A visit to the DMV

Grampa Don

Grampa Don

Yep, that's me
Location
Orange county, Calif.
In California, when you are over 70 you have to go in for the written test to renew your license. My time came due again this week. What a depressing place. There was a line outside standing in the hot sun waiting to get in, and inside it was packed wall to wall with people waiting in chairs or standing. I had an appointment that I made a month ago, so I walked right up to the appointment window. I noticed there was a sign about a fine for harassing employees.

It must be a lousy place to work. They are obviously under staffed, and the people I dealt with all seemed grumpy. I was lucky. I was out of there in about 45 minutes. I wonder if it is this bad in other states.

Don
 

In my area it is pretty fast if you are prepared and stay away from peak hours.

No testing other than the eye exam and the renewal is for eight years.

You can perform a basic renewal online or by mail if you have a certified eye exam from a registered provider.

A persons license can be temporarily suspended based on a report from a person familiar with the driver, a police officer or a physician and is then subject to a formal reevaluation by the DMV.
 
In Missouri, if you are over 70, you have to go to a DMV location and have a vision test to renew the license. In addition, when over 70, the license is only good for 3 years, instead of the normal 6 years for younger drivers. I've had to go in twice, and I'm due for a renewal again next year....but I try to time it for an early morning middle of the week day. Each time, it has been a quick easy process, and in/out in 30 minutes, or less.
 

Our eye exam is pretty basic. There are some eye charts suspended about 10 feet away, and they ask you to read a line with each eye. 20/40 passes and 20/100 in one eye only is OK if you get a form signed by an ophthalmologist. It's kind of scary that there are people out there driving with that poor vision. The written test is mostly common sense with a few tricky questions thrown in. I aced it because I studied the driver's handbook before going in. I guess they require it after 70 to see if you still have all your marbles.

Don
 
Grampa Don said:
In California, when you are over 70 you have to go in for the written test to renew your license. My time came due again this week. What a depressing place. There was a line outside standing in the hot sun waiting to get in, and inside it was packed wall to wall with people waiting in chairs or standing. I had an appointment that I made a month ago, so I walked right up to the appointment window. I noticed there was a sign about a fine for harassing employees.

It must be a lousy place to work. They are obviously under staffed, and the people I dealt with all seemed grumpy. I was lucky. I was out of there in about 45 minutes. I wonder if it is this bad in other states.

Don
Click to expand...

Just as soon as I spotted the thread title "A visit to the DMV ", I knew the OP was a Californian. Yes, the staff are extremely grumpy, traumatized I believe.

I just left a two year stint at a California State job(Dept of Corrections), I think working for the state causes trauma. I don't know exactly "why", but I think perhaps intense public contact, antiquated computer systems, bureaucratic roadblocks to effeciency, and poor management structure have alot to do with it.
 
tnthomas said:
Just as soon as I spotted the thread title "A visit to the DMV ", I knew the OP was a Californian. Yes, the staff are extremely grumpy, traumatized I believe.

I just left a two year stint at a California State job(Dept of Corrections), I think working for the state causes trauma. I don't know exactly "why", but I think perhaps intense public contact, antiquated computer systems, bureaucratic roadblocks to effeciency, and poor management structure have alot to do with it.
Click to expand...

I think you nailed it. Wouldn't you think that something that everyone who drives has to deal with, would get more attention and support? Most of the service windows were un-staffed. If they had more employees, things would go a lot faster and everybody would be happier. I believe it was earlier this year that some sort of computer glitch shut the whole operation down for days.

This has got me thinking. Why couldn't they farm out some of this to private business? When I renew my car license, the place that does the emission tests handles everything and issues me the tag. Why not do the same for driver's licenses? I'd pay a little extra for the convenience.

Don
 
When I have to renew, I'm gonna get out a map and find the nearest SMALL town and go THERE to renew;
even if it takes several hours to get there. The lines should be much shorter. I think it'd be a good thing to do.

Afterall, most towns have a DMV. ANY place in Calif.
 
I wish all states required driving tests to renew licenses after age 65. Nevada's are just as bad, but you can make appointments and avoid the lines.
 
Falcon -- I'm a long way from any small towns. However, I did a little research and there is an office that just does driver's licenses that is just 13 miles away. That might have been a better option.

Don
 
Grampa Don said:
I think you nailed it. Wouldn't you think that something that everyone who drives has to deal with, would get more attention and support? Most of the service windows were un-staffed. If they had more employees, things would go a lot faster and everybody would be happier. I believe it was earlier this year that some sort of computer glitch shut the whole operation down for days.

This has got me thinking. Why couldn't they farm out some of this to private business? When I renew my car license, the place that does the emission tests handles everything and issues me the tag. Why not do the same for driver's licenses? I'd pay a little extra for the convenience.

Don
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I agree. The DMV is hopelessly swamped, and it's duties need to be parsed out somehow. For example, getting driver license concerns taken care of, has nothing(usually) to do with automotive registration or title issues.

Let the poor folks that have to renew or test for their driver license do so, oh, maybe at the business' that provide driver ed/driver training. <!>
 
Central Florida - I had an appointment and was seen at the appointed time. Moved from another state so needed new driver's license. At age 84 only an eye test required. Very pleasant and helpful clerk. Registered me to vote at same time. But since I have hung up my keys, it will only be used for identification.
 
Grampa Don said:
I think you nailed it. Wouldn't you think that something that everyone who drives has to deal with, would get more attention and support? Most of the service windows were un-staffed. If they had more employees, things would go a lot faster and everybody would be happier. I believe it was earlier this year that some sort of computer glitch shut the whole operation down for days.

This has got me thinking. Why couldn't they farm out some of this to private business? When I renew my car license, the place that does the emission tests handles everything and issues me the tag. Why not do the same for driver's licenses? I'd pay a little extra for the convenience.

Don
Click to expand...

New Mexico does that. You can go to a private business (there area several of them) to renew your driver's license. Seems to work fine.
 
Our county allows a staff person from the State DMV a spot in the County Treasurer's office. This is the same place you pay property taxes and tag your vehicles. They have installed a program where you can go on-line and "get in line". Then, they will text you every 15 minutes or so telling you how soon your name will be called. So, you don't have to go stand in line.

There is a State DMV office on the other side of town. I've heard they move folks through fairly quick. The one at the County is closer to our home and that is what my wife and I both have used.

I remember when we lived in the Kansas City area. If you needed your license renewed, you might as well plan on taking the entire day off work. Arrive early in the morning and get in line. I've was there 3 and 4 hours at times. Why government offices don't staff up to serve the public is beyond reason.
 
Falcon said:
When I have to renew, I'm gonna get out a map and find the nearest SMALL town and go THERE to renew;
even if it takes several hours to get there. The lines should be much shorter. I think it'd be a good thing to do.

Afterall, most towns have a DMV. ANY place in Calif.
Click to expand...


We go to the Barstow DMV, about an hour drive North on the 15 FWY. It's crowded, but mostly are young G.I.s from the Marine Corp Logistics base.
 
In NY you can do almost everything online. I understand that some places in the state have DMV hell. I live in a small county of 30,000, unless you are foolish enough to go Tuesday after a holiday the line (Usually two clerks and one cashier), is nonexistent.

Most new car dealerships can handle some DMV functions such as registration, title assignments, tag transfers, as part of the purchasing process.
 
I had my GA license renewed last Dec. I didn't have to have any retest except for the eye exam. I filled out some form online, took a copy of that with me as well as my current license, SS card, certified birth certificate (or valid passport), and two pieces of mail with my name and address on them, if I'm remembering it correctly. Having already filled out that form online at home saved me some grief and it wasn't too bad the day I went, no lines to get it and not particularly crowded inside either, and I didn't hit any glitches. I was in and out in an hour or less. I probably just got lucky, real lucky. LOL... seems I went on a Wednesday morning because I had seen a TV report about lines, delays, and such that said Wednesday morning, or whichever day it was I went, was your best bet.
 
It's interesting to see the different requirements in other states. I don't have any problem with the system in California if they would just hire more people to make it less of a hassle. If I had been waited on right away, I could have been in and out in about 15 minutes. I stood at the first window that long just waiting for somebody to show up. And when she did, she just took my paperwork, stapled a number tag to it and told me to watch a monitor for my number to come up and show which window to go to next.

Don
 
When we moved to Alabama it took me about six hours at the DMV to get my drivers license changed over from Florida to Alabama. However it only took about 10 minutes to get my Alabama Pistol Permit. What does that tell you?
 
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