‘DMV in a box’ helps improve customer service

It’s a favorite pastime of any motorist; it’s a tradition. We love to bash the folks at the Department of Motor Vehicles, complain about long lines and stuffy offices. It doesn’t help that the northern offices have coffee bars and we don’t. But we might have to find a new pastime. Check out this first question from Greg.

I recently ventured to the DMV to renew my driver’s license and get new Nevada plates for my truck. I expected at least a two-hour wait, so I packed a book. I walked into the building to get my number and there was no line. The almost 200 or so chairs were almost empty. I walked up to a lady sitting in a chair and asked her to pinch me. No sooner than my butt hit the chair, my number was called. I’m not complaining, but what gives?

The department has made a huge effort to improve customer service and make the entire process more convenient over the past couple of years. Motorists can log on to dmvnv.gov and check estimated wait times at every office or download necessary forms.

But this is what has had the greatest impact: DMV in a box. The kiosks are sprouting up all over the Las Vegas Valley. You will notice them at grocery stores and most recently the UNLV campus.

“The whole idea of ‘DMV in a box’ is to bring the DMV to where you are,” department spokesman Tom Jacobs said.

At the kiosks, motorists can renew their registration, order a new driver’s license or identification card or reinstate their registration if their insurance has expired. The location of kiosks can be found on the department’s website.

And on a similar note, Donna asks: Is there a “best time” to go to the DMV? I hear all sorts of theories and was wondering whether any of them are true.

To say based on Greg’s question that wait times are a thing of the past would be completely inaccurate. At 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the department’s website reported waits of more than two hours at the Sahara Avenue and Henderson offices. While we had Jacobs on the horn, we asked him about Donna’s question as well.

Spring time is never a great time as families are on the move after school lets out, changing their addresses or license plates. Other bad days are the Mondays or Fridays before or after a holiday. Also not great: the beginning of the year or the end of the year.

“Wait times vary on certain times during the week, during the month or during the year when lines are shorter,” Jacobs said.

Shoot for the middle of anything — day, week, month or year. The best advice is to check out the times on the website so if you have a choice, you can choose another day to visit the office.

Now on to other stuff.

Phyllis has a bevy of questions, so we’ll start with this one: I travel Interstate 215 at nighttime the northwest section, I notice there are many overhead lights that are not lit in important places such as ramps. They seems to be out on purpose. When I pass the Bettye Wilson Complex very late at night, it is lit up with no apparent activity. Doesn’t make sense to me, why are so many lights out.

I’ve had several readers ask about this one Phyllis. Like so many government entities throughout the nation, Clark County is battling copper thieves. There are hundreds of streets and sections of highways where the copper wiring has been stolen, leaving the streets dark.

The county is working on fixing all the lights, but because of the number, it is no easy task. The county is also trying to figure out better ways to install the lights to keep thieves away.

And here’s another: When turning on Rampart, going north, onto Cheyenne heading west, at night, you can’t see the median. How do we get the reflectors put on the median when making the turn.

According to the city of Las Vegas, Phyllis, they plan to send engineers to that intersection to determine whether a reflector post can be installed on the nose of the median and to see whether the paint marking the concrete median should be refreshed. Hopefully your concern will soon be resolved.

And finally: I enter the Interstate 215 south at Cheyenne Avenue where there’s a 6 percent grade. Frequently there are trucks that are loaded and barely going 25 mph. We are attempting to get up to the speed limit and I requested of Clark County to have signs posted that say, “Beware of Slow Moving Trucks.” We encounter these trucks and cause problems bunching up to avoid these trucks. Is there way to get a sign or is there a better solution?

I hate to continue with the theme “hopefully your concern will soon be resolved,” but that is where this one lands too. According to Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin, the county has heard complaints about this onramp and the backup that slow trucks cause. In the next few weeks, look for a new “slow traffic ahead” sign.

Contact reporter Adrienne Packer at apacker@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.