‘We are making progress’: New NCDMV commissioner promises changes

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Long wait times, outdated technology, and staffing issues are just a few of the many complaints people have about the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.

A few months after he took on his new role as the man in charge, NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine said changes are on the way.

“We are making progress,” Tine said. “We are going to fix this. It’s not acceptable where we are.

“We’ve started upgrading a lot of our offices,” he said. “We have new scanners coming out next month that should allow us to do more transactions each year across all of our offices. We’ve done new uniforms for all our folks. We’ve done all sorts of new programs. We’ve hired 64 new people in 30 days after we were authorized to do that by the legislature.”

Those adjustments are just some of the dozens NCDMV officials said they’re working to implement.

According to a list of initiatives obtained by CBS 17 Investigates, some others include opening new locations, adding new kiosks, upgrading payment options, speeding up the hiring process for driver services and examiner training, upgrading technologies, and shortening appointment scheduling windows.

“There’s been all sorts of different programs we put in place, from being able to put your phone number in, get a text, wait in line in a more comfortable way,” Tine said. “People come in a do both appointments and folks come in the mornings, which has allowed us to keep those lines moving throughout the day.”

When asked if the agency is having issues with a lack of revenue after a recent audit found the NCDMV creates 30% of the the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s revenue, but is only 3% of the expenditure, Tine said, “The organization is lean. If you walk around our headquarters, you’ll find our supervisors are sitting right next to the people they’re supervising. They’re doing the exact same work.”

According to Tine, more resources would help the NCDMV, along with modernizing technology, which he said they are in the process of doing since they are dealing with systems from 1995.

“We do have a pot of money that’s available to to us to go ahead and start modernizing our systems,” he said. “We’re doing some short-term projects and an overall modernization project as well.”

According to Tine, 85% of customers walk in with no appointment. His goal is to have customers wait less than 15 minutes, which he wants to accomplish as fast as he can.

The average statewide wait times this September dropped an average of more than 25 minutes compared to a four-week ending on Sept. 8, according to data from the NCDMV.

Asked what he wants to say to customers frustrated with the wait times, Tine apologized and said, “We really would encourage people to stop showing up so early in the morning. If you’re there at the opening, we’re going to serve you and we’re going to get you in the system. We’re going to get you on the text so we can text you and tell you what number you are in line. You can go and wait anywhere you want to wait.

As of early October, according to the NCDMV, about 56% of customers have a REAL ID.

“We’re up about 9% on issuances right now, year over year,” Tine said. “We’re making improvements every day. Over the last five months, we’ve been able to increase that so far. But our demand is so high, you can’t tell we’ve increased our ability to serve people right now.”

Senate Bill 245, which allows people to renew their driver’s license online, even if it’s not a REAL ID, a second consecutive time, may also help lessen the load for NCDMV offices.

According to Tine, the bill could allow up to 500,000 more transactions to happen online. Every year, the agency completes more than two million transactions in its offices.

The bill also allows teenage drivers to take their Level 2 Limited Provisional License tests at certain private driver’s education schools.

Tine is scheduled to answer lawmakers on Wednesday about a series of topics regarding the NCDMV. His testimony will be shared online and on CBS 17.