Staffing Shortages Force Closure of Milton Freewater DMV

The office was only open on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it was an important tool for area residents.

  Milton-Freewater DMV to close indefinitely

So now, unless they can perform certain duties online, Milton-Freewater (MF) area residents will have to travel to Umatilla or Pendleton.

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The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles announced Tuesday the MF Office will close indefinitely beginning August 26th, due to staffing shortages.

There's a staff of  2 people, one is retiring soon, but a state hiring freeze prevents a quick replacement. The current remaining worker will move to the Pendelton Office.

The MF location did nto offer drive tests, but did provide area residents with many services and in-person help with issues.

According to Elkorn Media and the DMV:

"The number of positions DMV is allowed by law to hire is roughly the same as it was 25 years ago, yet the state’s population has grown by over 800,000 since then, with nearly all those people needing DMV services."

DMV officials say the department statewide has been understaffed for many years. Oregon laws require the DMV to hire at levels that were set many years ago, but the state's population has grown by over 800,000 in the last 25, so many offices are understaffed.

DMV says the MF closure will likely last into the new year.  This underscores the issues facing many of the DMV Offices in Oregon.