TRENTON – State Senator Troy Singleton today issued the following statement regarding the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission:

“For the past 18 months, our state government has had to find ways to adapt in order to provide continued services to the citizens of New Jersey. This includes the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

“While I appreciate that staffing shortages and tremendous backlogs stemming from the shutdown led to the initial decision to bifurcate the agencies into two distinct categories – licensing centers and vehicle centers – I am hopeful that the increased availability of vaccines and the reopening of our schools for in-person learning will lead to a more stabilized workforce. Therefore, I strongly urge the NJ MVC to consider reopening its agencies for all transactions.

“My team has tried to address our constituents’ MVC needs by partnering with the Commission to schedule three mobile unit events throughout our district where we bring the MVC directly to our communities. However, the fact that these events reach capacity within days after we advertise them indicates that there is very much a need for a more accessible MVC.

“Today, the MVC announced they will use these mobile units to help alleviate the huge demand for knowledge testing and permit appointments. This effort is greatly appreciated, but reopening vehicle centers to offer Real IDs, new licenses, and testing appointments is needed to truly accommodate and service our drivers.”