DMV adjusts hours, hires workers to handle Green Light law influx

The Department of Motor Vehicles is taking steps to ease long lines following the passage of the Green Light New York Bill.

News 12 Staff

Jan 11, 2020, 10:11 PM

Updated 1,811 days ago

Share:

The Department of Motor Vehicles is taking steps to ease long lines following the passage of the Green Light New York Bill.
The law allows people who immigrated to the United States without documentation to get their driver's licenses and has kept DMV offices across the state jam-packed.
"There was lines out the door. I was also at the DMV in Bethpage, we got nowhere that day,” said Luis Guerreiro, of New Hyde Park.
To accommodate the crowds, the DMV hired 300 new employees across the state and opened offices an hour earlier on weekdays. 
The offices in Garden City and Medford are two of seven in the state that will be open on Saturdays. Officials say they will continue to extend hours at other locations as needed.
The other locations offering Saturday appointments are in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Westchester and Rockland counties.
The New York Immigration Coalition has applauded the DMV for adding extra hours, saying, “Drivers are now getting educated and registered, New Yorkers are getting mobile and millions of dollars are pouring into state.”
Guerreiro told News 12 that he was finally able to get an appointment today.
"This is probably the best experience I've ever had in the DMV. I've never been in and out as fast as I am today,” he said.
The DMV suggests making an appointment online before heading into one of its offices.