The DMV is Undergoing Big Changes

Jack Eves: [00:00:00] X 1 0 1. Always classic. Good morning folks. Jack Eves here in the studio for another edition of our Meet Cortland County. And joining me this morning is Sonya, who is the director of the Cortland County DMV, and Brooke, who is the Cortland County Clerk. Good morning guys. How are you on this Saturday?

Sonia: Good morning.

Brooke: Good morning.

Jack Eves: Some big changes coming up for the DMV. Obviously a big system upgrade for new technology, but it’s also gonna be including a little bit of a. Break as a temporary closure is coming up, is that right?

Sonia: That is correct,

Jack Eves: yes. And that closure is gonna be from February 13th, starting on No.

Starting at noon through the 18th.

Sonia: Correct.

Jack Eves: And with that update, obviously the Department of Motor Vehicles has been working on that multi-year phase brook of modernizing their aging technology. You want to give just a brief on how that process has been and. What you guys can expect when they’re doing this upgrade with that temporary closure?

Sonia: Sure. So New York State has contracted with a [00:01:00] vendor who has developed systems in many other states for motor vehicle offices. So they have a lot of experience. They are opting to do a, multi-year phase in process due to, the overhaul they need to do and the number of records that live in that system, they’re anticipating about 30 million records will be, need to be migrated from the current system to the new software, which is really why, there’s a prolonged closure of the system.

During that outage, from the afternoon of Friday the 13th through that Wednesday, the, there’s no systems available at our local office, nor is the online platform through the DMV available. They also will not have people in their call center in Albany to assist customers with phone calls. So it’s a complete outage during that time.

Jack Eves: Complete outage. So, obviously, a lot of people have license renewals and all that. Sonia, probably the best thing they can do right now is [00:02:00] get to the DMV if they have that license renewal in that time period. And get it all squared away.

Sonyia Correct? Yes. And, sometimes it’s difficult for people to prepare to know exactly what they’re gonna need for their transaction.

Mm-hmm. We encourage them to stop in and speak with, our information desk so they can have a list of everything they’re going to need. So when they come in for their transaction, they’re prepared. And only need to make that one trip to the DMV.

Jack Eves: Yes. And also too, you guys as well, offer appointments as too, so if you have a busy schedule, you can just schedule that appointment.

I believe you guys have specific days for appointments too, right?

Sonia: Yes. We allow walk-ins Monday through Friday, but we do offer appointments. On Thursdays and Fridays, and those with appointments are giving preference, given preference. When we reopen on Thursday, February 19th, that Thursday and Friday is going to be appointment only.

Jack Eves: Okay.

Sonya: The reason being is. This is an entire new system for our employees who are learning it. And we [00:03:00] want to try to control the number of people waiting in line. Yeah. Make sure it’s not

Jack Eves: overwhelming.

Sonia: Exactly.

Jack Eves: Since that temporary closure. Exactly. What can some of the customers do that need to use a DV expect with this new upgrade?

Sonya: So the, one thing I think everyone can expect is that, things could be a little slower. Okay, everyone, this is new for everyone. Sonia’s been at the DMV for. 19 years, and we have employees that have been there less than a year. Everyone’s kind of on the same, platform as far as, learning this new system.

So, I’m asking our customers to be patient and be kind to my employees. Yeah. Most importantly because they are doing the best that they can do. So, that’s really what I’m expecting is things could just be a little slower because we’re learning

Jack Eves: Yep. Gotta get acclimated to that new system. And because it’s through the state, they probably haven’t given you like an exact, this is what to expect.

So it’s gonna be Yeah. A learning process as you go through it with a update.

Sonia: Yeah. I would say the state has been [00:04:00] good, in providing training. It’s all online for our staff, so we’ve been scheduling them to close their, windows to, work on training. But as with any system, when you go live, there’s always hiccups and there’s tough things.

Yes, yes. So, perfect.

Jack Eves: Again, the DMV, all DMVs in the state, including the online platform as well as the call help center are gonna be. Temporarily closed starting at noon on Friday the 13th.

Sonia: Yes.

Jack Eves: Great day to picket to through February 18th, and then the Courtland DMV is reopening at 8:30 AM Fri Thursday, February 19th by appointment only with Watkins.

That following Monday. Is there anything else you’d guys like to add on this? Big change coming to the DMV?

Sonia: No, I mean, it’s ex, it’s exciting. We really need to see some improvements on the DMV infrastructure. We rely on, the state for all our equipment and software. And so I’m hoping that slowly but surely will.

Get our systems more to current day technology and in the [00:05:00] end it’ll be worth it.

Jack Eves: Yeah. I’m also curious, you mentioning that when was the last time New York State did an upgrade of this size, you think?

Sonia: Sonia and I talked about that on the way over and parts of the system is 50 years old.

Jack Eves: Wow.

Sonia: I don’t, I started in 2015 in the county clerk’s office.

I’m not aware of any major upgrade in that timeframe, and Sonya really wasn’t able to think of. One in her tenure. So

Jack Eves: this is a long, this is long overdue.

Sonia: Yes. Yes.

Jack Eves: Well, wonderful guys. Thank you again for stopping in and if anyone has any questions, they can just reach out to the Corland County DMV’s office, right?

Sonia: Correct. Or they can reach out, to the county clerk’s office and ask to speak to me.

Jack Eves: Thank you for coming in this morning, guys. Always appreciate it. Again, the Corland County DMV will be temporary closed, starting at noon, Friday 13th through February 18th. Thank you again guys.

Sonia: Thank you.

Jack Eves: for X101. I’m Jack Eves.