Reedley DMV Office to Close for Three Weeks

SACRAMENTO -The Reedley office of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be temporarily closed for three weeks starting Saturday, October16th, 2004, for much-needed renovations to improve access for disabled customers, modernize the public restrooms, install a new public service counter and much more. The easiest way to accommodate this work is to close the facility for a brief time. The office will reopen for business on Monday, November 8th, 2004.

DMV officials say the 16-year old office has never had any sort of major repairs since it opened in 1988. The facility is located at 558 East Dinuba Avenue in Reedley.

The Reedley office is one of several offices slated for maintenance, repairs and/or renovation work during 2004. DMV usually closes about a dozen offices each year for varying lengths of time to make infrastructure repairs or for equipment installation.

The Reedley office employs 14 full-time and 8 part-time employees who handle about 136,000 transactions each year. During the brief renovation project, technicians will be loaned to nearby DMV offices to help handle customers diverted because of the construction project.

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 projects such as this one. The offices where Reedley DMV customers will be steered are:

Hanford, 701 West Hanford Armona Road, 26 miles away

Fresno, 655 West Olive Avenue, 27 miles away

Fresno North, 6420 North Blackstone Avenue, 31 miles away

Clovis, 533 Pollasky Avenue, 33 miles away, and

Visalia, 1711 East Main Street, 34 miles away

In a continuing effort to shorten lines and wait times, the DMV wants customers to understand 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 means 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 driver license and vehicle registration renewals. All that's needed is DMV paperwork, personal identification information and a credit card. (Note: The $4 "convenience" fee charged for credit card was discontinued on July 1, 2004.) The DMV Website may be accessed at www.dmv.ca.gov. Personalized license plates, boat registration, scheduling for DMV appointments, refund requests, and checking on driving school licensing can 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.

Reedley DMV Office to Close for Three Weeks for Much-Needed Renovations