Working For You Headline

DEPARTMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICES (CSD)

January 2021 – December 2023
  1. REDUCED BACKLOG IN SATELLITE CITY HALLS
    CSD eliminated a pandemic-caused backlog of driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, state identification cards and motor vehicle registrations by working with staff to extend hours on weekdays and Saturdays, as well as offering stand-by service and express line service at satellite city halls to meet high demand from customers. CSD staff continues to provide Saturday driver’s license services to provide ongoing efficiencies to the public.
  2. CSD CALL CENTER
    CSD secured an outside call center service to field basic questions about vehicle registrations and licensing, as well as identification services, allowing staff to focus on complex inquiries while eliminating complaints of unanswered phone calls.
  3. CSD BOT TO AUTOMATE RESPONSES TO CUSTOMER QUESTIONS
    Launched the city’s first-of-its-kind chatbot named “Akamai” to quickly respond to basic questions that are typed or spoken into computers and mobile devices related to motor vehicles, driver’s licenses and state identification card services. The Akamai chatbot provides readily available information to the public.
  4. NEW CSD WEBPAGE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION
    Redesigned and modernized the department’s webpage/homepage to make it easier for online users to access information about basic government functions such as registering a motor vehicle and obtaining a Hawai‘i driver’s license, using striking visuals, colors, graphics and large photos – meant to appeal to the changing tastes of younger, mobile-savvy users.
  5. OVERHAULED CSD DRIVER’S LICENSE ROAD TEST WEBPAGE
    CSD overhauled the driver’s license road test webpage to provide clear and concise information with an emphasis on guidance for applicants to better prepare them for road tests. CSD also realigned vehicle pre-road test checks to be consistent with the state safety inspection guidelines, which decreased the rejection/failure rate in half to approximately eleven percent (11%) from twenty-two percent (22%).
  6. FIRST-EVER SATELLITE CITY HALL PROVIDED U.S. PASSPORT SERVICE
    CSD initiated U.S. government-issued passport intake services for the first time at three satellite city hall locations, part of a larger effort to ease processing delays and meet the international travel needs of thousands of O‘ahu residents. Since initiating service, demand has grown from one location to three locations across the island: Ala Moana, Kapolei and Wahiawa.
  7. REDUCED ROAD TEST WAIT TIMES
    CSD reduced wait times for road tests from between four to six months down to one month or less by tightening the rules on skipping appointments and filling vacant road test examiner positions. CSD also reduced wait times for other driver’s license services to 30 days or less from an average of three to four months.
  8. REAL ID IMPROVEMENTS
    CSD engaged in city-wide outreach that resulted in ninety percent (90%) of O‘ahu residents taking advantage of extra time and extended Saturday hours at the department’s service locations to get REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and state identification cards necessary to board domestic flights and enter some federal buildings by the enforcement deadline, now set for May 7, 2025.
  9. GUIDELINES FOR PERSONALIZED LICENSE PLATES
    Following media coverage of an offensive personalized license plate, CSD focused on efforts to ensure that the thousands of personalized license plates issued in the City and County of Honolulu comply with clear, objective and reasonable guidelines for the number and letter combinations in applications received for personalized license plates.
  10. ADJUSTING TAXICAB FARES
    CSD raised the maximum rate for taxicab fares and baggage charges and allowed for a fuel surcharge to help the taxicab industry thrive in the City and County of Honolulu. Taxicabs can also now pass on to their customers the nonrefundable airport pick-up fees, other third-party fees and the Hawai‘i general excise tax (GET) under certain key conditions. The goal is to insure taxicabs can compete fairly with other ride-share services.