Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter to the editor:

Privatizing DMV functions is wrong

The wait times for driving exams at DMV offices around the state are getting longer. To address the issue, the DMV director has proposed allowing private driver examiners to conduct these exams.

I agree wholeheartedly that we must reduce wait times for citizens. However, the plan to hand over this duty to a private company will compromise the privacy and safety of Nevadans — and likely at a higher cost.

Driving exams are currently conducted by trained and experienced DMV employees who are objective and have no self-interest in passing or failing drivers. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for private companies with a profit motive driving their bottom line.

Senior citizens who take driving exams regularly will particularly bear the brunt of any additional fees, as will anyone who may have to pay fees multiple times before passing the test.

Another serious concern is safety. State DMV examiners have gone through criminal background checks and are regularly trained to conduct drive exams.

It’s unknown if any of these requirements will be asked of private examiners.

The proposed plan will also compromise the privacy of everyday Nevadans. If private companies are privy to people’s addresses, Social Security numbers and birth dates, this information could potentially end up in the hands of marketers.

Even worse would be in the hands of criminals who could use this information to perpetrate identity fraud.

The DMV must cut down the wait time for those taking driving exams.

Proper staffing and increased efficiency won’t require the use of private drive examiners — a risky move that will have unknown consequences for Nevadans.

The author is the chief of staff of AFSCME Local 4041, which represents Nevada state employees.

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