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TheMastersNemesis

(10,602 posts) Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:22 AM Dec 2014

3 Hour Wait To Renew Driver's License. Denver, Colorado.

Over the years Colorado has closed satellite offices for driver's license service. There are only a handful of large offices in the Denver area area. And they are usually crowded from before opening until closing. Lines will form outside of office as early as two hours before opening. As the city grows services shrink.

The offices I was in had number and alpha codes for the kind of service needed. Even though there were up to 12 a stations they were never fully filled with service providers. There were only 2 to 4 stations open at any one time. And the office was noticeably understaffed for the traffic. The predicted wait for service fluctuated from 2 1/2 hours to over 3 hours in waiting time.

As I finally got to the counter it took only a couple of minutes to renew. Some customers had more complex needs and took longer. When I got my picture taken I talked to one of the supervisors who was training a new employee. I commented how understaffed they were. His reply was that in his six years with Dept of Revenue they never have had a full staff.

I witnessed small government in action. And it must be hard to do business when you work. Fortunately I am retired. AS I watched the TV screens scrolling through the processes and the documents needed it was obvious how impossible our legislators have made the process of doing anything in government.

As bad as it is in Colorado I wonder how much worse it must be in states where the GOP is trying to make getting services even more impossible. I used to work for the state and understand what it going on. As I perused the audience of mostly working class people who could not afford using so much time I realized that most of these people did not understand why the situation was as it was.

Government does work when there is adequate and trained staff. The reason that it does not work is that politicians will never allow enough government workers to provide service. Instead you understand and work the shit out the workers and burn them out.

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3 Hour Wait To Renew Driver's License. Denver, Colorado. (Original Post) TheMastersNemesis Dec 2014 OP

I renewed mine in Tennessee (Davidson County-Metro Nashville) 2 weeks ago Tanuki Dec 2014 #1

The times I had to renew went pretty smoothly bigwillq Dec 2014 #2

It's the same Ink Man Dec 2014 #3

The DMV? You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Nye Bevan Dec 2014 #4

New Jersey, yesterday. I was in and out in 10 minutes. Hoppy Dec 2014 #5

Pennsylvania added drivers license renewals to places where yeoman6987 Dec 2014 #6

3 hours is ridiculous Mnpaul Dec 2014 #7

In Boulder county you basically have to take a day off work. Laffy Kat Dec 2014 #8

I told you the Fed government was bad...ooh, never mind...it's the state. nt kelliekat44 Dec 2014 #9

Everyone likes to trash state services, do you really want private industry to do it? bermudat Dec 2014 #10

Tanuki

(14,918 posts)

1. I renewed mine in Tennessee (Davidson County-Metro Nashville) 2 weeks ago

Reply to TheMastersNemesis (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:36 AM

Dec 2014

and was shocked at how quickly and smoothly it all went. I had misplaced the form I received in the mail but went right up to a kiosk terminal, typed in all the needed info and then proceeded to the camera station where I waited less than 5 minutes to have my picture taken. The clerk then printed out a temporary license and sent me on my way. I got the actual card in the mail a few days later. I was pleasantly surprised. There were a lot of people sitting in the waiting area, so I don't know if they were applying for a first-time license, didn't feel comfortable using the self-serve kiosks, or what. I had taken the whole morning off from work to take care of this and I ended up having some extra free time to run other errands.

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)

2. The times I had to renew went pretty smoothly

Reply to TheMastersNemesis (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:48 AM

Dec 2014

with little wait. I would say no more than 20 minutes, but usually quicker. I go to a DMV sub-station (not a main DMV office) in my small town and the wait is not too bad.

I will say the DMV, at most locations, in CT is notoriously slow and disorganized.

I had to get a new license when I lost my wallet, and had to go to a main DMV office, and that took forever.

Ink Man

(171 posts)

3. It's the same

Reply to TheMastersNemesis (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:48 AM

Dec 2014

in the golden state. The line goes out the door. My son just renewed his and it took over 3 hours.

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)

4. The DMV? You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Reply to TheMastersNemesis (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:52 AM

Dec 2014

Fortunately here in CT if you are a AAA member you can renew at your friendly neighborhood AAA office.

Hoppy

(3,595 posts)

5. New Jersey, yesterday. I was in and out in 10 minutes.

Reply to TheMastersNemesis (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:58 AM

Dec 2014

Our process used to be hell. Two governors ago, fixed it and it is a cake walk since. The only time there are lines is at the end of a month and the beginning when people forgot to renew and show up.

Tell your governor to get the system shaped up.

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)

6. Pennsylvania added drivers license renewals to places where

Reply to TheMastersNemesis (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 01:09 AM

Dec 2014

You get registration done for the car. They are contracted companies. In and out with renewed registration and drivers license in 10 minutes. It is a time saver for those who want to avoid the DMV. Hopefully Colorado will do something similar.