Montebello Dmv Office to Close for Repairs in Early July

Sacramento-The Montebello office of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be temporarily closed for six weeks at the end of the business day on Thursday, July 8, 2004 for an extensive asbestos removal project and for installation of modular furniture to make the office run more efficiently when it's reopened for business on Monday, August 23, 2004.

DMV officials say the 36-year old office has never had any sort of renovation or major repairs since it opened in 1968. The office is located at 424 North Wilcox Avenue in Montebello.

The Montebello office is one of several offices slated for maintenance and renovation work before the end of 2004. DMV usually closes about a dozen offices each year for varying lengths of time to make infrastructure repairs or for equipment installation. The funds for the Montebello project were allocated to DMV in the 2002/03 fiscal year.

The Montebello office employs 44 fulltime and 8 part-time employees who handle about 326,000 transactions each year. During the brief renovation project, Montebello technicians will be loaned to nearby DMV offices to help handle customers diverted because of the repair work.

DMV officials say they carefully monitor the workload of surrounding offices on a day-by-day basis and move technicians to where they are most needed when an office is closed because of renovation projects such as this one.

The offices where Montebello DMV customers will be steered are:

Lincoln Park; 3529 North Mission Road, Los Angeles; 11 miles away

Bell Gardens; 6801 South Garfield Avenue; 4 miles away

Whittier; 9338 Painter Avenue; 8 miles away

West Covina; 800 South Glendora Avenue; 14 miles away

Pasadena; 49 South Rosemead Boulevard; 12 miles away

In a continuing effort to shorten lines and wait times, the DMV wants customers to understand that there are a number of options currently available to them, which if properly utilized, can dramatically reduce the number of transactions handled in any field office on a face-to-face basis. That, in turn, results in shorter lines and wait-times. For example, most routine services the DMV provides can be done by mail. Instructions for mailing license or registration renewals are included with the notifications sent out by the Department. Customers can use checks or money orders to renew by mail.

The Internet is also useful for handling many transactions, including some vehicle registration renewals. (Note: A $4 convenience fee is charged for credit card service at this time.) For complete information on who is eligible and how to renew a vehicle registration by Internet, visit the DMV Website at www.dmv.ca.gov . Personalized license plates, boat registration, scheduling for DMV appointments, refund requests, and even checking on driver school licensing may also be handled electronically.

But if a face-to-face transaction is necessary, appointments are always encouraged---either by phone at 800-777-0133 or again, over the Internet. Both options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Montebello DMV Office to Close for Repairs in Early July