The Illinois secretary of state’s office this week said it installed more than a dozen kiosks in supermarkets to give residents an opportunity to renew their driver’s licenses or other state IDs and obtain vehicle stickers while grocery shopping or running errands.
The pilot program marks the latest effort by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ administration to streamline access to driver’s services. Last year, for example, the office set up a system that allowed residents to make appointments at more than 40 of the busiest driver’s service’s facilities in a move aimed at cutting wait times. Earlier this year, Giannoulias’ office introduced its DMV on Wheels program, which provides mobile services normally provided at DMVs.
The 15 kiosks, most in the Chicago area, puts Illinois in line with about 17 other states that use self-service kiosks to conduct similar state business.
Giannoulias said the kiosks are intended as a convenience for working people and parents who don’t have time to wait in line at a driver’s services facility, as well as for those who prefer not to navigate the secretary of state’s online system for services.
“The amount of people who come into a (Department of Motor Vehicles) facility that don’t have to would blow your mind. They don’t want to use technology or they don’t feel comfortable going online. So this provides us a medium ground,” Giannoulias said in an interview. “We want folks to think of it like an ATM for DMV services.”
Giannoulias said there was a soft launch last month for some of the kiosks to ensure they’re functioning properly, but he said Thursday is when all of them will officially begin operating. He said he hopes his office could eventually see up to 100 or 150 installed across the state.
“Some might do really, really well in rural areas where a DMV may not be located nearby,” he said.
People trying to get new driver’s licenses or other vehicle services, including those applying for a REAL ID, must still visit a DMV office to “ensure proper identity verification is conducted,” Giannoulias’ office said.
According to his office, the average transaction time at the kiosks would be about two minutes and that “registration renewals conducted at the kiosk are less expensive than currency exchange facilities.”
He also said the kiosks will be available to the public beyond the regular hours of DMVs.
“The kiosks are open whenever the grocery store is open. That means early in the morning, late at night, as well as Sundays and holidays. So again, this is about bringing services directly to the people, whether that means new online services that they can get on their phone or allowing renewals at a kiosk inside of a grocery store,” Giannoulias said.
The kiosks will offer services in English and Spanish, but the office said it plans to increase the number of languages available as the program expands. When that happens, the office said it will look into providing more services.
According to Giannoulias’ office, motorists will receive a renewal notice in the mail for whatever driver’s services are required of them. The renewal notice will include a unique barcode for their account and a pin number, which they’ll enter to access the services through the kiosk, the secretary of state’s office said.
In Illinois, most drivers are required to renew their licenses every four years, while vehicle registrations have to be renewed every year.
The kiosks will print vehicle registration stickers for customers immediately on site while customers seeking the renewal of a driver’s license or other state ID will get a temporary document at the kiosk to use while their new card is being mailed within 15 business days.
The technology for the kiosks was designed by a company called Intellectual Technology, Inc., which will charge $4.95 per transaction and, if applicable, a credit card processing fee. Giannoulias also noted the program does not include any funding from Illinois taxpayers, saying the vendor is “hopeful to make enough money on the fees to cover the machines.”
In Chicago, kiosks will be available at five Mariano’s locations: 3350 N. Western Ave., 3145 S. Ashland Ave., 1615 S. Clark St., 3857 S. King Drive and 40 S. Halsted St. A kiosk will also be stationed at the Jewel-Osco at 4042 W. Foster. Ave.
The six suburban locations are: Jewel-Oscos at 1500 S. Lee St. in Des Plaines, 1177 S. Main St. in Lombard and 7122 40th St. in Stickney; Mariano’s at 11000 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn and 1900 S. Cumberland Ave. in Park Ridge; and a Meijer at 3800 Vollmer Road in Flossmoor.
The three downstate locations are in East Peoria, Springfield and Fairview Heights.
Anyone wanting more information about the kiosks should visit www.ilsos.gov/kiosks.
Originally Published:
