SoS White looking at reopening possibilities
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
Secretary of State Jesse White’s office said Tuesday it is in the process of examining days when the office can reopen, including driver services facilities that have been closed since mid-March. […]
“The memo has gone out to employees letting them know we are looking at potential opening dates,” said White spokesman Dave Druker. “Nothing has been signed off yet. There still needs to be some clearance on some of this. Essentially, the letter was to let people know there are plans to come back in the not too distant future.” […]
How to reopen the driver services facilities and keep people safe is one of the issues that must be resolved, Druker said. Employees will wear masks, he said, and there will be dividers between the employees and the public as people see in retail outlets. There also will be floor markers to show where customers should stand to maintain proper distancing.
What hasn’t been determined is how to deal with potential crowds of people who may all show up at once expecting service. People could be asked to make appointments or there could be limits placed on the number of people allowed inside a facility at one time.
The article doesn’t make it sound like reopenings are imminent. But the SoS has already reopened three facilities for commercial drivers.
- Bruce (no not him) - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 9:44 am:
I am so glad I renewed my license before the shutdown. The SOS offices will be a nightmare for months.
- Chatham Resident - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 9:56 am:
I’m an SOS employee and I was told to return to work Monday, June 1. (Although I have work-at-home projects I’ve been assigned).
Maybe staff reports before they’re ready to open to the public again? I can see that happening. Also, I just moved so I need to get an updated license–and I was wanting to go ahead and get Real ID while at it.
- efudd - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:16 am:
Glad they will re-open.
However, there is a lot of things that one can do online with the SOS that simply didn’t exist not that long ago.
- Ernie - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:25 am:
Just received notice I need to visit a facility for DL/ID renewal. Immunocompromised on immunosuppressant treatment with comorbidities, SOS is the last place I want to be considering it was a people nightmare before this started. They closed the local express services and never reopened another as promised.
- Work to be done prior to opening - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:28 am:
Fyi..
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN2261AO
- Cassandra - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:56 am:
I do wonder how they will handle driving tests, especially those required at various intervals if you are at certain ages. The elderly are already at higher risk, we are told, and of course the examiners are in close quarters with drivers in their cars all day, for more than a couple of minutes too.
- efudd - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:01 am:
Cassandra-good question.
Don’t know how effective those driving tests with the elderly are, though, based on some of the driving I’ve seen.
- striketoo - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:05 am:
We need to review all governmental actions during a time of economic and health crises. Automatically extend all drivers licenses five years when they expire. The impact on safety would be minimal. Just one of many changes that will shortly be needed to restore the state’s fiscal health. Unfortunately, I don’t think we have the intelligence in state government to be able to differentiate truly essential activities from those which have been just done routinely through habit. I hope that I am wrong.
- RNUG - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:20 am:
I have to say that, so far, using the mail (I won’t pay the extra online fee) to SOS for plate renewals has worked just fine. Been about a 10 day turnaround (8 working days) so far.
If SOS wants to drive even more online activity, eliminate the extra fees … at least for debit card and e-check payment.
- RNUG - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:21 am:
From reading the SJR, it appears SOS is already open for CDL tests.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:54 am:
does anyone know if homebound SOS workers are getting paid or have they been furloughed?
- Levois J - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 12:07 pm:
While I want to return to normal soon, to allow people to make appointments with an SoS facility or even to limit how many people within and SoS facility seems reasonable. Thankfully there isn’t much of a debate on this.
- Steward As Well..... - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 1:51 pm:
Fwiw I needed a sticker for my plate and was not comfortable driving around when it expires at the end of this month. I believe the SOS was giving a grace period because of their closure.
Anyway my vanity plate is now $164 and what’s another $7.50 (the fee) to get a new sticker at the currency exchange in town (Springfield) I did.