Publication: KPBS
California lawmakers are seeking answers from the Department of Motor Vehicles about hourslong wait times that have prompted public outcry.
When Assemblyman Phil Ting visited a San Francisco DMV office in his district last month, he said the line snaking around the block looked more like a queue for rock concert tickets than for people trying to renew their licenses.
"I was shocked," the Democrat said. "What we've been hearing are horrific wait times of six or seven hours. That's unacceptable."
Ting will lead a hearing Tuesday to question DMV officials about what they are doing to reduce wait times.
Lawmakers have given the department millions of dollars in additional funding to accommodate higher demand as Californians update their licenses to comply with federally mandated security upgrades known as Real ID. The federal law was enacted in 2005 in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and requires new ID cards to carry special markings.