Chronic Understaffing at Reno DMV Leads to Unprecedented Backlog, Residents Drive Without Valid Licenses

Severe understaffing at the Reno Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has led to a significant backlog, causing unprecedented delays for residents needing crucial services. It has reached a point where residents are forced to drive without valid license plates or drivers' licenses. This report originally appeared on Reno News 4 & Fox 11.

Locals like Deveny Wheeler, who waited nearly two months for a license plate appointment for her husband's Jeep, have been hit hard by the crisis. "Oh my gosh, how are we going to drive for two months without being legal," she said.

On Saturdays, the DMV allows walk-in appointments. However, these are met with considerable waits. "There were at least 100 or 200 people ahead of him," Wheeler revealed.

The Extent of the Problem

On July 1, a scene resembling the launch of a high-demand product played out at the Reno DMV, as people brought chairs, and blankets, and even arrived before sunrise to be early in line. "This is crazy. It's just out of hand," said Allen Schwartz, who secured his spot at 2 a.m.

The Root Cause

The bottleneck in services is a direct result of a severe staffing shortage. Eli Rohl, a DMV spokesman, said that the Reno office is currently down 28 positions out of a total of 103 to 140. This is the lowest staffing level the Reno DMV has experienced, leading to the most significant backup in its history. Low salaries, particularly for entry positions, are a major cause of this issue.

"The pay is the lowest for any state position," said Rohl. With health insurance and mandatory retirement deductions, these employees are left with a meager "$850 bucks every two weeks; you can barely pay rent. You probably can’t even pay rent," Rohl added.

No Response from the Governor's Office

News 4 has contacted the governor's office multiple times for a response to learn what measures will be taken to alleviate the situation. So far, no response has been forthcoming.

A Possible Solution

The DMV highlights that around 200,000 transactions a year that could have been performed online or at kiosks are carried out in person. Services such as registration renewals and insurance suspension reinstatements can be handled through these alternate channels. By promoting the use of these digital and self-service options, the burden on DMV staff could potentially be reduced, easing the strain on services.

It remains unclear, however, when or how this chronic understaffing issue at the Reno DMV will be fully addressed. For now, residents continue to face extended waits and considerable inconvenience.