next few weeks to test reliability and customer acceptance. (One kiosk will also be set up at the California State Fair in Sacramento for the entire 18-day run of the event. DMV officials urge customers to bring their vehicle registration renewal notices to the Counties Building at the fair and give it a try.)
Secretary McPeak said the kiosk testing and wait-time reduction are only the latest examples of a re-energized DMV. "In the past nine months, this Department has made significant improvements so it's easier for Californians to access DMV services. The DMV's automated phone system has been upgraded, the number of people who can register their vehicles on the DMV Website has expanded, the $4 convenience fee was eliminated and businesses that file information with the department have seen reduced paperwork," she said.
Those who wish to register vehicles on the DMV Website or by using the Automated Telephone System can do so at www.dmv.ca.gov or by calling 888-921-1117. In fact, almost 77% of the state's drivers can now register electronically without having to provide paper proof of insurance. Some driver license renewal transactions can be handled by mail, as can other DMV services. Customers can also call 888-921-1117 to make appointments or 800-777-0133 for other questions.
