Months after the REAL ID deadline in May, the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles is still seeing record customer traffic.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said nearly a third of Mainers with a drivers license have a REAL ID but she expects the demand to continue to rise.
"Based on the fact that about 66% of Mainers who are seeking a driver license or ID right now are opting for the REAL ID. We might expect that the total number of Mainers who will someday have a Real ID will reach about 66%," Bellows said.
Bellows said she expects the BMV to remain busy, and urges people to make an appointment before visiting their local office. She is also encouraging people to cancel if they are unable to make it.
"If you don't have an appointment, you should be prepared to wait a little bit longer than you would have last summer. So bring a book or games on your phone or whatever it might be, because unprecedented customer traffic means longer wait times depending on the time and day that you go," Bellows said.
Bellows said 90% of Mainers passing through TSA in airports are presenting a REAL ID and the remaining 10% are still being allowed to travel due to the slow rollout of enforcement.
