Chicago residents are in luck, they will be able to avoid the dreaded wait times thanks to a pilot program that has been installed at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Fast-Lane kiosks in various stores across the city. This system will allow hundreds of residents to renew their driver’s licenses or IDs in just two minutes without needing to go to an office. The entire process is designed to make things much faster and more convenient for users. Here’s everything these kiosks involve and how they work.
Why was Fast Lane created?
Illinois is constantly working on modernizing its public services, and with the Fast Lane kiosks, they want to offer residents practical and efficient solutions so they can take care of their paperwork quickly while doing their shopping at their trusted grocery store. A 2-in-1 to save time!
How do Fast-Lane kiosks work?
These kiosks will be installed in 12 grocery stores in the Chicagoland area, stores like Jewel-Osco, Mariano’s, Kroger, and Meijer, which have joined this program.
Each kiosk allows users to perform almost the same functions as in an office, from renewing their driver’s license, getting a vehicle sticker, or updating their state ID, all in just a few minutes.
Of course, this isn’t free, it’s almost like ordering food at a fast-food restaurant, and it will cost $4.95 per transaction. Keep in mind that if the payment is made with a credit card, it might cost a bit more.
And don’t worry, this program is funded by private money and doesn’t involve any public spending.
Expansion of the Fast-Lane program in Illinois
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said that the Fast-Lane kiosks not only improve user experience, but also allow Illinois to take a step toward modernizing its public services, making them much more accessible for everyone. According to Giannoulias, this is an important advancement that makes it easier to renew licenses and registrations without having to go through the traditional DMV process. In addition, this helps reduce the need for travel, which is often a major issue for many users.
For now, the program (which is still in the testing phase) only has 15 kiosks spread throughout these supermarkets, but it is expected that the program will expand to more than 150 locations across the state.
Are there benefits to using this?
Mainly, you’ll save time on any transaction you need to do, and especially, you won’t need to travel to a DMV office to take care of it, since you can do it while you shop at one of these supermarkets.
This new service doesn’t aim to eliminate personal interaction with DMV users, but it does help us slowly adapt to a much more tech-driven world where these types of screens and kiosks will probably become the new standard.
For now, we can stick with the fact that they offer immediacy and convenience, in addition to helping reduce the demand at DMV offices for those who really need personalized attention for their transactions.
So if you’re a Chicago resident, you no longer have to worry about long lines at the DMV! The Fast-Lane kiosks are here to make your life easier, giving you the chance to handle your paperwork quickly and comfortably. Take advantage of this new option and improve your experience with Illinois public services! Let us know how they work!