New York DMV's 5-day shutdown begins Friday for technology overhaul
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is going dark for five days. All offices will close and all website transactions will be suspended starting at 2 p.m. Friday.
It's part of a push to upgrade computer systems that date back six decades.
- Learn more: New York DMV going dark for 5 days in February
A streamlined platform is on the way
There are shiny new DMV offices in the Bronx and White Plains, but some of the technology they run on has been in use since 1968.
"Currently, what we're working with is very difficult to update, very difficult to modernize, so this is a complete overhaul," DMV Deputy Commissioner Lisa Koumjian said.
Koumjian said it will require a complete shutdown. Every DMV branch will close and all online services will be suspended, starting Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. Offices will then reopen on the morning of Feb. 18.
During those five days, technicians will take 30 million records scattered across a hodgepodge of DMV systems and consolidate everything onto one streamlined platform.
"Right now, certain departments might have to do eight or 10 steps, touching eight or 10 systems, just to complete one task," Koumjian said. "This will all be on one consolidated system."
Improvements the public will notice
Koumjian said it will improve efficiency, cut down on wait times, and allow the DMV to expand the number of transactions that can be done on it website.
"I am of the older generation, so there are a lot of people younger than me that would appreciate that," said Taryn Vanderberg of Mount Vernon. "As long as they give advance notice, five days doesn't seem like a lengthy time for them to be able to upgrade."
"Fingers crossed that this works," added Andre Morrison of Mount Vernon.
It's a $200 million project, so it better work. Planning has been underway for years.
