A QUESTION ABOUT THE PASSPORT OFFICE AND THE DMV. There are some very efficient government agencies. Why aren’t the passport office and the Department of Motor Vehicle offices around the country the most efficient of government agencies? They are among the most conspicuous examples of government at work. One would think that they would be used to showcase government efficiency.
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Our DMV is a model of efficiency (winning national awards, etc.). It used to be inefficient when I first got my license; now they are truly amazing. When you enter, someone asks you what you are there for, checks to make sure you have all the required paperwork, and hands you a ticket with a number and a letter. The letter is based on the kind of service you are requesting, and the number is your place in line. I believe that they assign the same workers the same kinds of services, so they are expert at all the permutations of the issue. Even making the initial check that you have all the paperwork is a huge thing; I remember waiting in line for an hour when I first got my license, only to find I was missing a form from my high school that I didn’t know I needed. I was turned away and was furious.
At any rate, all of Virginia’s government services have become incredibly efficient, in my opinion. I can pay almost everything online; requests are speedy and simple. To my surprise, a lot of this came from the top. Governor Mark Warner was instrumental in trying to modernize and bring high-tech resources to government problems. I have to say that I have had no complaints about any of my dealings with the state government in the last 6 years.
My recent visit to the Connecticut DMV was relatively painless. I note that the Virginia office does seem to have thought about systems (check paperwork early– what a great idea!) Maybe we will see Virginia being copied. Then my question would become an historical one: How did the DMV office become a catchphrase evoking pain for all those many years?
One more thing I forgot to mention about the Virginia DMV: not only do they check documentation on entry, they GIVE you the paperwork that you will need, and you fill it out on a clipboard while seated and waiting for them to call your name. Frequently they have called my name just as I was finishing filling out the form, meaning I did not experience a second of wasted time while in the DMV. Nice system.
There was a small DMV tucked away off of Midlothian Turnpike (on the “motor mile” where all the car dealerships are clustered) that catered to dealers. Dad had a woman that was his go to person there—always efficient and quick with title changes and liens and such.
I always dread going to the big DMV here, but getting my license renewed went pretty quickly. It’s funny, I knew the DMV was a pain in the ass before I grasped what it actually was from watching Johnny Carson as a kid.
One of the rules of thumb in dealing with bureaucracies is to find the busiest person (if you can). There’s often a reason she’s busy. People know that she gets things done so they give her things to do. The person who is has one task and is nursing it carefully is the one to avoid.
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