LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Department of Motor Vehicle offices in Las Vegas were met with angry crowds Monday when people who had waited as many as five and a half hours for service were turned away because of its new "appointment only" policy.
The same day, the DMV announced an IT issue prevented anyone from making an appointment online, and the DMV could not process any transactions.
HAPPENING NOW: Doors open to rage and yelling at the West Flamingo DMV as a worker comes out to announce only people with appointments would be let inside.
— @SeanKTNV (@seanktnv) June 22, 2020
Many had waited from 2:30 am without knowing. pic.twitter.com/5m34f6RnUB
DMV Public Relations Officer Kevin Malone said the issue stemmed from a state issued upgrade installed over the weekend, and there was no word on when the system would be back online.
"It's the perfect storm," Malone said.
Many who had waited in line well before the West Flamingo office opened at 8 a.m. were met by a worker announcing that anyone without an appointment wouldn't be allowed inside.
Clayton Baty Jr. joined dozens of others in rushing toward the front door demanding to be let inside.
"It sucks," he said, "especially when you're all handicapped up there and you've been waiting there since before three in the morning. Four handicapped people, and my wife is the fifth one."
Malone said the procedure changes came late last week in response to a driving instructor at the West Flamingo office contracting the coronavirus and long lines of people without an appointment forming outside since the offices reopened.
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"It's been our plan all along to go to appointment only," he said, "but we had to speed it up because of the unacceptably long lines out here."
Other significant changes include daily temperature checks for all employees, and a requirement that any person taking their driving skills test wear a face covering.
One young man, Jeremy Headworth, was allowed into the Flamingo DMV for his appointment to take his drivers test, but was turned away because all of the driving instructors have been quarantined following their coworker's positive coronavirus test.
