POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder is publicly criticizing Florida’s statewide DMV computer system after ongoing technical problems reportedly caused major delays, long wait times, and service interruptions across Polk County offices.
In a statement released Wednesday, Tedder said the State’s “Orion” computer system, which is used for driver license and DMV-related services, has become increasingly unreliable since it was rolled out earlier this year by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
According to Tedder, the system problems have significantly impacted his office’s ability to serve customers efficiently, with some residents reportedly waiting more than three hours for services that normally take less than 20 minutes.
“The lack of this system’s reliability has been crippling our ability to take care of our citizens in a manner they are accustomed to,” Tedder stated in the release.
Tedder said the issues are not isolated incidents. He noted that out of the first 18 business days in May, there had already been 12 days involving software crashes or major delays.
The Tax Collector’s Office is required to use the State-managed system for driver license and DMV transactions, meaning local offices have limited control over the ongoing technical issues.
Tedder also urged residents to contact FLHSMV directly to voice concerns regarding the repeated outages and delays.
“Customers are burdened with increased wait-times because of the computer system issues we face, some exceeding three hours as opposed to 20 minutes or less,” Tedder said. “This is unacceptable.”
The statement comes as frustrations continue to grow statewide over delays involving DMV services and licensing transactions tied to the new system rollout.
Despite the issues, Tedder emphasized that local employees are continuing to work through the problems and asked residents to remain patient with staff members attempting to assist customers during the outages.
“While the Tax Collector understands the public’s increased frustrations, he asks that customers be patient with staff as they are working to the best of their abilities to do everything possible to serve the people of Polk County,” the release stated.
Residents wishing to file concerns regarding the DMV software issues can contact FLHSMV directly at (850) 617-2000.
