COLORADO CITY, Ariz. — Colorado City residents will have to travel at least an hour to visit a Motor Vehicle Division office beginning Monday, as the Arizona Department of Transportation has chosen to consolidate two of its offices on the Arizona Strip.
The ADOT Motor Vehicle Division said Friday that in an attempt to make the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars and provide more consistent, reliable customer service, the division is examining all aspects of its operations, including the consolidation of certain offices, “to better serve Arizonans.”
As a result, the division has chosen to close its Colorado City office — which had only been open two days a week — and expand service at its Littlefield office — which will go from operating three days a week to five.
Employees of the Colorado City office will be stationed at the Littlefield office, which also serves residents of Beaver Dam.
“By merging our resources, we can increase staffing at remaining MVD offices and enhance services to our customers in the northwest region,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said in a media statement Friday.
Many transactions can be done online or through third-party businesses, ADOT officials said.
Those living anywhere in Arizona can conduct more than 20 motor vehicle transactions online at Service Arizona, which is available via smartphones and tablets as well as desktop and laptop computers.
Arizona residents can also visit an increasing number of authorized third-party businesses that offer services including driver licenses and vehicle titles, according to ADOT. However, a quick review of the 22-page list shows no authorized third-party businesses in the Colorado City area.
Those who currently use the Colorado City office will continue to have access to full-service MVD offices in Littlefield and Page for transactions that require an office visit.
The division said it looks at location, lease agreements and what services are used at its motor vehicle offices when considering whether to consolidate them. According to ADOT, the changes taking effect Monday will allow the division to “provide more reliable customer service to residents of the Arizona Strip” and to “operate more efficiently by reducing facility costs.”
“We continue to explore ways to best serve our customers in the northwest region and are working to provide efficient, convenient services to our customers across the state,” Jorgensen said.
However, not everyone is happy about the changes.
Monica Kapcsos said the department of transportation’s “sudden and unexplained” closure of the Motor Vehicle Division in Colorado City — which Kapcsos said was already underserved — is very upsetting to many in the Colorado City and Cane Beds area.
Anthony Williams, of Hildale, echoed Kapcsos’ sentiments, stating that the Colorado City office had only been open two days a week and that “it wasn’t enough.”
“The population of Littlefield is about 350,” Williams told St. George News. “The population of Colorado City area is 15-20 times that. I’m wondering what the logic is behind it.”
According to Suburban Stats, Littlefield has a population of 308, and Beaver Dam has a population of 1,962 — approximately 2,270 residents total. Cane Beds has a population of 448, and Colorado City has a population of 4,821 — approximately 5,269 residents total.
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No real inconvenience here. When the pedophiles are on their way to Nevada hotel rooms to perform child bride marriages, they can simply swing by and pick up their plates.
seems practical enough
the court house is up here to. now it make it much harder to pay fines and to get things done if you have to. this is just more of the same grap we get form the state of AZ. the w.i.c.k office moved to fredonia it is like they want to treat us like we are not here. unless they need money right. not happy with it at all
as much of an inconvenience as it is for all the pligs to have to drive a bit farther, think how inconvenient it was/is for all those little kids to be sexually abused by the self-righteous plig …. their day will come i think
Ed. ellipsis.
Ha ha you got edited !
You can pay your fines by calling in. If you don’t have a debit card, well, I guess you should be used to the inconveniences that poses already.