Idaho investigating cause of DMV computer outages

BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Department says it’s trying to figure out why motor vehicle offices across the state have been experiencing computer problems for several weeks that have resulted in lengthy delays for customers.

ITD spokesman Jake Melder said Wednesday that the department is working with its driver’s license provider, Gemalto, to find the cause of the problem. Currently, officials are reviewing data to find out how many outages have occurred and when they first began. So far, there has been no evidence of ITD servers or computers being attacked by outside groups.

Melder said the statewide outages have lasted anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.

Last year, Amsterdam-based Gemalto – known primarily for manufacturing SIM cards used in mobile phones and credit cards – won a five-year contract worth around $950,000 a year.

The company is a license provider for several states, including Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii and New Hampshire.