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Long lines of Floridian frustration

Despite advances at the state driver's license office, the wait times are not coming down. A lot of people from legislators to motorists are frustrated with the long lines and want to improve the quality of service.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published August 27, 2005

	[Times photo: William Dunkley]
	Legislators have budgeted nearly $6-million more to help shorten the long lines at state driver's license offices like this one off Martin Luther King Boulevard in Tampa on Friday.

It's a fact of Florida life. Thousands of people must stand in line for hours, even in 95-degree heat.

Riders of Space Mountain? Nope. Springsteen fans? Guess again.

These people swelter in silence at a state driver's license office. For many, it is their only brush with state government. So much for all the talk about "government efficiency" in Tallahassee.

"Third-world conditions" is how state Rep. Joe Negron of Stuart describes it. That is as damning an assessment of Jeb Bush's government as you're likely to hear - and this is from a Republican.

"As a representative of state government I feel like we're failing these people," Negron says.

He's not alone.

"We couldn't agree with you more," said David Westberry, deputy executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Huh?

Long lines used to be a problem mostly in heavily congested Miami-Dade and Broward counties. But in recent years the lines have spread like a fungus to all corners of the state.

That clerk behind the counter is often considerate, like many state employees. Getting to the counter is the problem.

The department cites a number of factors: population growth, a rapidly growing immigrant population, more complex post-9/11 license requirements and legislative budget cuts in past years. At a driver's license office, you can also register to vote, or sign an organ donation form.

"After awhile, it just catches up to you," Westberry says.

The state has made strides in allowing license renewals by mail or on line, and drivers can make appointments in advance from www.hsmv.state.fl.us go to "full service menu," and look for "appointments and office locations."

The upgrades only mystify legislators more. Why haven't they cut down on the waiting times?

Take Hillsborough. It has 867,000 licensed drivers. Last year, half of them made a personal visit to one of the five state offices or one of the three run by Tax Collector Doug Belden (drivers pay $5.25 more at a tax collector's office).

"We can't figure out why we have to see so many people in our offices," Westberry says.

Drivers who have to show up in person have had their licenses suspended or revoked, had points assessed against their licenses, or have no Internet access. There's much anecdotal evidence that suggests they are more likely to be black or Hispanic.

Four times a year, the agency reports to Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet on "customer wait times." In the first quarter of 2005, the percentage of people waiting up to 15 minutes rose from 40 to 41 percent, and the percentage of people waiting for over two hours remained at 20 percent.

In the Tampa Bay region, 14 percent of customers waited more than two hours.

You hear a lot about running government "like a business." But, as Negron notes, no business would last very long if hundreds of its customers had to wait in 95 degree heat before getting any service.

"You don't see that at a Wal-Mart," Negron said.

Help is on the way. So we're told.

The Legislature provided nearly $6-million more in the new state budget for the agency to hire 128 more employees to improve the quality of service. There's also money for a new call center and for three more mobile offices on wheels to handle customer traffic.

Some things are beyond the agency's control. The electronic-appointment system was down on Friday because Hurricane Katrina knocked out power to computer servers in Miami.

The power will soon be back, but the reputation of this highly visible state agency will take much longer to restore.

"It's a joke," said Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, who likely will become Senate president next year. "It's such a black eye to everything we have tried to do as Republicans, to make government more efficient. The driver license office is our black eye."

Steve Bousquet is deputy capital bureau chief of the Times.

[Last modified August 27, 2005, 01:14:20]