If you’ve had to renew your driver’s license recently, you know it can take a while, even if you make an appointment with the online “skip the line” option. On a regular day people can be seen standing outside the office on Patton Avenue waiting their turn, and some people have reported waiting more than an hour in line. Others have gotten frustrated and drove to another DMV office out of town.
Even before COVID, the Department of Motor Vehicles was experiencing long wait times, but the pandemic coupled with statewide staff shortages has made the situation even worse. And don’t wait until the last minute to renew your license if it’s expiring soon. A check of the online system Monday showed the first available appointment is May 24.
The DMV director Charlotte Boyd-Malette said one of the problems is people making multiple appointments, so the online system shows there are no availabilities, even though the website states “fictitious appointment entries are strongly discouraged.” She said the online appointments fill up almost as soon as they become available.
Boyd-Malette, DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and Deputy Commissioner Portia Manley were in Franklin on Feb. 21 with Sen. Kevin Corbin and State Rep. Karl Gillespie. Prior to meeting with local leaders at the DMV they visited the office in Andrews.
Both the Andrews and Franklin offices are currently understaffed. The Franklin office is usually staffed by two people, but down to one person right now. The Andrews office is operating with two people rather than fully-staffed with three people.
Goodwin said he receives daily reports on the 117 offices across the state, and every day there are some offices closed because of staff shortages, whether it’s someone out sick, tested positive for COVID, or some other reason. “Having one vacancy has a tremendous negative impact,” he said.
Manley said DMV currently has about 27% of its positions open across the state and that they are hiring in a variety of positions throughout the department.
“Spread the word that we are hiring,” she said. “When I say we are hiring, we are hiring.”
DMV jobs listings can be found on the DMV webpage (ncdot.gov/dmv) as well as online job boards.
Corbin said the staff shortages and long wait times create a domino effect. If people can’t get in at the Andrews office, they come to Franklin, and if there’s a line here, they go to Asheville or somewhere else.
“If we can fill these positions, get these offices fully staffed, I think it’s going to take the pressure off everybody,” Corbin said.
While many DMV services are offered online, some local people cannot use those services because of poor internet connectivity. Corbin and Gillespie are working with others across the state to improve internet access.
Franklin Mayor Jack Horton said Macon County has always been supportive of the local DMV office, and in year’s past there had been some talk about closing offices across the state.
“I hope that’s not still on the agenda somewhere; because we probably need more rather than fewer” he said. “It’s important for us to have a place for people to get their driver’s license.”
Goodwin said a DMV office provides other benefits to the community. “One of the important points I always try to remind people, having this driver’s license is also an impact on your economic development,”
Corbin and Gillespie thanked the commissioner and his staff for coming to the area. “They were interested in knowing what our issues are and offered to come out and talk about them,” Gillespie said. “They are seriously wanting to talk about the issues and what we can do to work on them together,” Gillespie said.
In addition to the staffing shortage, Gillespie said there is a lack of readily available services throughout the district. Other driver’s license offices in the western end of the state include Andrews, Bryson City, Sylva, Clyde and Brevard.
One possible solution discussed included opening part-time offices in Robbinsville and Hayesville, with staff rotating between the two offices. Boyd-Malette said they have talked about also offering mobile offices in some areas.
Franklin Drivers License Office
16 Patton Avenue
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
and 1-5 p.m.
Services: Drivers license, school bus
license, identification cards