San Francisco

Website Boasts Solution to Long DMV Lines, Sparks Investigation

As hundreds of people brave long lines and waits at DMV offices this year, some people are turning to an independent Oakland-based website that says it can solve the DMV experience.

YoGov.org says it will save people from waiting in "those dreadful lines" by booking an appointment for them in seconds -- for a fee. While the DMV's appointment backlog is about nine weeks out, YoGov.org says it can book an appointment within two weeks "guaranteed" at a cost of about $20.

The DMV confirmed YoGov.org is using the agency's website to book appointments and issued this statement: "We continue to investigate this operation and remind DMV customers that we do not charge to schedule an appointment to visit a DMV field office."

Officials with the DMV say their employees are spending excessive amounts of time explaining the new federal Real ID, and the delays in helping people get their new driver's licenses is impacting everyone visiting the agency, even those seeking a simple vehicle registration renewal.

DMV offices in Santa Clara and South San Jose this week had lines wrapped around the building. Some people complained of waiting as long as six hours, and most said their experience was two to three hours long.

Parkash Daryani of Milpitas had to miss an entire day of work.

"I came here and thought it would take three hours. So I took off a half day off work," Daryani said. "But now it looks like it's a full day affair."

It took 18-year-old Michaiyha Johnson nearly five hours to get her driver's license Monday.

"It's pretty frustrating, and it's really hot," Johnson said.

After steering away from long DMV lines in Los Gatos and Gilroy, Gary Swanson chose the Santa Teresa office. He said he's glad he brought his chair because the line there wasn't any shorter than the previous two.

"So far, it's not working out at all," Swanson said. "Every line in the South Bay is long. It's terrible, the wait times."

The problem was not exclusive to the South Bay as customers at DMV offices across the Bay Area reported 2-3-hour wait times. One woman waited nearly two hours even with an appointment.

"I had to miss a day of work," San Jose resident Amir Jaston said.

The DMV blamed the long lines and long waits on their offices implementing the new federal Real ID program, an effort to standardize driver's licenses across all 50 states.

Starting in October 2020, U.S. residents need a Real ID or passport to fly.

DMV officials say the agency is working on speeding up the process.

"The DMV has hired nearly 400 new employees statewide and 166 people this month," spokeswoman Jennifer Gonzalez said. "And if you are in the office by 5, a lot of these people will help you until 7 p.m."

Many people hope the agency will do a better job of posting accurate wait times online. One San Francisco woman drove down to San Jose to avoid the long lines only to find more.

"It's frustrating because you look online and have an expectation of one time, and then it ends up being double or triple that," Jasmine S. said.

The DMV suggests customers go online and look up the exact documents they need for their transaction, and the department posted checklists to help out. Appointments are also recommended, but there's also a lengthy backlog there.

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