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- Feb 1, 2009
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I've had a driver's license since the 1960s. I remember always dreading the times when I would have to go to renew a driver's license, register a vehicle or do anything in the office. The people who worked there seemed to be annoyed that they had to talk to people and seemed to hate their jobs. It often took an hour or more to get anything done. I knew people in California who said they had to plan on spending most of the day there. Comedians mentioned it in their acts.
You would go in and there would be several lines at each section of the counter, kind of like lines in a grocery store. You had to pick a line and hope the people in it were doing something that didn't take up a lot of time. It seemed like there were always people there with problems that held up the line. Just when you were about to get to the counter, the employee at that station would go on break putting up a sign saying when they would be back.
When you got to the counter and told them what you were there for, the clerk would hand you some forms to fill out sending you to an island counter to do that. Then you had to get back in a line to bring them back to the counter to pay the fees.
At some point they changed to have one line and the person at the head of the line would go to the next available station.
Then they started having forms available as you came in the door so if you knew which form you needed you could fill it out before getting in line or while you were in line. Driver's licenses had to be renewed every 2 years and an eye test was required. People who had glasses often had their eyes tested every couple of years and the doctor could fill out a form that they could mail in so they could renew by mail. In the 80s they added a photo to the license so everybody had to get their picture taken which added more people and more time to the process. They did increase the renewal time to every 4 years so that eased some congestion.
Next came the Commercial Driver's License in 1990 so all commercial driver's had to take written tests as well as a road test if they hadn't been driving long enough and the stations were packed again.
After that they increased the renewal time to every 8 years. They also started the take a number system like many stores had used and added chairs in the waiting room. They had the same problem that stores had that people wouldn't take a number. They started having an employee at the entrance asking people what they were there to do and making sure they had the correct forms, a clipboard with an attached pen and a number.
Since then they have added screens showing which number are being served at which counter as well as an audio announcement of the number. I had to renew my license this year so I went last Wednesday. The last two times I have gone on Wednesday about a hour after they open and there were only a couple of people there. This time they had all of the forms available online to fill out and download. I was in the building for about ten minutes with an upgrade to the Real ID version.
What is your driver's license renewal experience like?
You would go in and there would be several lines at each section of the counter, kind of like lines in a grocery store. You had to pick a line and hope the people in it were doing something that didn't take up a lot of time. It seemed like there were always people there with problems that held up the line. Just when you were about to get to the counter, the employee at that station would go on break putting up a sign saying when they would be back.
When you got to the counter and told them what you were there for, the clerk would hand you some forms to fill out sending you to an island counter to do that. Then you had to get back in a line to bring them back to the counter to pay the fees.
At some point they changed to have one line and the person at the head of the line would go to the next available station.
Then they started having forms available as you came in the door so if you knew which form you needed you could fill it out before getting in line or while you were in line. Driver's licenses had to be renewed every 2 years and an eye test was required. People who had glasses often had their eyes tested every couple of years and the doctor could fill out a form that they could mail in so they could renew by mail. In the 80s they added a photo to the license so everybody had to get their picture taken which added more people and more time to the process. They did increase the renewal time to every 4 years so that eased some congestion.
Next came the Commercial Driver's License in 1990 so all commercial driver's had to take written tests as well as a road test if they hadn't been driving long enough and the stations were packed again.
After that they increased the renewal time to every 8 years. They also started the take a number system like many stores had used and added chairs in the waiting room. They had the same problem that stores had that people wouldn't take a number. They started having an employee at the entrance asking people what they were there to do and making sure they had the correct forms, a clipboard with an attached pen and a number.
Since then they have added screens showing which number are being served at which counter as well as an audio announcement of the number. I had to renew my license this year so I went last Wednesday. The last two times I have gone on Wednesday about a hour after they open and there were only a couple of people there. This time they had all of the forms available online to fill out and download. I was in the building for about ten minutes with an upgrade to the Real ID version.
What is your driver's license renewal experience like?
