Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Michigan, while lacking a DMV more than makes up for it...

With the Secretary of State.

Think DMV but so much worse. Tons of people waiting, three people “working”.

Also now featuring the cloying smell of marijuana on some of the seething mass of humanity waiting to get served.

Quite a number getting their license renewed and all of them get the pitch to get an enhanced Real ID, which adds about 5 minutes plus to each transaction plus as they hem and haw and try to understand what it is because they didn’t read all the news about it over the past few years, nor the huge posters strewn around the Sec State office before they get called up. Even better people here for Real ID are not bringing required things like their passports thus slowing everything up.

Currently they’re at number 21, I’m number 68 and have been here for an hour already.

While the Secretary of State website offer appointments, none are available until February 19 and the same day appointments similarly were not available. In short, absolutely useless.

Much fun waiting will ensue.

Ok, they are handling about 9 people per hour. This isn’t just slow it’s insanely slow. Efficiency was ever a Sec State strong point but seriously it means each worker is processing about three people per hour which is a joke.

They really need one line for people who have simple transactions and know what the hell they’re doing.

They need a second one for idiots who want to socialize at the Sec State of all things because they don’t get out much, which while sad is making every transaction take forever.

Another line for Enhanced Real ID so all the morons that couldn’t figure out what docs they needed to bring can stand there.

Then they need one for idiots that have lost their drivers licenses or failed their prior written test.

Unfortunately that’s 4 lines and only three idiots working.

This will take a very long while.

They’re now up to number 33. That means all three now four workers handled all of 7 people total in the past hour. As yes, there’s now four people working and handling leads than two people for hour each. Real ID really seems to be slowing everyone down, combined with a level of stupidity on both sides of the counter that is amazing to observe.

I did manage to finally escape. It turned out that a lot of people in the 40-50 number series had given up any hope of being served and left. Finally got done what I came to do after 5pm and actual time spent with the worker to get it done was less than 10 minutes. Sheesh. Much too people-ly and inefficient to boot.

2 comments:

drjim said...

Your tax dollar at work!

We don't have a "DMV" per se in Colorado. Driver's licensing is handled by the Department of Revenue, while vehicle licensing is handled by the County Clerk. BUT....both places are extremely well run with courteous, efficient employees, and the longest I've ever spent there was about 30 minutes the first time I tried to register my old Supra. I needed a Colorado proof-of-insurance card from my specialty vehicle insurance place. Back home, get the document emailed to me, and then back to the County Clerk's office, where it took 15 minutes to get things squared away, and my "Collector Vehicle" plates ordered.

Compared to the nightmares I'd put up with back in Kommiefornia it was a very pleasant experience.

Beans said...

Florida went 'Real ID' back pretty much when it was first suggested by the federal government. So for about 4-5 years, getting a new id or dl definitely stunk. But the processing time was relatively quick once you got to the counter. Scan, scan, scan, verify, okay, here's the id.

Simple.

Yet people make fun of Florida.

Well, in their defense (those that make fun of Florida) Southeast Florida, especially Broward County, does live down to their expectations.