RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina's DMV chief attributes recent extremely long lines at driver's license offices to staffing and technical issues on top of high customer demand, especially for upcoming "Real ID" requirements.
Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Torre Jessup told a legislative oversight committee Thursday about challenges facing the state's 113 license offices and how they've being addressed.
DMV office customer transactions during peak summer months this year were almost 37,000 higher statewide compared to last year as people came in to get license upgrades that meet federal security demands by October 2020.
Jessup says retaining license examiners remains difficult, adding up to 28 percent of them could be absent on any given day because they're receiving worker's compensation, using short-term disability or taking federally-authorized leave to care for family members.
