COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) on Wednesday unveiled its first self-service electronic kiosk inside a Columbia grocery store.
Officials opened the kiosk, known as “SCDMV Express,” inside Kroger Marketplace at Killian Crossing on Roberts Branch Parkway in Columbia.
The new resource will allow people to complete three different DMV transactions while while grabbing groceries and avoiding long lines at the SCDMV.
"You're going to be able to do registration renewal, get a duplicate registration, and you're going to be able to replace lost or stolen decals," said Kevin Shwedo, executive director of the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.
The kiosk, although not equipped for all DMV transactions, is expected to cut wait times substantially at local DMVs, something customer Lee Goss likes.
"Each time I've ever been to the DMV, it's between 45 minutes to an hour and a half – on good days," Goss said. "So, for this to do things like renew registrations and stuff, should be a lot faster. Should be able to get it done in a matter of minutes while you're getting your groceries."
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Putting the kiosk in an accessible place was the goal, according to Shwedo.
Offering added convenience for shoppers is why Kroger wanted to be involved, according to Tammie Young-Ennaemba, Corporate Affairs Manager for Kroger's Atlanta division.
"Customers like to have a shopping experience that lightens their load and gets them back to what their busy day looked like before they come shopping," Young-Ennaemba said. And having this kiosk available for them at Kroger, for them to be able to renew their DMV registration, is really a great convenience."
With this kiosk being the first of its kind in South Carolina, SCDMV is looking to expand with two others set to open soon. The next two kiosks are set open at Publix Grocery Store at Thornblade Village in Greer and Publix Grocery Store in Summerville.
The SCDMV is working with Intellectual Technology, Inc. (ITI), a private vendor that provides similar services in more than a dozen states, and more sites are expected in the future to support customer demand.
"Depending upon when they are coming in, time of day they are coming in, ITI – not the DMV – will look at the data and see where else in the state can those demands be met," Shwedo said.
That kiosk is now officially open to the public.