Shorter waits during Saturday DMV office hours
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Lines moved quickly at the Fresno DMV office Saturday, and people actually left with smiles on their faces.
John Kline, Jr. got his learner's permit in less than an hour, and his dad says he'd recommend the Saturday experience for everyone.
Starting last week, the Clovis office and the Fresno office on W Olive Avenue are open between 8 am and 1 pm, two Saturdays a month.
It seems to be knocking a significant dent in wait times that were approaching five hours just a month ago.
RELATED: Drivers experiencing longer wait times at DMV offices across California
Assemblymember Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) says it is still not what DMV administrators promised when they asked state legislators for an extra $23 million.
"They promised in their budget request that they would go Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm and 9 am to 5 pm on every Saturday to make sure these lines didn't explode. They did none of that."
For about a year after the budget boost, field offices stayed closed on weekends even as the DMV implemented the new requirements of the federal REAL ID Act, which administrators blame for the lengthening waits.
Patterson got fed up with it this month and went straight to the director of the DMV.
"When I met with the director, I said 'Look, I'm going to give you an opportunity to fix this, but come August it better be fixed, because if it's not there will be an open window for me and others to go to our accountability committee and ask for the DMV to be audited.'"
Patterson says DMV officials are listening, but the message is coming through slowly not unlike the usual lines at the DMV.
RELATED: 40 California DMV offices to open for limited service some Saturdays in attempt to ease wait times
But if this Saturday, at this office, is any indication, Patterson has helped drive them to speed it up.
If you are planning to go into an office on a weekday or a Saturday, the DMV suggests making an appointment.
LINK: Make a DMV appointment
If you are applying for a Real ID, here is a list of documents you will need to bring to make the application process smoother.
Here are the details on the two Central Valley offices offering Saturday service:
Clovis
2103 Shaw Avenue
Clovis CA 93611
Fresno
655 W Olive Avenue
Fresno CA 93728
