Drive-thru DMV kiosk opens at brand new Lombard facility

LOMBARD, Ill. (WLS) -- Major upgrades have been made to a west suburban DMV that's been plagued with problems.

It's now a new space with brand new capabilities, and a model that Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says he hopes to replicate all across the state.

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Since the 1970s, one of the busiest DMVs outside of Chicago sat in Lombard. And many of its clients were left sitting, or rather standing, outside waiting for service.

"The line was outside. Actually, they had to meet you at the door to get you in because it was overcrowded, and they just didn't have the space," DMV customer Clarence Jones said.

"I remember waiting outside, too, in the colder months," DMV customer Luis Moreno said.

"Smaller, compact, people all over," DMV customer Karen Peters said.

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Now, Lombard is home to the future of DMV service in the state in a brand new space across from its former home. It's bigger, faster and has a first-of-its-kind-in-the-state drive-thru DMV kiosk open 24/7.

"Nothing but complaints (at the former facility). Leaky ceilings, it was hot in the summer, cold in the winter. Wait times were frustrating people. And we had not just our customers who were upset, but we had employees that weren't looking forward to coming to work," Giannoulias said.

Giannoulias said something had to be done, after he heard non-stop on the campaign trail about issues in Lombard. And he said the results speak for themselves.

The new home now sits in a former bank in the same Eastgate Shopping Center, with a fully cross-trained staff to handle driver services and vehicle services at 30 customer service stations.

"This our biggest facility in the state of Illinois outside of Chicago, and, as you can see, it gets really busy," Giannoulias said. "That's why we wanted to send a message that DuPage County matters and that our employees matter."

It's an upgrade customers have been eagerly awaiting.

"I walked in, instantly serviced, and I'm waiting right now to get my REAL ID. And so, this new facility, I don't know what they did differently, but it's really working for the customers," Jones said.

And the improvements are ongoing. Gianoulias said there will be 18 EV charging stations offered.