Audit Shows State Struggles to Deliver Timely Road Tests

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The agency that issues driver’s licenses in Minnesota has struggled to schedule road tests within the 14 days of an applicant’s request as required by state law, according to a new state audit.

The Office of the Legislative Auditor scrutinized road testing by the Driver’s and Vehicle Services Division after Minnesota lawmakers began receiving complaints about scheduling delays.

The audit recommends division leaders better track the delays and develop a method of forecasting demand for road tests to better allocate resources, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

Between October 2018 and July 2020, the division managed to meet the 14-day requirement in just 34 percent of road tests administered to applicants.

The report credits the division with clearing a large backlog by late 2020, but noted it was done by relying heavily on staff overtime, a practice auditors said was not sustainable.

The audit also recommends legislators clarify the 14-day requirement because the law doesn’t specify whether the test must be offered close to the applicant’s home or may be scheduled anywhere in the state.

The state administered about 136,000 road tests for a standard driver’s license in 2019, according to the audit.