More Than 800 Drivers Have Licenses Suspended Amid RMV Probe

BOSTON (CBS) — More than 800 drivers have been suspended this week because of a backlog at the Registry of Motor Vehicles in Quincy. The state's secretary of transportation said the department is now caught up after more drivers who have slipped through the cracks have been found in the archives in Concord.

Earlier this week, the state found a backlog of out-of-state driver notifications at the RMV administrative office in Quincy.

The audit stems from a deadly crash in New Hampshire last month. Police said the driver was Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, who had an extensive out-of-state record and should not have had a commercial drivers license.

"The lapses discovered at the registry are unacceptable and the consequences of the lapses have had tragic outcomes," Governor Charlie Baker said.

On Monday, the state reported its initial investigation of a major backlog at the administrative office in Quincy dating back to March of 2018.

That audit led to 540 drivers getting their licenses suspended. This week, officials pulled back the books even more in Quincy and the archives in Concord.
Since then, 236 more drivers lost their licenses, bringing the grand total to 876 drivers.

Despite the staggering numbers, Baker stands behind Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack and her ability to fix the problem. "Secretary Pollack continues to have the full confidence of this administration."

The state has hired an outside firm, Grant Thornton, to audit how the RMV processes out-of-state notifications. The firm will give a 30-day initial report and after 60 days a final report.

Secretary Pollack said there is no assigned budget for external audit and the department will pay whatever it takes to get the job done.