Dan's Dispatch

Over the past six weeks, I’ve had multiple people reach out to me with issues pertaining to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The most vocalized concern is that the Ketchikan DMV is no longer giving road tests, which means new drivers must travel to other communities to take their road test. Another concern recently brought to my attention is the temporary closure of the Wrangell DMV office. Although some delays and changes are to be expected during the pandemic, the lack of access over the past few months and weeks has been frustrating. I have been in contact frequently with the Alaska Department of Administration, which houses the DMV. Originally, they claimed that Ketchikan road tests would be administered “by September,” but unfortunately, we are nearly through September still with no access. Part of the issue has been trying to find “pandemic-safe” methods for administering the road test. They developed a solution of keeping both applicants and examiners safe by using Garmin and GoPro devices. The equipment has been ordered, and the division’s current priority is to “train staff and deploy testing in all markets.” In a more recent update from the department, they reassured me that testing would start as soon as possible. In Wrangell, the closure situation is unexpected and temporary. Between staff turnover and COVID, there is no one properly trained to run the DMV office. However, the department has hired a full-time position and is in the process of filling the part-time position. The Wrangell DMV is set to reopen in October. I am frustrated by the lack of access in our communities, and I’m working with the DMV and Department of Administration to sort it out. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me - whether through email, phone call, Facebook message, or simply a chat at the grocery store. Please keep in touch if you notice any other issues in our communities. You can email me at Rep.Dan.Ortiz@AKLeg.gov or call my office at 907-247-4672.