Computer Glitch DMV, Sumter County, South Carolina

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The page is not dated, but it does come from 01/04/2000 MSNBC news

COMPUTER GLITCH STRIKES DMV Sumter County, South Carolina

The line coiled around like a giant snake inside the Sumter DMV. Faces there were drained, with some annoyed and some angry. All were there too long.

Nicole Frierson of Sumter found a tiny space to sit in front of a door.

The 16-year-old passed the learning permit test, but with computers down, she can't get the permit itself.

She said the frustration was too much for others, "A lot of people have already left, like four other people in line this morning."

Signs outside the building had the warning that DMV computers across the state began crashing two weeks ago and a third were down on Tuesday.

The Department says it doesn't know exactly why, except the computer error is complex and may run through phone lines.

DMV is racing to fix the problem, but lines statewide are moving inches at a time, but those inches sometimes do add up.

Nicole Frierson did get her permit, after 3 hours, and some applause from her joyful line buddies, "I said it's about time 'cause I've been waiting all morning and I finally got it. I'm happy."

Nicole may leave the computer nightmare behind, but for now, it's a problem that is staying put at the DMV.

One thing exacerbating the problem is the timing.

Many people wait until the end of the month, when licenses expire, to go to the DMV.



-- Sheri Nakken (wncy2k@nccn.net), January 04, 2000


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