PD Editorial: DMV lines are no laughing matter

Long lines at DMV offices are a staple of late-night comedy.

But there's nothing funny about the insane delays in recent weeks, with people saying they have waited nine hours or more to renew license, register cars and conduct other routine business at the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

DMV blames the long waits on heavy demand for Real IDs – the new, secure drivers licenses that will be required to board airplanes by the end of 2020.

You must go in person to DMV to apply for your new licenses. In a state with 40 million people, and 26 million licensed drivers, some delays were inevitable.

But the state had 12 years to prepare. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005, acting on a recommendation of a post-9/11 commission.

Moreover, the new air travel rules originally were scheduled to take effect in January. Federal authorities pushed the effective date back to October 2020 because several states - California among them - were slow to offer Real ID-compliant licenses and identification cards.

When the new licenses finally became available in California early this year, long lines quickly followed, with the worst waits right here in the Bay Area.

Joe Sheerin of Santa Rosa said he waited all day, two days in a row, earlier this summer and never heard his name called. “It's abusive to have people wait and not tell them, ‘We can't get you in today,'?” he told Staff Writer Mary Callahan. “I'm here for something that should take 20 minutes.”

Sheerin returned last week with an appointment, but even people arriving with appointments have had to wait at times. And making an appointment usually often means waiting for several weeks.

To alleviate the waits, DMV took the long-overdue step of opening for a half-day on two Saturdays each month at some locations, including in Santa Rosa. Beginning in August, those offices will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

DMV also is promising to add more employees to help meet the demand. State lawmakers should be asking why the agency wasn't ready for a predictable surge in demand.

If you need a new Real ID license, or have any other business at DMV, you're best bet is to make an appointment. And bring a good book.

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