Coloradans who live in smaller communities are familiar with taking road trips to access basic services, whether that’s health care, back-to-school shopping or better-stocked grocery stores in bigger cities.

But a longstanding strain on Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles services has turned the tables, with some metro Denver residents driving hours for in-person appointments to get new driver’s licenses – or facing wait times of a month or more closer to home.

“It’s kind of a joke now, our family trip to Lamar,” Broomfield resident Leigh Wilson said. Wilson has taken several trips south for her son’s permit and license, driving about 430 miles, or seven hours round trip.

Wilson and her family have even found a favorite restaurant in the Prowers County city, Tavern 1301, where they ran

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