topic Re: Now let us talk about the DMV in Community Chat

Now let us talk about the DMV

chihuahuamom — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 04:37:23 GMT

I live in a large city oustide of Los Angeles, and we have two DMVs in the area, but it is not nearly enough. Everytime you go, you wait and wait and wait (even with an appointment). Heaven forbid, you don't have one.........you could wait all day out the door. There is never enough parking either. I know it is a government thing, but why in the world don't they have more? The one in our city was closed for remodeling for almost a year before we got it back. Thank goodness I didn't have any need to go to one during that time. I do have AAA, but still there are some things you can't do through them.

Just grousing.........

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

SydneyH — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 04:46:40 GMT

I have no complaints with RMV in my state, short waits and the availablity to complete some transactions online make it no longer a dreaded chore.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

sunshine45 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 04:52:02 GMT

we usually have long wait times also......you are not alone.

i have done some DMV work in southern california via AAA......we dont even have that option in maryland right now.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

Kachina624 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 05:57:44 GMT

We have a very strange thing in New Mexico that I haven't seen anywhere else. There are private, non-governmental offices with names like DMV Express that do the administrative chores of the DMV very fast for an extra fee. You can get in and out with little, if any, wait.

We still have the normal DMV office and they are weird too. The one in my town is sponsored by the city and the employees are city employees running what is essentially a state office. I think the city pays the rent on the building. They have take-a-number and you sit and wait. I don't have to wait long usually.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

sunshine45 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 06:13:17 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
We have a very strange thing in New Mexico that I haven't seen anywhere else. There are private, non-governmental offices with names like DMV Express that do the administrative chores of the DMV very fast for an extra fee. You can get in and out with little, if any, wait.

We still have the normal DMV office and they are weird too. The one in my town is sponsored by the city and the employees are city employees running what is essentially a state office. I think the city pays the rent on the building. They have take-a-number and you sit and wait. I don't have to wait long usually.

@Kachina624

we have those also......it is a pretty good business to have in our area......tag and title services. you pay a bit more, but it is worth it not to have to stand in line or waste an entire day.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

deedledeedeedle — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 06:21:40 GMT

I can relate, @chihuahuamom. I abhor the DMV.

I live in the suburbs of a big city. As if the DMV wasn't bad enough, about half of the branches were closed 4 years ago to "Contain Costs."

Now, the hour line to renew tabs and DL is a two hour line. There are no seats except for folding chairs in the middle of the room for those that bring the whole family, and I mean mom, at least 4 kids, grandma & grandpa, the whole shebang... Yikes. Last year I had to go in because I didn't receive my renewal paperwork in the mail like I have for 49+ years. A surly woman informed me that it is not a DMV issue, that they only send the paperwork as a "favor" to the driver & the responsibility is the drivers because "everyone KNOWS you need new tabs every birthday." Yes, dimwit, but I like to avoid darkening your door by utilizing mail in payment. So nice of them to be so "courteous" the past 40 years, then. Duh.

SMH

dee

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

Desertdi — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:00:03 GMT

I'm just in total fear that "they" are gonna tell me I'm too OLD to drive........

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

gidgetgh — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:28:29 GMT

I was lucky when I went to renew my license a few weeks ago. When we got there, there was absolutely no wait. They took me immediately! Shocking.

I said something to the clerk about the lack of a crowd and she said she thought it was because it was raining, which was my thought also.

The one I went to certainly wasn't a cheery place physically in terms of wall color, floor finishings, chairs, etc., but both the clerk who waited on me and her supervisor were very friendly.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

ID2 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:31:00 GMT

Lol here I go again singing the praises of rural life living! Anytime we go to our DMV there is no wait, no lines actually I am the only one there and I'm in and out in a matter of 5 minutes! Even when we lived downstate in the big city, we'd wait to go this rural DMV when we needed to! The first year we lived from big city to now rural we walked around in a haze. We just couldn't believe the delightful difference in establishments such as the DMV and the SS offices.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

gardenman — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:17:54 GMT

I like to hit the DMV first thing on a Saturday morning. I can be in and out in just a few minutes that way. If you get in before the car dealers, and the majority of the general population, you can make your life much easier. They open here at 8AM on Saturdays and if you're there at 8 there's no wait, no hassle and you're in and out in a blink. Just an hour later and you're in line for quite a wait.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

Bri36 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:28:57 GMT

I really can't complain about ours. I think the longest I've waited is an hour.

They have seperate facilities for renewing plates and anything license related, which is so nice. I can be in and out in just a few minutes just to renew plates.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

Montana — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:29:13 GMT

I live In the suburbs of a large city and there is a DMV right in my neighborhood shopping center. A ten minute walk. They are not full service but do renewals, etc. You take a number and the wait is not usually too long.

Before this one opened I had to travel a long way, so I don't mind waiting a bit.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

ninjawife — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:53:32 GMT

My state has self serve kiosks for renewing your licence and a drive thru for car inspections which makes most services no hassle. The only time I've had to wait long was doing a title transfer.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

SaRina — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:58:37 GMT

Many years ago, it was a PITB in my large city. But just like I was pleasantly surprised at the modernization, cleanliness, electronic transactions at the Social Security office, so I have been extremely pleased with the same at our DMV. It is modern and efficient -- in and out fast.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

151949 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 12:36:10 GMT

We haven't had a need to go to the DMV since we moved to Fl. 7 years ago.Hopefully won't ever have need again. If I recall they were very efficient the day we went. No waiting. However, to change our residence, each get our DL , new registration on 3 vehicles and a camper, register to vote it cost us $1100. Yes taxes are low in Florida - they get you in other ways.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

viva923 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 17:44:37 GMT

DVM in my state is wonderful. number system, you walk in take a number and when called you get what ever has to be done. took us 15 min's to renew our Dr.Lic in april. it was huge long lines and mayhem years ago but someone implemented this system and it is now orderly and quiet and in/out in no time here.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

chlema — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 18:04:25 GMT

Here in Delaware if you go on our DMV's website it shows the various locations and also the wait time for each type of service you need. :-)

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

nana59 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 18:11:14 GMT

Our DMV here in RI is going through a major computer over-haul.....right now you can only get service by "reservation only!" They are extending a grace period for expiration issues......glad I have no need for their services right now!! And I don't envy the employees.....

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

JaneMarple — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 18:17:50 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
We have a very strange thing in New Mexico that I haven't seen anywhere else. There are private, non-governmental offices with names like DMV Express that do the administrative chores of the DMV very fast for an extra fee. You can get in and out with little, if any, wait.

We still have the normal DMV office and they are weird too. The one in my town is sponsored by the city and the employees are city employees running what is essentially a state office. I think the city pays the rent on the building. They have take-a-number and you sit and wait. I don't have to wait long usually.

There is a similar system in Pennsylvania where people who don't live in the big cities or don't live near the DMV can have your car registered, get license plates, get duplicate titles and other services done. But these places are not run by the government but are licensed through PA to perform these services.

Re: Now let us talk about the DMV

chickenbutt — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 18:25:19 GMT

If I'm still around to have to go to the DMV again, I'm going to try the appointment. My husband did it last time and it does work pretty well here. That said, however, we are a small city and I'm quite certain that makes all the differrence.

When I've gone there over the years (there is only one DMV here), I have made certain to try and choose times that wouldn't be as busy as other times. For example, I would never go on a Monday or a Friday. I probably wouldn't go mid-day, choosing first thing as soon as they open as a possibly optimal time.