DMV Delays in Acadiana: Here’s What Locals Are Dealing With

(KPEL-FM) - Ever since I can remember, the Department of Motor Vehicles was synonymous with long wait times to get virtually anything accomplished. From renewing a drivers license, updating registration of vehicles, even surrendering plates was a time consuming process.

Technology has come a long way since those times, with plenty of opportunities to complete transactions online without the wait. Being able to renew my drivers license digitally is something I'll never take for granted, along with renewing vehicle registrations, paying fees, etc. Even satellite title offices have helped reduce the burden on the DMVs across Acadiana.

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There are still some things that have to be done at the DMV. One of which is obtaining a TIP, which is a Temporary Instruction Permit. This permit allows unlicensed drivers to drive a vehicle while participating in drivers education courses. This should be a simple process, yes? Well, depending on the situation, it may not be as simple as you'd like.

I had a conversation with someone who was attempting to obtain a TIP multiple times, from multiple DMV branches across Acadiana but ran into roadblocks (pun intended). Thanks to new rules and regulations post-911, there's (understandably) increased scrutiny on individuals attempting to get a state license. In addition, the REAL ID takes it a step further with additional documentation required before obtaining such an ID.

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In addition to security issues, technological issues as reported by WWL including outages of the computer systems, no redundancy in systems, as well as mainframe systems 'pausing' due to high volume, the struggle is real. Staffing shortages have also played a key role in slower than normal ability to serve customers.

The normal protocol is to head down to your local DMV. While you can certainly pull a number and wait for someone to see you, it's better to register for an appointment. It's nearly impossible to find an available appointment time anywhere in the Acadiana area within the next two weeks. Normally, it's a month wait to schedule an appointment, and with some work schedules, that makes things slightly difficult to plan ahead depending on your employer. Then you have to arrange for travel (as you don't have your license yet) to and from the DMV.

Then you have to have substantial documentation that you are who you say you are. But, if you got married and didn't do your due diligence in getting your name changed on all official documents, you can be in for a nightmare trying to get the documents you want with the name they're looking for.

Finally, it appears in the sampled DMVs this individual attempted to get their TIP, there were two to three people working in the offices which doesn't move things along quickly either.

The Louisiana Legislature is working to resolve these issues, issuing emergency declarations and potentially expediting the acquisition of a new system to run the DMV. In the meantime, remember, patience is a virtue.