State DHSMV Systems & Website Overloaded Due to Fee Increase Traffic
If you visited any Tax Collector’s Office on Friday, August 28, or Monday, August 31, more than likely you waited for quite some time to process your registration renewal, title transfer or driver license transaction.And, if you tried to renew online during this time, you probably didn’t have much luck, since the Virtual Office website was down more often than not.
Why was there such a long wait?And, why was the website not working?
First of all, the Manatee County Tax Collector’s website was fully operational.However, all Tax Collector Offices use state-maintained software systems provided by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) in Tallahassee.The DHSMV systems and website could not handle the overwhelming volume of customers attempting to beat the fee increases effective September 1.The systems “crashed” numerous times, causing customer wait times to sky-rocket.
The DHSMV in Tallahassee issued the following response addressing the overwhelming number of complaints received:
The extraordinary number of customers seeking service over the last few days challenged the DHSMV technology infrastructure, our members and our service partners.But a review of the numbers of customers that were actually provided service during this period of time is a tribute to the commitment of the Department’s personnel as well as that of our partners around the state.
On Monday, the DHSMV processed over 47,000 driver license transactions – more than double (119%) the amount on the last work day of July 2009.
On Monday, the DHSMV also processed over 209,000 motor vehicle transactions – more than triple (226%) the amount on the last work day of July 2009.(This is the equivalent of serving more than 3 days worth of customers into one day.)
On Monday, the DHSMV Virtual Office continued to experience technical difficulties caused by extraordinary customer demand.In the last hour of the evening (11:00PM to Midnight), the DHSMV experienced an increase in network traffic of more than 5000% over a normal evening.In light of the recognized potential for high volumes given Florida’s large population, both past and future budget requests include monies for the technological upgrades that will allow the DHSMV to accommodate a greater number of customers.
Despite the age of the existing DHSMV IT infrastructure, system downtimes throughout the year are minimal – and despite the intermittent slowdowns and outages experienced during the past few days due to capacity issues, our system was able to process what we believe to be a record number of transactions.
In regard to the planning and response of the DHSMV during the past few days:
The DHSMV responded with an “all hands on deck” approach.
The DHSMV mobilized every available customer service expert and extended office hours.
The DHSMV took the innovative approach of offering vouchers (rain checks) to those motor vehicle customers that were unable to be served due to the tremendous demand.
DHSMV IT professionals worked around the clock to stabilize the system and ensure that a maximum number of transactions could be processed.They made the necessary adjustments to our systems to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
The DHSMV knows that similar efforts were also made by our partners statewide.
In regard to the concerns about the capacity of the DHSMV’s IT infrastructure:
DHSMV system downtimes throughout the year are minimal, and we regularly process tens of thousands of transactions each day.
The analogy of I-95 in SE Florida: During nonpeak hours and most regular traffic days, it is a busy highway with many travelers that move rapidly on the way to their destination.
But during the holiday season, the volume of traffic overwhelms highway capacity – and traffic can come to a standstill.If you add an unplanned incident (crash) into the mix, the delays can be significant.
It is not feasible to add lanes at a moments’ notice just for an upcoming holiday – nor is it appropriate to build excess capacity just for a few days a year.
Rather, you manage the situation as best you can and you ask the travelers to plan their schedules as best they can in order to be a part of the solution.
Throughout the months following the change in Florida law relative to fees, the DHSMV has planned, developed, and executed software changes necessary to implement the new fees that are effective September 1 and have utilized all resources available to the Department to prepare for the new fee implementation
The DHSMV does not have a confirmed number of vouchers that have been issued, but we will be working with those customers between now and September 10 as they return to the offices for service.We would encourage those customers to return to the office where they received their voucher as soon as possible, and not wait until the last day (September 10) to conduct their business.
The DHSMV would also like to thank the thousands of customers that waited patiently for service throughout the state as they sought to renew their licenses and registrations prior to the new fee changes going into effect.
Who can I contact to voice my opinion about this issue?
Contact the DHSMV online or by phone at 850-617-2000.
Please do not contact the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office.
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