BMV to close Alexandria branch

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has announced it is closing the Alexandria branch office. As IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports, the final operating day will be July 2nd.

The Indiana BMV says it made the decision to close the Alexandria branch after monitoring traffic there for years and seeing business steadily decline.

At a public hearing considering the closure earlier this month, Commissioner Kevin Garvey said the decision to shut it down wasn’t easy, and the agency is trying keep in line with customer transaction preferences.

According to the BMV, only 34 percent of Alexandria residents conducted their BMV business at that branch. More than half of residents either used the internet or visited a different branch.

The next closest branches are in Anderson, Muncie and Tipton.

At the hearing earlier this month, multiple people spoke out against the branch shutting down for reasons including distance to other locations, lack of accessibility and simply preferring the service at the Alexandria branch. 

After the closure, employees of the Alexandria BMV will begin staffing the Tipton branch.  The agency says the days of operations in Tipton will be slightly adjusted.

Commissioner Garvey said the BMV’s goal is to stay fiscally responsible while still providing services to the residents of Alexandria.

According to the state, the Alexandria BMV operating expenses, not including staff, was just over $50,000.

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu