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Frame The Importance of

Commercial Truck Insurance in Charlotte, NC

  • Let's face it - truckers in America have always been the backbone of our great country. They still are in modern times. On any given day, thousands of trucks traverse our highways and local roads, delivering goods and products on time so that businesses and consumers have what they need to live life. And while commercial trucking can be an incredibly lucrative way to make a living and put food on the table, it can also be risky and expensive.
  • Whether you're the owner of a fleet, an independent trucker, or have a business that uses big rigs to transport goods, you need commercial trucking insurance to protect you and your client's investments, shield you from liability, and more.
  • That's where working with a reliable truck insurance agency comes into play. Unfortunately, for many commercial truck insurance providers, serving the needs of truckers is low on the proverbial totem pole. At Independence Insurance Agency, nothing could be further from the truth.

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percent The Commercial Truck

Insurance Agency in Charlotte, NC You Can Trust

Much like you pride yourself on running a successful trucking business, Independence Insurance Agency prides itself on its years of experience providing truck insurance for hardworking men and women across the country. And in our experience, insurance rates for truckers are just too high - so high, in fact, that they eat away at their bottom line, making it more difficult to run a business and make a profit. Fortunately, at Independence Insurance Agency, we provide truckers the freedom they need from astronomically high insurance rates so they can stay on the road and keep driving America forward.

As one of the most trusted commercial trucking insurance agencies in the U.S., we understand the challenges that you face daily as a trucker. We also know how important it is to protect your business. That's why we go above and beyond to find you the best-priced coverage available, whether you're an operator, own a small fleet, a large fleet, or something in between.

Commercial Truck Insurance Charlotte, NC

We Put Truckers First Because Others Don't

 Truck Insurance Charlotte, NC

Truckers across the country choose to work with Independence Insurance Agency because we put their needs first before anything else. As experts in transportation insurance, we proudly offer a range of quality insurance products that are both practical and affordable for them. Our industry-leading carriers provide coverage that caters to the unique challenges faced by the trucking industry, ensuring that your business is protected at all times.

At our core, we are committed to finding the best possible price for your coverage without compromising the quality of service you deserve. The truth is, we understand how essential truckers are to the United States and take pride in making their insurance experience more streamlined and affordable.

One way we do so is by simplifying the insurance process. Our transportation specialists take the time to understand your specific needs and budget to tailor a comprehensive plan that works for you. You won't ever have to worry about cookie-cutter plans or uninterested agents when you work with our commercial trucking insurance agency. We take an educational approach to ensure that the entire big rig insurance process is quick, painless, and easy to understand. If there's something you don't understand, we're happy to take the time to explain. After all, the success and safety of your business are on the line.

Looking to the future, we are committed to providing innovative new products that cater to the ever-changing needs of truck drivers. As your one-stop shop for commercial trucking insurance, we are dedicated to your success, one policy at a time.

If you're a commercial trucker looking to ensure your rig, you can rest easy knowing that Independence Insurance Agency provides:

  • Affordable Trucking Insurance Plans for Any Budget
  • Exemplary Customer Service
  • Seasoned Transportation Specialists Who Customize Plans to Your Needs
  • A+ Carriers Across the Country
  • Simple, Easy Quote and Bind Process
  • Multiple Insurance Carriers Quoted to Find You the Best Rates
  • Truck Insurance for New Ventures

Call us or send us a message today to learn more about the best 18-wheeler insurance options for your trucking business.

chart The Commercial Truck

Common Types of Big Rig Truck Insurance in Charlotte, NC

At Independence Insurance Agency, we offer several types of insurance coverage for local, intermediate, and long-haul trucking needs. Here are just a few categories of trucking insurance coverage that our agency offers.

As the foundation of your insurance policy, liability coverage is required by law in most states in the U.S. It provides coverage for damage or injuries caused to properties or other people if your 18-wheeler is responsible for the crash. Without liability coverage, it's almost impossible to drive a truck or run a trucking business without major legal consequences.

Having physical damage coverage is an essential component that shouldn't be overlooked. This insurance is responsible for covering the expenses related to repairing or replacing your truck in situations such as accidents, theft, vandalism, and other damaging events. By having this coverage, you can rest assured that your business won't be affected significantly by unexpected incidents, and you can continue running your operations smoothly even in challenging times.

For trucking companies, the goods they transport are crucial to their operations. To protect these goods from damage, loss, or theft while in transit, cargo insurance is essential. This coverage provides much-needed peace of mind for both you and your clients, allowing you to reimburse clients for any losses sustained while protecting your reputation and brand identity.

Non-Trucking Liability Insurance is designed to cover property damage or bodily injury that may occur during personal time when the driver/truck is not under dispatch. This coverage can be applied with or without a trailer and is added to a commercial policy as an endorsement.

While Independence Insurance Agency has built a reputation of excellence in serving the needs of truckers, we also offer general liability. Also known as Truckers General Liability, this coverage insures for bodily injuries or property damage that happen due to business activities that are NOT the cause of operating a truck. It covers accidents that occur in parking lots, rest stops, also while loading or unloading. General liability can also cover losses related to theft and vandalism. Most brokers and shippers will require this coverage to work with you.

Bobtail insurance is a type of coverage that is comparable to non-trucking liability, which is designed to offer protection when driving a truck without a trailer attached. This is commonly referred to as "bobtailing." With bobtail insurance, the tractor is covered at all times, even when it is not attached to a trailer, regardless of whether or not the truck is under dispatch.

Trailer interchange insurance is a must-have if you're involved in a trailer interchange agreement. This essential coverage offers protection for trailers owned by other parties that you're using under a contractual agreement. It covers damages caused by collisions, fire, theft, and vandalism, providing assurance to all parties involved.

Curious whether our commercial truck insurance agency in cityname, state offers additional coverage? The following options can be bound in your insurance policy:

  • Business Interruption Insurance
  • Reefer Breakdown Insurance
  • Occupational Accident with Contract Liability Insurance
  • Rental Reimbursement Insurance
  • Underinsured or Uninsured Motorist Insurance
  • Towing Insurance
  • Electronics Insurance
  • Much More

Three plus 3 Safe Driving Tips to

Lower the Cost of Truck Insurance in Charlotte, NC

Keeping your drivers safe on the road is crucial not only for their own well-being but also for the safety of other motorists and the financial stability of your business. The Department of Labor has identified the trucking industry as one of the most hazardous sectors in the U.S. In fact, trucking and logistics fleets are known for their high injury and fatality rates. By improving how safely your truckers drive, you can help reduce expenses related to claim payouts, accidents, and insurance premium hikes.

Whether you own a large fleet or you're the owner and operator of a single rig, keep these safe driving tips in mind to help lower your insurance costs.

Implement Preventative Maintenance Plans

Ensuring the safety of your drivers begins with the safety of their vehicles. Trucks and tractor-trailers that do not receive regular maintenance, such as oil and brake pad changes, are more likely to experience breakdowns while on the road. Telematics devices provide real-time insight into engine and odometer data, including fault codes.

This information enables your mechanics to create comprehensive preventative maintenance schedules based on mileage, history of previous breakdowns, days, and more. Additionally, they can receive immediate notifications for critical fault codes. By implementing routine maintenance and proactive repair schedules, you can ensure that your vehicles are in top condition, minimizing the likelihood of breakdowns, which can help reduce the cost of trucker insurance.

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 Trucking Insurance Charlotte, NC

Practice Defensive Driving

This approach aims to mitigate the risk of fatal crashes and injuries by proactively identifying and responding to potentially dangerous situations and making informed decisions while driving. By adopting defensive driving techniques, drivers can reduce their likelihood of accidents, thereby minimizing the need for expensive repairs, claim payouts, and increased insurance premiums.

Some of the easiest ways for you or your drivers to practice safe driving include:

  • Be Wary of Blind Spots: Operating a reefer or tractor-trailer means driving high off of the ground, which can make visibility limited, especially in blind spots. To check your blind spot, look over your shoulder and out of your windows while changing lanes.
  • Be Ready for Emergencies on the Road: It's important for drivers to be ready for unexpected situations when driving, especially during long trips. They should be equipped to handle emergencies such as poor driving conditions or big rig breakdowns.
  • Use the Three-Second Rule: Truck drivers should try to maintain a three-second gap between their vehicle and the car in front of them. This means that the truck driver should reach a certain point on the road three seconds after the car in front of them has passed that same point.
  • Always Use Right and Left Turn Indicators: It's important for drivers to always use their turn signals when changing lanes or exiting highways, even if they don't see any other cars around. This is not only required by law, but it also reduces the chances of accidents occurring on the road.
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 Commercial Liability Insurance For Truckers Charlotte, NC

Find Ways to Prevent Distracted Driving

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), distracted driving is the primary reason behind truck driver accidents. Any activity that takes a driver's attention away from the road or the steering wheel is considered distracted driving. Distractions can come in various forms, such as eating while driving or gazing at a billboard outside the window. However, the most frequent form of distracted driving is the use of cellphones, specifically texting while driving.

Assuming you or your driver's rigs are equipped with dual-facing cameras, try reviewing footage of an unsafe driving incident. Coach your drivers on ways to correct their unsafe behaviors or look up ways to do so yourself if you're the one operating the big rig. The bottom line is that when your drivers aren't distracted, they drive safer. And when they drive safer, the cost of 18-wheeler insurance in cityname, state can be reduced.

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 Commercial Truck Insurance Quote Charlotte, NC

Ensuring the safety of your drivers begins with the safety of their vehicles. Trucks and tractor-trailers that do not receive regular maintenance, such as oil and brake pad changes, are more likely to experience breakdowns while on the road. Telematics devices provide real-time insight into engine and odometer data, including fault codes.

This information enables your mechanics to create comprehensive preventative maintenance schedules based on mileage, history of previous breakdowns, days, and more. Additionally, they can receive immediate notifications for critical fault codes. By implementing routine maintenance and proactive repair schedules, you can ensure that your vehicles are in top condition, minimizing the likelihood of breakdowns, which can help reduce the cost of trucker insurance.

 Low Priced Commercial Truck Insurance Charlotte, NC phone Call Now

This approach aims to mitigate the risk of fatal crashes and injuries by proactively identifying and responding to potentially dangerous situations and making informed decisions while driving. By adopting defensive driving techniques, drivers can reduce their likelihood of accidents, thereby minimizing the need for expensive repairs, claim payouts, and increased insurance premiums.

Some of the easiest ways for you or your drivers to practice safe driving include:

  • Be Wary of Blind Spots: Operating a reefer or tractor-trailer means driving high off of the ground, which can make visibility limited, especially in blind spots. To check your blind spot, look over your shoulder and out of your windows while changing lanes.
  • Be Ready for Emergencies on the Road: It's important for drivers to be ready for unexpected situations when driving, especially during long trips. They should be equipped to handle emergencies such as poor driving conditions or big rig breakdowns.
  • Use the Three-Second Rule: Truck drivers should try to maintain a three-second gap between their vehicle and the car in front of them. This means that the truck driver should reach a certain point on the road three seconds after the car in front of them has passed that same point.
  • Always Use Right and Left Turn Indicators: It's important for drivers to always use their turn signals when changing lanes or exiting highways, even if they don't see any other cars around. This is not only required by law, but it also reduces the chances of accidents occurring on the road.
Commercial Truck Insurance Charlotte, NC phone Call Now

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), distracted driving is the primary reason behind truck driver accidents. Any activity that takes a driver's attention away from the road or the steering wheel is considered distracted driving. Distractions can come in various forms, such as eating while driving or gazing at a billboard outside the window. However, the most frequent form of distracted driving is the use of cellphones, specifically texting while driving.

Assuming you or your driver's rigs are equipped with dual-facing cameras, try reviewing footage of an unsafe driving incident. Coach your drivers on ways to correct their unsafe behaviors or look up ways to do so yourself if you're the one operating the big rig. The bottom line is that when your drivers aren't distracted, they drive safer. And when they drive safer, the cost of 18-wheeler insurance in cityname, state can be reduced.

 Truck Insurance Charlotte, NC phone Call Now

check light FAQs About

Independence Insurance Agency

If you're looking for a commercial trucking insurance agency for your business, chances are you have some questions - and we've got answers. Keep reading to learn more about some of the most commonly asked questions we hear from truckers like you.

Why go with a "jack of all trades" when you can work with specialists who focus exclusively on transportation insurance? We have excellent relationships with major trucking insurance carriers and, as such, can provide the best assistance and reasonable rates.

Typically, companies will look at claims that date back three years or less.

We proudly work with more than 20 carriers to provide our clients with the most advantageous options at competitive prices, catering to the needs of owner-operators and big fleets alike.

Permit filings are typically done by insurance companies on the next business day. Federal (FMCSA) filings are completed online and updated immediately, while some states may take up to three weeks to process.

Independence Insurance Agency: Committed to the Trucking Industry

There's no question about it - you've got to protect your staff, your rig, and your trucking business with insurance. But choosing the right insurance partner isn't always easy. Thankfully, with Independence Insurance Agency by your side, you can rest easy knowing you're covered no matter where the road takes you. If you're in need of a commercial truck insurance agency in Charlotte, NC that caters to truckers like you, pick up the phone and contact one of our transportation specialists today. That way, you can get back on the road with confidence tomorrow.

 Trucking Insurance Charlotte, NC

Latest News in Charlotte, NC

North Carolina beats Tom Izzo, Michigan State in March Madness again to reach Sweet 16

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Once again, North Carolina is moving on in the NCAA Tournament at the expense of Michigan State and Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo.RJ Davis scored 20 points to help UNC beat the Spartans 85-69 on Saturday, pushing the Tar Heels to the Sweet 16 while keeping them unbeaten in March Madness against Izzo’s teams in a series going back 26 years.Harrison Ingram made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for the West Region’s top seed, which continued its NCAA success in its home state. The Tar Hee...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Once again, North Carolina is moving on in the NCAA Tournament at the expense of Michigan State and Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo.

RJ Davis scored 20 points to help UNC beat the Spartans 85-69 on Saturday, pushing the Tar Heels to the Sweet 16 while keeping them unbeaten in March Madness against Izzo’s teams in a series going back 26 years.

Harrison Ingram made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for the West Region’s top seed, which continued its NCAA success in its home state. The Tar Heels (29-7) improved to 5-0 in the tournament against Izzo, including victories in the 2005 Final Four and 2009 title game.

And they move on to the regional semifinals in Los Angeles, where they will face either Grand Canyon or Alabama on Thursday night.

It started with answering the Spartans’ game-opening punch that put the Tar Heels in a 12-point hole. The response — continuing coach Hubert Davis’ season-long message — was a game-defining change. The Tar Heels erased the Spartans’ lead and answered every push that followed.

“We came into the huddle and said, ‘Look, we can’t talk about any basketball stuff until we join the fight,’” Hubert Davis said. “Once that started, the level of play in terms of the energy and effort, the attention to detail rose. Then that’s when things started to change.”

UNC ran off 17 straight points during a 23-3 run over the last eight minutes of the first half. And that secured the program’s largest comeback in March Madness since rallying from 16 down to beat Southern California in the 2007 Sweet 16.

“I think being able to continue to trust each other, our ability to execute, to continually raise the level of energy,” said UNC’s Cormac Ryan, who had 14 points. “That starts with guys coming in and making individual effort and energy plays, and that happened all across the board all night.”

UNC fifth-year post Armando Bacot (18 points) was critical, getting inside to score, draw fouls or kick out against oncoming double teams. Ingram was on the receiving end of some of those, hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers to go with seven rebounds.

Tyson Walker scored 24 points for the ninth-seeded Spartans (20-15), who were playing in front of a blue-clad crowd about a 2 1/2-hour drive from UNC’s Chapel Hill campus.

Izzo had no explanation when asked Friday about the lack of postseason success against UNC, a blip on a resume featuring 26 straight trips to March Madness, eight Final Fours and the 2000 national title. This one ended the same as the previous matchups and was the third in the Tar Heels’ home state.

“I’ll just say hats off to Carolina and Hubert and their team, but I’m not going to hang my head because I don’t believe it was a 16-point loss,” Izzo said. “So many ebbs and flows that were monstrous in that game.”

To Izzo’s point, one of Ingram’s 3s seemed destined to miss when it caught iron, only to somehow take a soft lap all the way around the rim and drop through the net — sending Ingram screaming toward the bench and giving UNC a 69-57 lead with 6:18 left.

“I thought it was going in because I felt the rim was huge,” Ingram said. “I was jumping up and down, praying to God it went in.”

That came minutes after RJ Davis had banked in a straightaway 3 while trying to lose a defender, a moment that had the first-team AP All-American looking to the rafters in disbelief.

By then, the Spartans were already chasing.

Michigan State carried the action early behind a heater of a start with Walker scoring 11 points in the first 10 1/2 minutes. And when Malik Hall scored on a pivot spin against Jae’Lyn Withers inside, the Spartans led 28-17 at the 8:08 mark. That’s when the Tar Heels matched the Spartans’ edge.

Ingram hit a 3 to start the 17-0 burst that included multiple baskets and free throws from Bacot. Ryan nailed another 3 from the corner in a side-reversing sequence that started inside with Bacot, while Ingram hit another that pushed the Tar Heels to a 40-31 lead at the break.

BIG PICTURE

Michigan State: It was a bumpy season for a team that opened the season ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 but was unranked before the end of November and remained that way the rest of the year. The Spartans had wins against NCAA 3-seeds Illinois and Baylor, but they didn’t have better than a three-game winning streak after the start of 2024 and had lost five of seven entering March Madness. They beat eighth-seeded Mississippi State on Thursday, but — in a repeat of their season-long inconsistency — couldn’t sustain their edge for 40 minutes.

“It made it frustrating because I kept saying to myself I know this team has enough,” Izzo said. “You know what, I’ll leave today believing I’m right. I really think we have enough that we could have made a little run. Yeah, we would have had to get them past a mountain, but we had them down. ... We just couldn’t get over the hump.”

UNC: The Tar Heels advanced by beating 16th-seeded Wagner with an easy dominance in the paint against an undersized team. They had a tougher fight in this one but improved to 36-2 in NCAA games in North Carolina, including 14-1 in Charlotte, the state’s largest city.

UP NEXT

The Tar Heels learn their opponent Sunday. UNC owns an 8-5 record against the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide and has never met the 12th-seeded Antelopes.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Exploring Charlotte’s culinary scene with Unpretentious Palate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QC Life) - Attention foodies and wine enthusiasts!This year’s street food season is around the corner, and we are kicking it off with Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Plate and Josh Villapando with Assorted Table Wine & Shop.Wile told us about an Atlanta-based nonprofit, called ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QC Life) - Attention foodies and wine enthusiasts!

This year’s street food season is around the corner, and we are kicking it off with Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Plate and Josh Villapando with Assorted Table Wine & Shop.

Wile told us about an Atlanta-based nonprofit, called ‘The Giving Kitchen’ that recently opened a new restaurant in Charlotte. According to her, they have been operating for over 10 years and helped more than 18,000 food workers since.

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She said their mission is to support restaurant workers in times of need by providing financial assistance and offering free healthcare appointments for food service workers during the month of April.

Therefore, they are hosting a big fundraising event, ‘Charlotte Family Meal’ at Supperland on Mon, April 29, featuring several different chefs and cuisines.

Tickets are available here; they start at $500, with $250 of that being a tax-deductible expense.

Wiles also recommended we try a new menu item at Kid Cashew, the ‘Grilled Octopus’ and drew our attention to a new event ‘StrEATs Uncorked’ that will be happening during the annual street food festival.

It will take place on Wed, April 3 at Johnson & Wales University and highlight North Carolina’s vineyards and food.

The educational event will also feature four different chefs who will be providing samples, representing different regional cuisines, including barbecue and fish camp fare.

Ticket prices start at $75 and are available here.

What’s more attendees can also look forward to a wine tasting, organized by local sommelier Joshua Villapando with Assorted Table Wine & Shop.

He brought two of the wines he will be presenting at the StrEATs Uncorked event, the 2022 Sanctuary Vineyards Albariño and the 2017 Jones von Drehle Cabernet Franc.

Both wines originated in North Carolina vineyards, the former in Jarvisburg in Currituck County and the latter in Thurmond in Wilkes County.

Villapando will also be hosting a Wine and Cheese Pairing event in collaboration with Orrman’s Cheese Shop on Wed, April 10 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For the full StrEATs schedule, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Copyright 2024 WBTV. All rights reserved.

New York is a nice city — but it’s no Charlotte

Writer’s note: This story is parody and is an answer to this one. This author lives in Charlotte but absolutely adores New York City.Could you be any louder ... Big Apple?I’ve never lived in New York City, but I’ve visited it more times than I can count. I’m used to crowded, urine-smelling subways, packed buses, sidewalk vendors and Chinatown alleys, Times Square perfor...

Writer’s note: This story is parody and is an answer to this one. This author lives in Charlotte but absolutely adores New York City.

Could you be any louder ... Big Apple?

I’ve never lived in New York City, but I’ve visited it more times than I can count. I’m used to crowded, urine-smelling subways, packed buses, sidewalk vendors and Chinatown alleys, Times Square performers, Broadway crowds lined up on busy sidewalks, garbage, rats, roaches, high-priced food, zero parking, confusing subway maps and more.

I do have friends who live in New York. But I also have friends in Charlotte — oh, and it’s where I also live. “Born, educated, raised, working in, living in, family in, dating in, speech, accent definitely developed in” — the Charlotte metro. (Shout-out to Fort Mill schools and Winthrop U., but I didn’t stray far).

To me, breakfast is a carb (pancakes or waffles?), dessert is a large portion of chocolate anything, dinner’s fried and transportation is — well, I rarely drive, but I am not the norm in my area.

I consider foreign travel ... foreign travel.

Let’s talk about trips to New York City.

Breakfast: OK, the city doesn’t have a Famous Toastery or a Ruby Sunshine there. Trust me, I looked, and I know it’s their loss. Your best bet is to find a good listicle like this one and pick a restaurant from there. Last time I tried that, though, I was utterly disappointed. If only they had a Tupelo Honey, I would have been thrilled.

Next, you’ll want to hit up Times Square. Yet, when I went, I found it way too touristy. People talk about visiting New York because it has character, but come on: We also have Olive Gardens and TGI Fridays in Charlotte. Why did I need to fly to New York, then? No character at all.

And let’s not get started on Starbucks in New York City. Once when I was there, I was just trying to peacefully enjoy my grande cappuccino when I had to listen to people standing in the bathroom line, complaining that some guy was in there for well over 20 minutes. Once he came out, no one looked happy or like they wanted to go in next. Their Starbucks locations definitely don’t know how to set calm coffee shop vibes.

Dinner: Everyone says the best place to get a slice is Sbarro. I’m here to tell you, Michael Scott needs to visit Charlotte — he was clearly in the wrong city. We’ll take him to Bird Pizza, or if he wants the best New York style pizza he can get, Bisonte is the place to be. New Yorkers themselves just don’t understand good pizza. Charlotte, though.

What about New York City’s nightlife — surely that beats Charlotte’s, right? Well, you’d think, but here’s the thing: You have to wake up so early in the morning to try to get your cheap Broadway tickets at TKTS that you’ll be asleep by 9 p.m. Best stay in the city that knows how to party — we did it up right in the ‘90s, and we’re still going hard today.

This story was originally published November 14, 2023, 1:13 PM.

DMV driver license offices face software issue

Separate technical outages caused a disruption to the state's ability to provide services related to driver licenses.More VideosCHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Tuesday, there was another headache for people at the driver licenses offices of the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. For the second time in a week, a technical outage caused a disruption to services at those NC DMV offices.An outage Tuesday ...

Separate technical outages caused a disruption to the state's ability to provide services related to driver licenses.

More Videos

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Tuesday, there was another headache for people at the driver licenses offices of the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. For the second time in a week, a technical outage caused a disruption to services at those NC DMV offices.

An outage Tuesday with a third-party vendor that uploads and processes pictures for new driver licenses and identity cards caused the disruption to service, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

By 10 a.m. Tuesday, the technical outage was restored and systems were back up and running. However this is the second incident in the last week that has caused issues with the DMV. Last Thursday, an outage within a different system caused a two-and-half hour outage at those same DMV offices.

DMV officials said there are some issues that are out of their control. Officials are working to ensure people get the service they need in a timely manner. Still, some customers say it's not enough to combat common DMV frustrations.

“It'll be a couple of employees and a room full of people," Medhane Haile, a DMV customer, said. "They definitely need help."

RELATED: 'I'm all about a one-stop shop' | NCDMV kiosk now active at a Charlotte Harris Teeter

During Tuesday's morning outage, all DMV drivers license offices were not able to issue licenses, state-issued ID cards, or REAL ID cards.

“We're constantly trying to modernize our systems and harden our systems to head some of these things off where we can," Marty Homan, the DMV communications manager for NCDOT, explained.

Download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app for the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts.

Homan said over the last few years, the NC DMV has made changes intended to improve their customer service. Examples include hiring more than 250 employees. Despite the hires, officials need to combat the increasing population as more people move to North Carolina.

“North Carolina is an attractive state," Homan said. "People want to move here. Each one of those persons who wants to move here, their first transaction needs to be in-person and so that's really kind of straining our offices."

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, just download the free app.

Those newcomers include Marvin Fairley, who just moved to Charlotte from Mississippi. He said he's been to the DMV twice over the last few months but he shows up with patience.

Patience is needed. Appointments are booked about 90 days into the future.

RELATED: NC lawmakers order study to see if making DMV private will improve service

Homan said they're trying to make things easier for customers but sometimes they need state leaders to approve more funding.

“Our vacancy rate is way down but there just aren’t enough positions," Homan said. "So we need more positions and more offices to meet the need. So we’re working with our partners at the legislature."

RELATED: New NC budget doubles the renewal period for driver's licenses, but the change conflicts with federal rules

Still, the progress is slow-moving.

“They need to work on improving a lot of things," Haile said.

If you missed your appointment on Tuesday morning because of the technical outage, officials recommend you call their hotline at 919-715-7000 to get rescheduled.

During the busy summer months, the NC DMV anticipates opening some offices on Saturdays to help with the demand.

NC leads the way in recent electric vehicle industry investments

On Flashpoint, an official from the Environmental Defense Fund says it could be 'just the beginning.'CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In recent months, North Carolina has led the U.S. in electric vehicle industry investments, according to the Environmental Defense Fund."We see that in just the last six months, North Carolina has seen $9 billion in additional investment and that's in addition to the $10 billion of announced investment as of last August," David Kelly, NC director for the Environmental Defense Fund, said on WCNC'...

On Flashpoint, an official from the Environmental Defense Fund says it could be 'just the beginning.'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In recent months, North Carolina has led the U.S. in electric vehicle industry investments, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

"We see that in just the last six months, North Carolina has seen $9 billion in additional investment and that's in addition to the $10 billion of announced investment as of last August," David Kelly, NC director for the Environmental Defense Fund, said on WCNC's Flashpoint.

Download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app for the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts.

Kelly credits the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act for encouraging capital investment in the electric vehicle industry and its supply chain industries.

"In North Carolina, I think we pair that policy support with a world class workforce and a strong reputation that we have as a state as a leader in the clean tech industry space, and that we're seeing the benefits of that competitive advantage relative to our peers' states," he said.

Kelly said he thinks the growth can continue.

"I think what we're seeing is just the beginning," he said.

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, just download the free app.

Contact Ben Thompson at bthompson@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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