Testifying last week before the Virginia House Appropriations Committee, Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner D.B. Smit told skeptical delegates that the wave of service related problems that coincided with the closure of some of the DMV service centers this year was being addressed, with average wait times since February down nearly 50 percent (from 51 minutes to 26 minutes, about the same as September 2002).
However, Smit said there are still some significant service related problems in seven areas he labeled service hot spots four of which are in Northern Virginia.New managers have been installed at the Alexandria, Arlington, Tysons Corner and Woodbridge DMVs, as well as the addition of another district manager in Fairfax County (the growth of the county prompted DMV to create a new district within Fairfax).Current staffing is about the same as pre-layoff staffing in these offices, but wait times still exceed the norm.
The closing of 11 DMV service centers this year was part of an effort to address the Commonwealthês budget difficulties, but it created a political firestorm that led to a reopening of these offices, the restoration of Wednesday service hours, and rehiring of 272 full-time employees plus another 138 part-time wage employees.
Although Smit said that the DMV is now a leaner and more efficient organization, he noted that overall the DMV would be unable to staff itself at the same level as 2002 under the current funding. With the DMV asked to do the same or more with less money and staffing, this budget issue figures to be a major issue in the 2004 General Assembly.
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