DMV News Releases

Six DMV Offices Eliminate Saturday Hours
Customers Encouraged to Use Internet, Phone or Mail

RICHMOND - Six Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service centers (CSC) will no longer open on Saturdays beginning Saturday, September 19, 2009. They are:

• Lexington, 110 Walker Street in the Summit Square Business Center
• Covington, 810 Grayson Avenue
• Emporia, 103 Commonwealth Boulevard
• Staunton, 17 First Street
• Vansant, 1657 Lover's Gap Road
• Altavista, 1301-H Main Street

These offices will remain operational Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"Through an analysis we learned that, at many locations, we can better utilize our existing staff by closing on Saturdays and putting more staff at the front counter on weekdays," said DMV Commissioner D.B. Smit. "We can recognize a cost savings by not filling vacant positions at these offices and closing on Saturdays. This change is part of DMV's goal to provide excellent customer service while keeping a check on spending during these tough economic times." The proposal to close six offices on Saturdays was presented to the General Assembly as part of an overall cost reduction plan for Virginia.

Wait time averages for fiscal year 2009 for these offices are short. "Given that the average wait times are low, we have the capacity to shift any Saturday customers to service during the week with a minimal impact on wait times," Smit said. For fiscal year 2009, the average wait for service at the Lexington DMV was 8 minutes and 8 seconds, Covington 4:18, Emporia 2:44, Staunton 12:24, Vansant 5:42 and Altavista 11:00.

Twelve of DMV's 74 offices already operate on weekdays only. Those include the Clintwood, Courtland, Gate City, Kilmarnock, Jonesville, Lebanon, Marion, Onancock, Smithfield, South Hill, Waynesboro and Woodstock DMV offices.

Customers who may not always be able to visit a DMV office on a weekday can use DMV's preferred services. Customers may complete 25 different transactions at www.dmvNOW.com. DMV's automated telephone service (1-888-337-4782) and the mail are other service options for customers when offices are closed.

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