LINCOLN- Due to a shortage of driver examiners at the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, about 30 DMV offices across the state, mostly in rural areas, have closed temporarily or seen hours cut back. The closures have prompted frustration and disappointment and have forced customers to drive to other counties to take tests.

The state employee’s union thinks the problem is low pay, and the Nebraska Association of Public Employees recently asked the state to renegotiate the starting wage for driver's license examiners, which is now $16.48 an hour.

Rhonda Lahm, the director of DMV, said it’s more complicated than just salary.

To deal with the staff shortages, Lahm said the DMV has tried to maintain normal hours at its five-day-a-week locations, which are in larger counties like Douglas and Lancaster. Closing of rural offices, she said, is rotated so there is some availability of the tests.

According to the DMV website, no driving tests were scheduled in Antelope, Knox and Cedar Counties during the months of April and May.

For the full article click HERE