Employees testing positive for the coronavirus forced the state Motor Vehicle Commission to close five agencies, including three busy regional service centers.
The agencies began to close starting Friday, when Baker’s Basin Regional Service and Licensing Center closed. The Trenton Regional Service and vehicle center closed Sunday.
The Paterson Regional Service and Licensing Center, Wayne Licensing Center and Newton Vehicle Center all closed Monday due to a single employee testing positive in each facility.
The Trenton Regional Service center is also closed for certain walk-in services.
In addition the Springfield Vehicle Center will remain closed longer until Monday, March 22, after another employee there has tested positive for COVID-19, requiring a revised timeline for staff quarantine, officials said.
The score evened a little for drivers because the Flemington, Lodi, Vineland and Salem licensing centers reopened Monday.
Agencies that have closed are scheduled to reopen on these dates after sanitizing, employee quarantining and contact tracing:
- Springfield Vehicle Center- Monday, Mar 22.
- North Bergen Licensing Center- Monday, Mar 22.
- East Orange Vehicle Center- Tuesday, Mar 23.
- Oakland Licensing Center - Tuesday, Mar 23.
- Newton Vehicle Center - Thursday, March 25.
- Bakers Basin Licensing Center - Saturday, Mar 27.
- Trenton Regional/Vehicle Center - Saturday, March 27.
Drivers who had appointments at the closed centers will have to reschedule them on the MVC website.
MVC officials remind drivers to double check the the “cheat sheet” guide on the MVC website to determine if they can do their business online and avoid going to the agency. Currently 75% of MVC transactions can be done online, officials said.
Drivers should also seek an appointment immediately if they have to go to an agency and not wait until the expiration date of the document gets close, officials said.
Drivers are advised to check the status of the agency they intend to visit on NJMVC.gov before traveling there.
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Larry Higgs may be reached at [email protected].