Skip-the-Line program at Illinois DMVs improves customer service, report finds

ILLINOIS (WIFR) – New data from the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office shows the Skip-the-Line program reduces wait times and improves customer service at the DMV.

The Skip-the-Line program was launched in Sept. 2023, creating an appointment-only system at 44 of the busiest DMVs in Illinois. Data shows that 2.2 million people have made appointments since then.

Monthly transactions online increased by 20% for a total of 4.8 million on the Secretary of State’s website in the past year, according to the report.

The Help Line assisting with scheduling and questions took 1.1 million calls, and the average customer wait time decreased from 2 minutes and 22 seconds to 50 seconds, the data shows.

Text message notifications were also implemented to remind customers of their upcoming appointments and allow them to cancel, decreasing the amount of no-shows.

Seniors that may struggle with making an appointment online can now go to a “senior only” walk-in center located in Bridgeview, Calumet Township, Evanston and Westchester. The report shows that 80,000 people have used the walk-in centers so far.

The Secretary of State’s Office says they are continuing to seek out opportunities to make DMV facilities more accessible. They recently announced that the facilities will be opening half an hour earlier because of data showing customer demand is higher during the first morning hour.

For more information or to make an appointment at the DMV, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

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