DMV Hearing: State lawmakers hesitant to provide additional funds for DMV offices

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Consumer frustrations over long lines and wait times at the DMV as well as errors in implementing the Real ID program led to Tuesday's hearing in Sacramento.

Acting Director Kathleen Webb hopes to restore consumer confidence in the DMV.

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"Since last August the department has successfully reduced the average statewide wait time by 91 minutes, has maintained an average statewide wait time of one hour or less since October," Webb said.

But state lawmakers were not supportive of DMV's request for an additional $242 million for new employees, tablets and software.

They say old problems persist.

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"I appreciate your speech Acting Director Webb, but it sounds almost identical to the speech that was given to us in August in terms of many promises that were made and not fulfilled," said Assemblyman Phillip Ting.

Fresno Assemblymember Jim Patterson was encouraged by the work the DMV strike team has started but says the agency must be re-engineered.

"There's a big, big chasm from where we are now and where we've got to get to," Patterson said.

The hearing came on the same day computer outages left many more people unable to take care of DMV paperwork at offices in the Valley and around the state.

"We have a very fragile system at the DMV, and it's an old system," Webb said.

Webb also talked of the DMV increasing its use of kiosks, live chat and customer service email to reduce wait times at offices.