MVC Commissioner Martinez: The long lines are ‘not acceptable’

It's no secret that people are having less than favorable experiences at the Motor Vehicle Commission. Last night, Jeff Edelstein opened the show by discussing his wife's recent visit to the MVC, where she was met with a renewal line that would take over four hours. This led to just over two hours of phone calls from the listeners sharing their similar experiences.

Imagine our surprise when Ray Martinez, the MVC Commissioner, wanted to get on air to speak with Edelstein.

Martinez explained that they've had "unusually high volumes" for registration and license renewal recently and from a customer service perspective, these lines are "not acceptable."  The good news, Martinez went on to say, is the introduction of the new "Skip the Trip" program. With this initiative, people can renew their licenses by mail, with the ultimate goal being the ability to renew online "by the end of the year."

Of the 35,000 people offered to use the "Skip the Trip" program in July, 28% took advantage of the opportunity, according to Martinez. In the upcoming months, the MVC is hoping that more people will take advantage of the program, thus thinning out the lines. Martinez explained that invitations will more than double in August, with 90,000 going out, and will increase to 117,000 in September.

Ideally, as "Skip the Trip" gains traction, New Jerseyans will hopefully spend fewer hours in lines at the MVC. Watch the interview with Ray Martinez in the video above.

- Kylie Moore, Producer for the Steve Trevelise Show

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