FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2000
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, (803) 896-8755
JOINT BOND REVIEW COMMITTEE APPROVES
FUNDING FOR NEW MYRTLE BEACH DMV
COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces that the Joint Bond Review Committee approved plans on Tuesday for a proposed full-service Division of Motor Vehicles office to be located at the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base site near Socastee in Horry County. The proposal ultimately must be approved by the State Budget and Control Board, which is scheduled to meet later this month.
The Horry County area experienced a 24 percent increase in growth from 1990 to 1999. It is projected to grow at a rate of 31 percent between 1999 and 2010. This area is already served by the Myrtle Beach and Georgetown DMV offices, but the increasing industry and population boom in these areas have stretched these offices to their limits.
"We have tried a number of options to accommodate the customers in this area such as expanded hours and offering more services by mail, but the bottom line is that we have more customers than we can accommodate with our current facilities," said Gov. Jim Hodges. "The most sensible solution is adding a new office that will provide our customers the quality of service they deserve."
Sen. Luke Rankin, D-Horry, and Gov. Jim Hodges were instrumental in pushing the approval of the funding through the committee.
"Many of the Myrtle Beach Office’s customers are people who work in Myrtle Beach but live elsewhere," said Rankin. "By giving them another branch office in this area, we will give them an alternative to the already overcrowded Myrtle Beach office."
Rose pointed out that Hodges has made better customer service at DMV a top priority. "In addition to the changes that will come through Project Phoenix, I believe this is a major step in the direction that the governor wishes to go."
The location of the proposed office will be near Socastee, Murrells Inlet, Surfside Beach and Pawley’s Island and will also help reduce the traffic in the Conway and Georgetown offices.
The Division of Motor Vehicles manages and administers driver and vehicle services for all South Carolina drivers and automobile owners and handles more than 400,000 transactions each day. DMV has 68 field offices in all 46 South Carolina counties and has more than 1,040 employees.
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