It's Night Side with Dan Ray i WBZ Costin's new radio probably.
Welcome back everyone. My name is Dan Ray. I'm the host of this program, night Side with Dan Ray, and we're going to talk about something that maybe some of you have experienced up close and personal. I was told by a couple of friends of mine this week that they could not get an appointment at the Registery of Motor Vehicles or at Triple A in order to get
their real ID license. Now, if you're familiar with this, you'll follow along, but if you're not, let me explain that in the wake of nine to eleven, the horrific event of September eleventh, two thousand and one, when this country was shocked by planes flying into not only the Pentagon that Field in Pennsylvania skang Skill, Pennsylvania, but also into the World Trade Center, the two big World Trade centers,
which had been the skyline of New York. People in authority said, well, we have to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. And one of the ideas that they came up with was that every American who wanted to get on an airplane, either domestic or foreign, or any American who wanted access to a federal building would have to get a driver's license, which was called the real ID driver's license in all fifty states, didn't
matter where you lived. So I'm looking at my driver's license, which I've had now for several years, because the first deadline for the real ID licenses were October was October of two, and of course what had happened earlier in twenty twenty was the arrival of COVID, so the deadline for the real ID driver's licenses ended and it was
basically said, we'll put it off. So they've had four or five deadlines, but this deadline is an actual real deadline, and it has caused a lot of problems at not only the registry offices where in the year that you have to get a photograph on your license generally well, licenses are in Massachusetts. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but a five years so when you get a license is good for five years. If you
get a license. Let's keep it simple. Let's say you get a license this year, you don't have to renew it for five When you renew it, if you haven't had a picture taken in ten years, you got to get a picture taken, and that means you've got to win the registry. Well, to turn your license into a real ID driver's license, you got to have a picture. They want to know who you are, they want to know what you look like. So the rush is on.
The rush is on. And there has been a good friend of mine who told me that he spent the entire day one day calling registry offices around the Commonwealth in the hopes of getting a license. Again, just the idea that hey, it's got to get done now. If you don't have a real ID, you can't fly on
an airplane unless you carry your passport. If you want to go into a federal office building, you can't get into the office building unless you have a driver's license with this in Massachusetts, it's a gold circle with a white star up in the upper right hand corner. So I have a real idea. It's a pain in the neck to get one, by the way, I'll get into that in a second. However, just to get an appointment
has been nigh on impossible. So this friend of mine told me, I guess it was Monday, that he had spent much of the weekend just calling around to registry offices and there was nothing available. Finally got an appointment, but at the Registry office on Nantucket. Not particularly convenient. Now, if you're living in Nuntucket in the late winter, early spring, I'm sure that the population has not increased dramatically throughout
the winters. Yere all set but everyone else. And so today the Registry said, we're going to now start taking walk ins. However, be prepared to wait. I mean the idea of setting up an appointment. If you set up an appoint for three o'clock, you arrive at five to three,
and hopefully you're out of there by three point fifteen. So, as I understand it, people whose licenses are not expiring for a couple of months or even a couple of years because of this deadline, which is May seventh, seventh, so it's, you know, a little more than two weeks away. There's a on the Registry Motor Vehicles website there's this
two page explainer and it's it's it's unbelievable. It's as beginning May seventh, twenty twenty five, you will need real idea or other acceptable ideas, such as a valid passport to fly within the US access certain federal facilities or military bases. So documents must comply with the following criteria. They must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted. Eliminated
documents will not be accepted. A single document cannot be used to meet multiple proof requirements when applying for real ID. If you're missing a required document, your credential will not be processed. So you have to have, amongst other things, and we're going to talk about Massachusetts, but this is a federal proof of lawful presence, proof of date of birth.
All documents must be valid and unexpired. One document required, so they give you a whole bunch of options here, proof of lawful presence, a US passport or a passport card, original, a certified vision of a version of a US birth certificate, and it goes on. You know, it has to list your full name, your parents, the birth certificate to parents' names, et cetera. Puerto Rican birth certificates. It gets into it gets into the weeds here, okay, consular reporter birth abroad
a CRBA. Politicians or rather these these bureaucrats love acronyms. Permanent resident card issued by the Department of Homeland Security or US Citizenship and Immigration USCIS Form one DASH five five to one. In addition to proof of your birth okay, to prove who you are, et cetera. Your current name much matched the name on your lawful president documents. When applying for real ID driver's license. That could be a
problem if you don't have your marriage certificate. What about if you're divorced the divorce degree your previous name must be included in the divorce degree a court document. Then on the other side, proof of Social Security number. Well, the Solid Security Number number card cannot be laminated. I mean, how many people have their original Solid Security card? I
would bet not many. And if they haven't, the probably eliminated a W two form that displays a nine digit sold Security number that would work an SSA ten ninety nine form, on and on and on, and then proof of Massachusetts residency Massachusetts are in the issue documents current driver's license, current Massachusetts ID card, liquor ID not accepted, current learners permit, and on and on. It goes state
and federally agency issued documents to prove your Massachusetts residency. Property, real estate tax for current year, excise tax for current year, Court correspondence stated within sixty days, so if you've been arrested within sixty days are okay. Bills must be data
within sixty days. Utility bills, Medicare, hospital and health insurance statement, cell phone bill, insurance bill, lease a mortgage, financial documents, Federal tax documents from the immediate prior year, current pension statement, pay stump data within data within sixty days. School issued documents, including for any university, college, or trade school, official school transcript for current year, tuition for current year, insurance related documents. Look,
this is so complicated. I know when I applied for mine several years ago, I showed up and I needed more documents. I had to go back home. So anyway, I want to open up the phone lines, and if you've been able to get your real ID card license, I'd love to hear how easy it was. If you've been in line most of the day, love to hear what the weight's been like. I'm going to open up
the phone lines. I want to give you the heads up that it's not as if if you don't have it, I would say wait until after May seventh, because I think the crush that is on now would probably abate after May seventh, six, two, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty. Feel free to join the conversation if you had an experience, good, bad, or ugly. Love to hear from you coming back on Nightside.
You're on night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w BZ, Boston's news Radio.
All right, we have a bunch of lines lit up, only one line is opened. Six one, seven, nine, three, one ten thirty. Let me start it off with Bob and Raynham Massachusetts down in the southeast corner of the state. Bob, have you got your real ID yet?
Yeah?
Dan, I actually got it yesterday.
Wow?
Wow?
It was How easier? How difficult was us? Was it? Tell us the truth?
It was a piece of cake.
Really, I I was.
I was actually running errand and I saw the the RMV sign and I said, oh boy, I got to get a real ID. So I walked in the front door of the as a kid. At the counter, I waited like three people. I said, Hey, how do I get a real ID? Can I make an appointment to get a real ID? He said, can you come back later today? I said, yeah, sure, And I went back at three twenty and I had my real ID by three.
Now he gave me.
He gave me a he gave me a form at noontime that I had to fill out. And I knew about all the pieces of ID I needed, and I brought all those and yeah, it was a piece of kick.
How tough was it to pull the pieces the I d pieces together. I went to a triple A office. This would have been at least three or four years ago. It might have been the first or second deadline. And they were very, very particular about what what type of document you brought back. I brought my passport, I brought my birth certificate, but apparently all I needed was one or the other, so it only count the passport and
birth certificate only counted for one. But I needed, I don't know, you know, a real estate bill to prove that I lived where I lived although the address was on my license. Did you do it in one that one visit? Did you bring? Were you small enough to bring everything back you needed?
Yeah? I actually I actually did. The hottest thing for me was finding my birth certificate. But I as soon as I found that, I used that. I used a utility bill I used. I do actually have my original Social Security number believe it or not, Social Security CAD and really.
When you were a kid, you mean.
Yeah, yeah, it's pretty counted and torn, but it's behind my license and my wallet, so I always know where it is.
Well, okay, that's good. That's you know, you get it replacement card for that. By the way, if you if you write to sold Security or you called SO.
Security, yeah we'll give you.
They'll give you a nice, clean, new copy that you can keep as a you know, as a as a as a backup. So it worked for you. Okay, that's great to hear, Bob. That's a good story. Now I believe that they give you a temporary license and then your final I D Real ID license comes to you in the mail. Correct.
Yeah, that's true. I got a paper paper photo ID and the real ones coming in like two weeks.
I guess, gotcha. Perfect? Okay, Well, you did it. You did it. You You struck while the iron was hot. You saw an opportunity, and I congratulate you on it. I really do any other tips you would give was was the was the R and V location that you went to? Was it crowded or did you just happen to luck?
I think I lucked out a little bit. I went right before lunchtime and it wasn't too crowded. Then when I did go back to get my appointment though, it was a zoo. But I mean I got to give the I got to give the registered credit. They really cleaned up their act over the years and it's very well organized and it's yeah, I give them kudos. Sounds well the one I went to.
Anyway, Well, Bob, thank you very much for checking in. I appreciate it. Thanks so much. So I have a good one. When we were talking last night with Mark shield Drop of Triple A, I have some sound from him. So, Dan, if you would go to cut number twelve for me. Uh, this was a bit of a conversation I had with Mark a shield Drop of Triple A, because Triple A's offices also can be a place that you could go to get your real ID. Play for me cut twelve if you'd be so kind, Dan.
It's May seventh, and yes, we are seeing very strong, very high volumes at our branches, and I know the Registry is also experiencing that. So getting an appointment on those reservation systems that we offer maybe a challenge. You got to keep checking throughout the day. Slots do open up, so people are grabbing slots, but there's a lot of demand people. I think some folks are maybe a little bit more panicky than.
They should be.
There's some misinformation out there, some confusion, and I take ownership for some of that too, because it's hard to get the messaging right. But there are folks who think that they're the driver's license in their wallet's going to be no good after May seventh, and that's not the case at all. A lot of people don't realize that it's literally to board a domestic flight or go into a federal building. Your old license is perfectly fine. That
will still work as a regular driver's license. You don't need to rush in unless you have a trip plant after May seventh. If you're going to be flying, you know, May tenth, and you don't have a real ID, yeah, you should probably get that done if you can, or you should have already gotten that done. The thing is, though, if you have a valid passport, that will also work
on getting on a plane. So what we are seeing is there are folks that want to get the real idea before the deadline because they do have travel there's a lot of folks that think they have to get it, or it's a real sense of urgency. But when you talk to them, it's like, no, you still have a passport. You use that passport. Just wait till it dies down. I think after May seventh we will see numbers kind of get back to normal and things settle down a little bit.
As Mark she dropped last night during our eight o'clock hour from Triple A, and what Mark said was good advice, no question about that. However, if I'm traveling domestically, I'm not interested in walking around my passport in my pocket. I really am not. I I like to put my passport away and when I have to use it for an international flight, I use it. Uh. So that's why there is a pressure for for for your real ID.
So we're gonna take a quick break here for some news at the bottom of the hours nine thirty week come back. Got Maria, got Doreen, got Bernie, and I got Tim and I got some room for you. One line at six one seven nine B right back on Night's side, talking about the rush to get real IDs licenses. Uh, this is a real deadline. They've had previous deadlines which they have changed and delayed. This is the real deadline
May seventh. Can you get the real idea after May seventh? Yes, but depending upon when you get it, you might have to carry your passport with you to fly on airplane, so to go onto federal buildings. You know your schedule. You you you know your needs better than me. Join the Conversation.
Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm Boston's News Radio.
All right, let's go to the phones here. We're going to go to Maria in Tewkesbury, Massachusetts. Hi Maria, thanks for calling in and thank you for holding on. How are you tonight?
Good?
How are you?
I'm doing just great. So what has been your experience? Have you been in a in a real id line today or this week?
So?
Uh no, I think your previous caller is very lucky to get in.
This was actually my son.
And who needed to get his real life d and his license was expiring, so you know, he went through the process of doing the application online and once you're finished, they send you a link to make your appointment.
And I'll tell you the.
Link was worse than trying to get concert tickets. It would be he would click on the link, and all these registries would show up and none of.
Them would have appointments available.
They just say no appointments available, no appointments available, and they tell you that every hour more appointments are released, So you need to go back to this link every hour and just keep clicking on it. And it's almost like you'd see an appointment and then you'd go to Brabit and it would be gone.
It was insane.
So what we ended up doing is I ended up adding him to my Triple A and we did get an appointment at Triple A, but it was still two weeks house, so it was okay.
So he's got the appointment for two weeks. Uh does will will he get a license before before his old license expires? Is will he cut that close?
He got his license on April ninth? Okay, so yep, but he his license had expired ten days and there was nothing we could do about it. He actually walked into a registry just to make sure he couldn't just walk in, and he was turned away at the door.
Nope, you need to make an appointment.
So even telling them that hey, my license has now expired at the registry, they said, no, you got to get out of here. Basically they knew that he was going to drive home with an expired license exactly. The Registry has never been the epitome of efficiency in Massachuset sits. But this, this has been a tough, tough few weeks. And I suspect it's only going to get worse between
now and in May seventh. And if people can hold off, you think the best advice I could give them would be to hold off until after May seventh, because I think some of those those those locations might may loosen up. Then congratulations in helping your son. That you're a good mom to do that. Get him under, Get him under. Can I make a suggestion to you. I have all my kids under my triple A because even if they are a passenger in a car and and and they
and and the car has a flat tire, Uh, they're covered. Uh. It's really a pretty good deal if if you can. You know, it costs a little more, but it's not that much more.
And and it's great to have children.
They're they're both under it now.
Yeah, I think it's a great I think it's great suggestion, And I make it again. You know the cost of a single membership. Then you add the rest of the family on. And what I found out is that they don't have to be in their car or a car
owned by my family. My understanding is that they're driving with their buddies up to Maine or down to the Cape, and their friend's car, you know, runs out of gas or has a flat tire, they can use their Triple A car to get them to get everybody back on the road, which is a great deal when you think about it.
I agree.
Thanks so much. Thanks Maria, very nice to talk with you. Have a happy Easter if you celebrate Easter.
Okay, thank you, hid you as well.
Bye, Thank you much appreciate it. Good night. All right, let me go next to We're going to go next to doren In. Yeah, Dorena is in Chelsea. Hi, Doreen. How are you?
How are you?
Dan?
I'm doing great. Did you get your new license or no?
No?
Because I belong to Triple A Okay, and I can wait a couple of years because I'm not traveling. I don't travel.
Yeah, well that's that makes sense.
Yeah, and the only thing I would travel on, well, I like buses, cars and trains.
You like to have your feet or at least the vehicle you're riding in on the ground. I understand that.
Yes, and I like ships, but I already went to Nova Scotia, so I don't need to see it anymore.
Okay, you got some pictures, right, got some postcards? You're all set? Uh?
Yeah.
In the end, I wanted to say something to you before I leave.
Okay, I'm not I'm not kicking out of it. I was going to tell you one thing before you say something. If it's okay, The only thing is that you're going to need. If you have to go to a federal office building, it's the same as flying on a plane. So without the the real ID. If you've got to go to the JFK building or the o'neio building downtown for any reason, bring a passport with you because you got to got to have something to get in.
After me, Well, I have a birth certificate and my Social Security number and.
That I hope that would work. I hope that would work for you.
Well ahead of time, I have to walk up, you know, walk up to the real you know, I usually go to Saugust.
Okay, so what were you going to tell?
You?
To ask me something? And I interrupted you, and for that I apologize. Go ahead you.
I know a future a mutual friend of yours store painting or painting company that found a baseball card of yours.
A baseball card of mine.
Yep, three baseball players on the card baseball and he works for the company. Mister Rossy. He did your apartment in Boston. I think, well, I had apartment.
Huh, okay, uh. I got to be honest with you. I lived in Boston back in the seventies and eighties, that's when it was okay. Yeah, And did I give him the car.
Yeah, I talked.
I talked to him.
I gave him your name, your number to.
Call in, I says, because you know I love to talk to car show.
Yeah. I love to talk to him. Thanks, Doreen. That's great. I should give you like you should become my my public, my pr representative. You're you're outspreading threading the word of Nightside, and I really do appreciate that.
Yes, thank you, Thanks Dorene.
We will so I'm not on a baseball card. I don't know what baseball card.
No, no, no, no, it's three three baseball people on a cat and one I'll say CALIU scrampsky.
And I gave it to the guy.
No, he found it in your apartment, okay did he?
He was?
He was painting.
Yeah, and you have you are a lawyer, attorney, yes, I am.
And he founded around amongst the books. It fell on the floor.
Okay. I I hope he gave it back to me.
Yeah, good, great, Well that's great.
All the more reason have him give me a call because I want to thank him. Okay, thanks, thanks, Dorry, and I loved your call. Thank you so much. Have a great weekend and happy Easter.
Okay you too, Bye bye, Thanks.
Thanks Dory, and good night. Okay. I had to figure that one out. Okay, all right, six one, the only line opened, six one, seven thirty. I got Ellen, I got Bernie, and I got Tim, and I got a little room for you. If this continues, we'll take it into the ten o'clock hour. If it doesn't, we're going to switch to President Trump versus Harvard University. It is a match of the Titans, that is for sure. We'll break it down for you back on Nightside right after this quick break at nine, You're.
On night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's News radio.
Okay, we're gonna get everyone in. Let me go to Bernie up in New Hampshire. Bernie, how things in New Hampshire are the real id?
Hey?
How are we doing tonight?
Dan? I'm doing great. Great to hear your voice. Bernie, you got real idea up in New Hampshire as well, I assume right deadline looking at Yes.
Absolutely, I got mind the same as you, probably three years ago when my license was due.
Yeah.
The way I got it is I have this wife who keeps records and everything in boulders and everything is like anything you need.
She said, Bernie, you take this stuff to the registry, you go up to the town, you give.
Them this stuff and you'll get the real I D. And thankfully, my wife is so meticulous that stuff like this. That's all I had to do. I walked up and I gave the nice lady at the counter my stuff, and next thing I know, I had a real I D.
Because I'm Bernie.
Bernie, You're you're You're one lucky guy.
Don't believe me.
Believe Dan you that was the understatement of the evening.
Because I tell my friends and work when when you know what, the day my wife dies she's gonna go to heaven and beat a paint and saint of wives and pull their hands out because of their husbands, and they all Saint.
Bernie, she's already a saint living with you.
Well, I was gonna say that, I I I sometimes say that to friends of mine, their wives, and I'll and I'll say their name, and I'll say you're a saint, or or I'll say to someone like you, Bernie, you've married well, and you know what I'm saying, you've married.
Oh, absolutely, yeah, you don't have to explain that quick story. We went passports three years ago, Brus and she had a she had an envelope for Bernie, an en below Fort Frank and en below for Olivia. And she just handed us the envelopes and we walked up to the couch. That's how it works in my house.
You're blessed. You're blessed. You you must have done something right in this life to deserve your wife, Bertie. Let me put it like that.
Okay, yeah, no, I believe me when I tell you I am the most blessed man alive.
Dan.
You have a great Easter holiday you.
Too as well, Bertie. Okay, have a have a safe and happy and uh and holy ees to thank you so much. We'll talk so thanks Bertie, thank you all right, say, how do you send for us? Okay? We oh, I will, I will hands of that young marine. Okay, thanks so much, but good night, we're gonna go next. That got Tim and Wilburn. Tim, do you get your your ID, your real ID yet? Or no?
Yes I do?
Anyhow, here is my experience. I went to the registry. I went to the registry right. I was there for almost three hours to get an appointment to get the license. So any three hours I was breathing fire. So I got the appointment like it was two weeks later.
I went home.
Breathing fire and I start on a friend of mine.
He said, go to Triple A. I went to Triple A up in Burlington. All I needed for I showed them my ID, my draft card and my SO security number. I was there for twenty minutes.
I got my picture ID. I'm all set.
Well, Tim, that was that was my experience. You had a better experience than I did. But I did do Triple A. This was two or three years ago, but it's still when you look at the materials and they give you all these options. It's like looking at a menu. I just want to see your top three items on the menu. I don't need to see salads, appetizers. I know what I want to eat, you know, And that's right. You look at the menu and it's like what you know? Or or you look at you say do you have
a beer menu? They hand you a beer menu and there's eleven hundred beers you know, I've never heard of. It's like, do you have cause light?
Oh?
Yes, we do. I'll take a course light. Simple as that, you know why? Kind of a simple guide, Tim, I'm kind of a simple guy, you know.
So I why does it say on my license?
Right?
Not for the Federal ID.
I have no idea. I'm looking at my license here and I don't see that, my friends.
For federal ID.
Set on the front.
I don't need one anyhow.
No, but is that on the front of the back on the front. Nope, like that I got? I got it, says Massachusetts driver's license. It has the date of issue as the date of expiration. It tells me, you know, I have an S number, my date of birth and that's about it. You know, when my picture birthdate, I don't have anything that says not for federal ID. Maybe you've got a different type. All right, Tim, bring it, bring it to the to the big Brunch on April twenty seventh. I look at it for you.
Okay, I'll be well on my night's side, tea shooting. Happy Easter.
Happy Easter to you as well, Tim, Thanks much, stock soon have a great night, good night. All right, let's keep rolling. You're gonna go to Ellen in Marshfield, Massachusetts. Ellen, you're next do nights. I go right ahead.
I just had a question.
Sure I have jewelry duty.
Yes, May fourteenth, I don't have a federal ID.
Doesn't matter, I'm sorry.
Yeah, it doesn't matter because you have your driver's license, which is a regular driver's license, right, and you'll show up and they will welcome you with open arms. You know, are you going into a federal grand jury or into a state grand jury?
I don't know.
It's Brockton Court.
Okay, that's state. So you're all set. That's state. If you had been subpoena to appear, you know, for a jury being possible in a jury in a federal courthouse, you would need the federal ID.
I would and could I just comment on but not for Brockton.
You're all set for Brockton. Go ahead, make your comment, go right ahead.
On my license, it does say not for Federal ID.
Well, okay, maybe Tim is. Yeah, that's why I asked. I'll have to look at Tim's license when when I see him in a bunch of other Knights that listeners. In April twenty seventh, at the Newralei Restaurant in Westwood, we're doing a Sunday brunch there for night side listeners, and I.
Have to say, long time listener, first time call.
We got to get your round of applause. I hope that Dan Kadana has the Yeah, he's got the digital studio audience with a with a round of applause. Thank you so much, Allen. That's great, love your call. Thank you very much, and.
Please thank you, thank you for answering my question.
Ye're very welcome. Thanks. Okay, good luck on jury duty. Thanks good night. Let me go to Joe and Boston. Joe your next time nights. I go ahead, Joe, Okay, if Joe is not there, we'll put Joe on hold and try to get him back. And let me try to get Abraham and New Report. Abraham, how are you tonight? Welcome?
I'm doing great. Dan, how about you?
I'm great. We're a little tight on time. I think you're gonna be the last caller of the hour. What's your question or comment or experience?
My own experience. I'm a renta and I get most of my mails sent to my PO box just because it's safer, and in order to get my federal or my real ID bring my whole basic file cabinet with me to the register. It's pretty hard because when you get stuff to your PO box, it doesn't have your residential address. I have a cable bill going to my PO box, but it has the service address is my residential address?
That don't work?
But you won't accept it. They won't REGISTERY doesn't accept it. No, same thing. What's renters? Same thing? What's renters insurance? The policy goes to my PO box, but the insured address is my residential address. Wouldn't accept that either. That's the last thing I wanted to say. Oh, it was frustrating. Luckily I brought my file cabinet at three, so I
was able to. But the last comment is, you know, I remember years ago the Republicans were against the National ID yep, and now it seems like that's what we have as a national ID.
I think that the Republicans after nine to eleven were convinced that we had to have something, and that's that's what I think happened. I think that they changed their mind on that, to be honest with you.
Yeah, yeah, I've changed their mind on it. Anyways, Dan, hope you have a nice night. Thank you for taking my call.
You too, Thanks very much. Abraham, we'll talk soon. Do you celebrate Passover Easter? What's your holiday this week?
I'm nationally more Native American. I use it a ne Abraham because it's the father of all three religions.
I gotcha.
Okay, Christianity. So enjoy your weekend karaoke or when I call it for radio station.
Okay, great, all right, very nice to meet Abraham. I hope you call it again. Thank you so much.
Yeah.
For those of you on the line, Scott, Joe, and Tony, say there, we'll take some calls on this in the next hour. It may and if you want to get on folks six, one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty. I don't like to leave callers hanging. So Scott, Joe and Tony we got you covered right after the ten o'clock news, and we have one line at six one seven, two five four ten thirty and one line at six
one seven, nine three one ten thirty. We will get to Donald Trump and Harvard University before the night is over. I promise we'll be back right after this