In a state frequently criticized as a haven for illegal immigrants seeking driver’s licenses, licensing officials here believe stricter rules are discouraging those from out of state.
After noticing a three-year surge in the number of out-of-state license applicants who lacked Social Security numbers, the Washington Department of Licensing last November began to require stricter proof of state residency.
Those changes — and additional tweaks three months ago — appear to be driving some people away.
Among out-of-state drivers seeking Washington licenses this year, 8 percent lacked a Social Security number, down from 16 percent last year.
Wait times in many locations — particularly the busiest offices in and around Seattle — are also dropping, licensing officials say.
“We believe that our process stopped a lot of people from trying to come here from another state where they weren’t eligible,” said Brad Benfield, department spokesman.
State law requires applicants for a driver’s license to live in the state
Military leaders, trucking company executives and government officials say the state’s new program to make it easier for service members to get commercial driver’s licenses helps veterans and the trucking industry.
“We have over 500 openings for truck drivers,” said Rob Estes, president and CEO of Richmond-based Estes Express Lines, said Friday. “I cannot think of a better group to draw from to be truck drivers” than members of the U.S. military.
“This is a solution to a problem that, frankly, Washington has not been able to address adequately,” said Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th.
The unemployment rate among veterans is “disgraceful,” Cantor said at an event Friday promoting the state’s Troops to Trucks initiative at Estes’ West Broad Street headquarters.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has joined forces with the military and transportation-related businesses to put former servicemen and servicewomen, and members of the National Guard and reserves, to work in the transportation industry.
Through Virginia’s first-in-the-nation program, DMV is making it easier for personnel trained by the military to operate heavy vehicles to obtain civilian commercial driver’s licenses.
As a first step, DMV has certified the Army’s Fort Lee and the Marine base at Quantico as third-party testers to train more personnel to operate commercial motor vehicles, and the Virginia National Guard is joining the program.
So far, about a dozen soldiers at Fort Lee have gotten their commercial drivers licenses through the program, said Army Lt. Col. Arturo Calzadillas
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