North Carolina DMV Looking To Better Measure Office Wait Times

North Carolina's Division of Motor Vehicles doesn't really know how long you've waited in line for service, but that should soon change.

When you go the DMV, the clock doesn't start running until you've received a number and taken a seat. But what about the time spent waiting for a ticket?

That wait time is an important measure of how well the DMV is doing at moving people through the system.

NC DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup says the department is working on a system that more accurately captures how much time customers spend at an office. One solution being considered is virtual ticketing that allows people to check in at a DMV office before arriving.

The News & Observer reports that wait times spiked this summer as more people lined up to obtain a REAL ID, a type of driver's license that satisfies federal ID requirements starting in October 2020.

Jessup admitted to the state Board of Transportation on Wednesday that the current system for gauging wait times is inaccurate, and that his department is working on improving its queuing system.