ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Monroe County DMVs introduced a new automated check-in system called QLess on Monday. The system aims to reduce wait times, but some customers have expressed concerns about its complexity.

“Too many people,” said May Thousand, a DMV customer at the Greece location, regarding the crowds on Monday afternoon.

Monroe County Clerk Jamie Romeo explained the new process. “The first thing they’re going to do is they’re going to check in on an iPad or a tablet. They’re not going to go and talk to someone at the counter,” said Romeo. This change is intended to streamline the delegation of tasks and reduce wait times.

However, some older customers, like John Ottmar, have found the new system challenging. “Being an older person. And I don’t do anything on the computer. I’m computer illiterate,” Ottmar said. “That would be really tough for a person that’s got to do everything with his computer.”

“We were there almost a little over two hours,” Ottmar said. He mentioned that another customer was told he might wait for four hours.

Romeo acknowledged the growing pains and said, “We’re going to provide some more communication out in the community.” She added that staff would be available to assist customers and that tutorial guides might be added to the devices.

Romeo also said that the average wait time across the four branches on the first day was between 25 and 89 minutes. She hopes this will decrease as customers and workers adjust to the new system.

In related news, all New York DMVs will close on the afternoon of Friday, February 13, and will reopen on Wednesday, February 18, for back-end technology upgrades. During this period, in-person, phone, and online services will be unavailable. The DMV says these upgrades will provide “better, more streamlined service.”

The post New Monroe County DMV system aims to cut wait times, but some customers find it confusing appeared first on WHEC.com.