Driver’s license center headed for a move
New center in Exeter Township would replace Cumru Township center
People frustrated with long waits at Berks County’s sole driver’s license center may soon get a reprieve.
PennDOT is working on moving the center from its current, cramped location in Cumru Township to a much larger spot in Exeter Township. The proposed new center in the 4000 block of Perkiomen Avenue would be more than three times the size of the Cumru center.
A letter dated Sept. 27 from Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian to state Sen. Judy Schwank — which Schwank shared with the Reading Eagle — said PennDOT has finalized a leasing agreement for the Boscov’s Outlet Center at 4365 Perkiomen Ave.
The letter said the department is in the renovation planning stage of the project. PennDOT is hoping to open the center in early 2023, pending permitting and the availability of building materials.
The letter said the move aims to improve customer service.
“The location was selected to better serve our customers due to increased demand for driver license services in the Reading area and surrounding communities,” it reads.
The new location will be about 17,000 square feet, far larger than the current 5,600-square-foot center.
The new center — which will be a REAL ID Center — will have more customer service counters than the current center, as well as more parking and seating in the waiting area. The center will also add skills testing for Class A commercial driver’s license applicants, which is not offered at the Cumru center.
Gramian also wrote in the letter that PennDOT will be reviewing the hours of operation for the photo center to ensure the needs of the community are being met.
“Meeting the needs of the community is an important goal of the department and wait times for all services are monitored daily,” the letter read. “The department is focused on enhancing the overall customer experience, reducing wait and transaction times and promoting a continued atmosphere for excellence in customer service leading to a positive customer experience.”
The letter from Gramian was sent in response to concerns from local residents about wait times at the Cumru center that Schwank passed along to the secretary.
“Over the years, I’ve heard from many of my constituents about long lines and lengthy wait times for driver’s tests,” Schwank said in a statement about the new center. “Our one, small center has been insufficient and unable to fully meet the needs of Berks County for quite some time.”
Schwank stressed the relocation of the center is by no means final, but expressed excitement about the possibility of the county getting a new, larger center.