Driver and Vehicle Services delivered its statutorily required report on exam scheduling and road‑test availability to the Senate Transportation Committee.

Key measures and findings: DVS focused on three performance measures — ability to take an exam in the applicant’s home or adjacent county (required by law), real‑time availability on the DVS website, and obtaining an appointment within 14 days of request. The department reported that about 77% of applicants took tests outside their home county during FY24. DVS also confirmed the website provides real‑time availability for appointments up to 30 days out across the state.

Why 14‑day metric was missed: The department said it could not definitively identify when permit holders are ready to take exams and that scheduling data did not capture intent for all permit holders. DVS also reported roughly 41,000 appointments were canceled within 24 hours or marked as no‑shows in FY24, and about 12,000 appointments were available in greater Minnesota that went unused. DVS said staff minimums at some rural offices limit the ability to shift appointments from greater Minnesota to the metro.

Capacity and pilots: DVS noted funding authorized in July 2024 for 30 additional examiners; the last three were scheduled to start in February. The division said it is piloting an all‑Class D testing site in Plymouth, moving CDL testing to other locations to create efficiencies, and offering some weekend Class D appointments to increase access. At the time of the hearing DVS reported about 7,000 appointments available statewide.

Committee concerns: Senators expressed frustration about long waits in some counties and urged DVS to consider giving local residents scheduling priority, increase reminders and reduce no‑show rates. DVS said it uses an hourly subscription notification system that informs users when appointments become available and charges a $20 penalty on applicants who no‑show or cancel within 24 hours, though the department prefers applicants cancel earlier to free slots for others.

Next steps: DVS said it will continue to add examiners, refine scheduling data capture and evaluate pilots to improve access and reduce travel burdens for applicants.