Mark Schroeder, the commissioner of the New York state Department of Motor Vehicles, will retire after more than seven years on the job, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.
State officials touted Schroeder’s leadership that saw several significant changes in the department, including the recent system-wide tech upgrades that saw the temporary closure of all offices, and customer service improvements borughout on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During my time serving in local government, I saw first-hand both the critical role the DMV plays in the lives of nearly every New Yorker and the ways in which its services badly needed modernization,” Hochul said in a statement. “Then, Mark Schroeder stepped in. In his seven years of service, he has transformed this agency, bringing it into the digital age and reinventing how New Yorkers interact with the essential services it provides. A proud son of Buffalo, Commissioner Schroeder has been a model of public service throughout his career, and I join millions of grateful New Yorkers in wishing him a well-earned retirement.”
“It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as DMV Commissioner,” Schroeder said in a statement. “When I first took this role, the DMV was the butt of jokes. People would tell me they dreaded visits to our offices, how long they would take and how often they would have to come back because they didn’t have the right paperwork. I made it my mission to change that. Perceptions can take a long time to turn around, but I think we have been steadily effective in changing minds.”
During his tenure, Schroeder oversaw the department’s implementation of the federal REAL ID program and expanded ways for residents to sign up to become an organ donor through the DMV. The DMV also began allowing nonbinary residents to choose the “X” gender designation on their licenses during his time as commissioner.
Schroeder served in the Erie County Legislature and state Assembly before being elected comptroller of the city of Buffalo in 2012. He also unsuccessfully challenged then-Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown in the 2017 mayoral election.
He was appointed DMV commissioner in January 2019.
Schroeder’s final day in office will be April 30.