Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Average wait times have tripled at Mississippi's driver's license stations over the past two years, according to a report by a Mississippi's legislative watchdog agency.

The Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review report released Wednesday attributed the spike in waits to reasons including vacancies, malfunctioning kiosks and clients being provided outdated or inaccurate or incomplete information. Other reasons include the adoption of a computer system that the report says increased processing times for routine transactions by 40% to 50%, news outlets report.

The state Department of Public Safety is working to lessen wait times, the report says. Changes include implementing appointment scheduling, filling vacant positions and improving online services, the report and Public Service Commissioner Marshall Fisher said.

The agency should look to neighboring states for inspiration on how to improve its driver's licenses services, according to the report. Tennessee works with counties to provide services, Alabama and Arkansas work with another state agency and Louisiana works with private driving academies. The other states, except for Tennessee, all also provide local services in all counties and parishes. Mississippi offers such services in only about half of the state's counties.