Wait times at the Office of Motor Vehicles can be maddening for many seeking services. Matthew Boudreaux, interim deputy commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles says there are coming improvements to the antiquated systems currently in place that should ease the congestion. WWL’s Tommy Tucker spoke to Boudreaux about the upgrades the Louisiana OMV is getting as part of a larger much-needed equipment overhaul that should cut down wait times for residents.
Boudreaux estimates the current computer systems in use at the OMV are roughly 50 years old at this point, leading to headaches all around. While two previous attempts to upgrade the old technology have stalled and ultimately failed, Boudreaux says the third time is the charm. “It is a done deal. The contract is signed, we’ve already been communicating with the vendor about some preliminary items and they’ll be in Louisiana next week with boots on the ground,” Boudreaux explained.
The full roll-out of updated systems is expected to take roughly two years according to Boudreaux, although he says some OMV locations may see upgrades sooner than others. “There are so many programs within the system that some will be ready to roll out before others,” Boudreaux says. “It’s amazing when you see the antiquated systems we’ve been operating on and to see what we’re moving to is very exciting and certainly something that Louisiana residents should be excited about,” he added.
These improvements are expected to slash wait times for those who need services at the OMV and Boudreaux says these changes will also go a long way toward helping employee morale. “It’s going to make things easier on our staff as well, which should help not only in hiring staff … but also in training and maintaining OMV staff,” he emphasized to WWL’s Tommy Tucker.
