Life In The Slow Lane

Long Lines, Long Waits At DMV Offices In Wethersfield, Bridgeport, Waterbury

Like hundreds of others Tuesday, Bernier and Murphy learned the hard way that the new reorganization of the state Department of Motor Vehicles wasn't working quite as planned.

Waits of four hours and longer were reported by people trying to get learner's permits, transfer out-of-state drivers' licenses or conduct similar business at the DMV's Wethersfield headquarters. From mid-morning through about 2 p.m., a line of more than 70 people snaked through the office, advancing only a few feet every couple of minutes.

"I have a feeling we'll be here through closing," said Tammy Negralle of Chester. "The people ahead of us have been saying it's about four hours to get through."

Long backups were reported at the Bridgeport and Waterbury offices, two of the other "hubs" that DMV has designated to handle relatively complex transactions such as obtaining a motorcycle license or exchanging out-of-state license plates. The system got its first full-scale test Tuesday, and department spokesman Bill Seymour acknowledged that changes are needed.

"This was a load-balancing test. We've brought some staff from Enfield and New Britain to here, and we'll have more coming tomorrow," Seymour said. "Our customers are understanding people who grasp the budget constraints we're under. We're asking them to give us a chance to see if this is working."

Under pressure to economize, the agency is reducing staff, hours and workload at its small satellite offices while consolidating labor-intensive business at four hub locations. While Waterbury, Wethersfield and Bridgeport were swamped from the time that doors opened Tuesday morning, the department described business at the Willimantic hub as moderate.

Customers in Wethersfield waited two hours or more to reach the clerks' windows, where many could only begin their work. License plate exchanges appeared to go fairly smoothly, but young people seeking learner's permits were in for more delays.

"There's a line for the kids to take the test, a wait to get the results, then a wait to pay for the permit," Bernier said.

A few people in line at Wethersfield in the early afternoon simply gave up after realizing they'd never get to complete their business on a lunch break. The majority simply waited, though, and there was no sign of short tempers.

The DMV expects to bring down the waiting times significantly this week by reassigning more staff to the hubs. Also, the agency will assess whether part of the trouble is just seasonal — a flurry of young residents getting licenses before leaving for college, and a wave of even younger ones seeking permits after taking drivers' education classes over the summer.

The new arrangement began Friday, but Seymour believes lines were relatively light then because many people were away on vacation or getting ready for the weekend.

He noted that people renewing licenses or conducting other relatively simple business didn't experience unusual delays Tuesday. Meanwhile, business in some branch offices, such as New Britain and Enfield, was lighter than usual, since the time-consuming transactions had been transferred to the hubs.

The DMV had been planning the reorganization for months. It's not connected to the cutback plan that will take effect if state workers reject contract concessions this week. Should the union deal get voted down, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has warned of thousands of layoffs and extensive cuts at most state agencies. The DMV would close some of its smaller offices, including those in New Britain and Enfield.

Seymour said the agency will be working all week to ease the delays.

"We need a few days to make adjustments, to look at the peaks and valleys," Seymour said. "We're looking for the most efficient way to offer services at as many places as we can.

Some customers Tuesday weren't startled by the backups.

"In Rhode Island, you figure on three hours. They already closed a lot of offices," said Paul Pridgeon, a graphic designer from Stonington who was in Wethersfield to exchange his Rhode Island plates and license for the Connecticut versions.

Others were pessimistic.

"There are just more people here than they can accommodate — for all of the center of Connecticut, there's just one office," Murphy said.

She and Bernier joked that the agency should use a version of Disney World's Fast-pass system, which frees guests from long lines by assigning appointment times for boarding the most popular rides.