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All Things Considered
Tom Crann and Lukas Levin

After years of changes, DVS still struggles to keep up with wait times

People wait in the lobby of the state Driver and Vehicle Services.
People wait in the lobby of the state Driver and Vehicle Services office in downtown St. Paul.
Tim Nelson | MPR News 2018

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Some Twin Cities residents are traveling hours outside of the metro to take driver’s tests because of long wait times for appointments.

Two years ago, Driver and Vehicle Services took steps to reduce wait times for behind-the-wheel exams. But staffing shortages combined with pandemic stressors have created a traffic jam that seems to be far from over. It’s encouraging test takers to look for appointments wherever they can get them, even if it means traveling far.

“It takes a while to get our examiners fully trained,” said Jody-Kay Peterson, program director of driver services at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. “If you’re able to take one of those and travel a little further, do that.”

Peterson said another problem is that 1 in 5 test takers who book appointments either don’t show up or cancel within 24 hours of their appointment. This prevents others from getting valuable test-taking slots.

“If you know you have an appointment and you can’t make it, cancel that appointment in time, so that next person who needs it can go back into our rotation,” Peterson said.

She spoke with MPR News host Tom Crann on All Things Considered.

Listen to the conversation by clicking play on the player above.