Five Things You Need to Know About the New RMV

The main reason the RMV is moving from downtown to the Business Park is because people needed more access. With only a small number of parking spaces in the tiny lot behind the Union Street location, you had to either own the world's smallest car or be the most patient 86-point-turn driver to maneuver in and out of the lot--only to find out there was zero room to fit another car, no matter what time of day. That meant the only option was to roll up and down the city streets looking for an open parking meter, which became a gamble unto itself. You never knew how much time you'd need to wait inside, and it was inevitable the meter would run out of time right as your number was being called, so you'd have to add a parking ticket to the cost of whatever business you were conducting at the registry. The new location features 330 shared public parking spaces, and you won't have to drive a Smart Car just to fit in one.

Unlike the Union Street location with its constantly crowded benches, the new Business Park location has plenty of seating. With a square footage of over 9,000 feet, there will be plenty of space overall. Hopefully that means finding a space away from the one person who always wants to start an awkward conversation with you.

There are nine upgraded work stations for conducting different transactions, as well as two work stations just for registrations. Insert your own how-many-windows-open-at-a-time joke here, but at least there is the potential for customers to move through far quicker than on Union Street.

Registrar of Motor Vehicles Erin Deveney told WBSM News that a key component in selecting new registry locations is how accessible the location is, for both those who drive and those who utilized public transportation. The new location is reachable through the SRTA bus line and North End shuttle, although the online SRTA map looks like the Route 4 line can also be taken there. To be sure, contact SRTA at (508) 999-5211.

There will be the latest technology throughout the new location, including more computerized testing stations for permit tests. Deveney said the permit testing stations can also conduct the exams in 26 different languages.