NJ Takes More Steps To Fix Driver's Licenses, MVC Amid COVID-19

NEW JERSEY— State officials say they're taking additional steps to fix driver's license services and the Motor Vehicle Commission as long lines remain a problem amid the COVID-19 crisis.

After months of long lines, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission moved many of its services online as of Monday as it attempts to change its workflow for safety, speed, and convenience amid the coronavirus pandemic.

MVC officials made the announcement during a news conference held by Gov. Phil Murphy.

"In a massive series of IT projects, we dramatically expanded our online capabilities, adding dozens of new transactions and streamlining others with new payment options, longer grace periods, and new ways to verify ID," Motor Vehicle Commissioner Chair and Chief Administrator Sue Fulton said during a news conference on Monday.

Officials said changes they've implemented have worked well, and in some cases, could be permanent.

"We may keep many of these changes because they make things move faster," Fulton said. "We'll keep transactions online, and our appointments will depend on what's more convenient."

Gov. Phil Murphy said the MVC is seeing more transactions now than it did before the pandemic began. There has been an increase in online transactions to 44 percent, compared to 21 percent last year. Two-thirds of renewals are now taking place online, as opposed to one-third previously.

Wait times have also dropped, and Murphy said many customers showing up after 10 a.m. are still seeing their transactions handled the same day.

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The announcement was made as the state announced an additional 1,379 cases and three new deaths. The deaths were recorded on Oct. 12, 24 and 27, Murphy said. The number of new cases has exceeded 1,000 each day for more than two weeks, according to New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli.

There have been 240,997 cases of the coronavirus statewide since the beginning of the pandemic, with 14,564 confirmed deaths and 1,793 probable deaths.

It was previously announced that some MVC centers will no longer allow walk-ins, shifting to an appointment-only system. That system took effect on Monday. Read more here: 11 NJ Driver's License, MVC Centers Go Appointment Only

Dozens of new transactions are now being conducted online, which is making wait times outside the centers more manageable, Fulton said. MVC centers reopened on July 7, but the reopening was anything but smooth, as some reported waiting as long as 5-plus hours at some centers such as Somerville MVC.

As part of Monday's news conference, Fulton referred to a chart that showed what time people are showing up in-person to have transactions fulfilled. While people had been showing up early and waiting in long lines – and weren't able to get into centers, in many cases – the chart showed that things have change.

The latest time a person showed up and was still able to get in was after 4 p.m., the chart shows.

"Wait times are improving," Murphy said. "There's no need to camp out overnight."

Additionally, instead of waiting in multiple lines for service, customers will now get a number and be able to leave, being called to return when it's their turn.

"This service isn't revolutionary, but last year, it didn't even exist in our 39 agencies," Fulton said.

Centers had also been closing when employees tested positive for the coronavirus, with many closed for extended periods. The MVC was concerned with solving its backlog of customers who were waiting to take their driver's tests, as well as the backlog for those who required in-person services, in an effort to move services online.

Murphy and Fulton acknowledged the MVC still has a lot of work to do.

"We still have a ways to go, but the progress is significant," Murphy said.

"Many people are frustrated as we dig out from our backlog," Fulton said. "We understand it's stressful for customers."

The MVC sites shifting to appointment-only are vehicle centers, where visits are necessary primarily for registration/title transfers for private vehicle sales, which have significantly increased during the COVID-19 crisis.

Appointments at licensing centers are primarily for first-time licenses, out-of-state transfers, and those with CDLs and temporary visa restricted (TVR) licenses.

The MVC has also said out-of-state transfers will also now be available by appointment-only at all centers, just like commercial driver license renewals. Licensing Centers are also now authorized to process out-of-state registration and title transfers concurrently with license transfers. The idea is to eliminate the need for multiple MVC visits by customers.

For the sixth straight day, the state reported more than 1,000 hospitalizations related to the coronavirus. Murphy reported 1,109 hospitalizations on Monday, 947 of which were COVID-19 positive, and another 162 were awaiting their test results. Of those who were hospitalized, there were 100 on ventilators, and 20 additional patients died on Sunday.

With reporting by Alexis Tarrazi