By Meghan Peterson, Ph.D.
(Nov. 2, 2020) — Are any of you in Haddam or Killingworth needing to pay a visit to the CT Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)? If so, budgeting for a lengthy wait time spent outdoors may be an important consideration, as one Haddam couple’s recent experience illustrates.
According to the CT DMV website, various deadlines for expiring credentials, such as driver’s permits and licenses, emissions tests and retests, motor vehicle and boat registrations, and disability placards were “extended due to Covid-19.” As an example, this writer’s vehicle emissions test was originally slated to be completed in April but received an automatic extension through July. Items that technically expired in the summer of 2020, however, are now coming up to their extended deadline date by the end of the year. As an example, for items that have an original expiration date between June 1, 2020 and Nov. 30, 2020, the credentials remain valid until Dec. 31, 2020.
David and Sharon Challenger of Haddam went to the Old Saybrook, Conn. branch of the DMV on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Both had to do a license renewal. They each made appointments via the DMV website under the “Make/Edit or Cancel an Appointment” option at the top of the left-hand menu bar. Known for their promptness, the Challengers arrived 10 minutes early. Sharon’s appointment was for 10:00 a.m.; David’s was for 10:10 a.m.
How did the license renewal go for them? The answer to that question should begin with an observation about the wait time for the Challengers. They were not called until noon. Sharon says, “we were there for 2 hours before we were called. We were outside for at least one hour and inside for one hour.” She continues, “We arrived at 9:50 [a.m.] and showed them our appointment was in ten minutes. We were told we had to go to the back of the line. Every person who came was put into the same line, no matter what they were there for. We did not know if the person in front of us was scheduled earlier or later than us.” In addition, customers were not permitted to wait in their vehicles. Sharon points out that “everyone with appointments had to get in line outside.” Moreover, only those with appointments are even allowed into the Old Saybrook DMV building. In other words, no walk-ins permitted. The Challengers were not informed of an expected wait time duration; not through the website nor upon arrival to the branch. Sharon estimates that 30 or so people were in line waiting, describing the situation as follows: “…the line ran down one side of the building and curved out to the street. By the time we left, [people] were way out to the street edge.”
The actual license renewal procedure of paying and having photos taken was “maybe five minutes tops,” according to Sharon. Why, then, the two hour wait for a five-minute process – and one for which the Challengers had scheduled appointments? Why the long line of people forced to wait outside on a cold, rainy autumn day? It appears that the DMV may be understaffed. Sharon’s conversation with a guard sheds some light. She explains, “At one point, I asked the guard why there were only two people and ten [service] windows. He told me the state had a freeze on hiring.” Another employee Sharon spoke with said workers get two 15-minute breaks and a 30 minute break for lunch. Sharon inquired whether employees receive additional “mask breaks,” as workers are required to wear them all day. It turns out that the employees do not get extra breaks. At various points in time, Sharon noted that five DMV employees would drop down to two working the windows because they were rotating on breaks. Sharon adds that, “my husband spoke with the guard and mentioned it was going to rain hard today and tomorrow and asked what would happen to people with appointments. The guard glumly said, ‘They’ll get wet.’”
Moral of the story? If you make an appointment to visit the DMV, plan for a long field trip. And dress for cold temps. Contemplating going to AAA as an alternative? Think again. Sharon and David Challenger thought the same thing. “We were tempted to go to AAA, but when David looked it up, they were booked through December.”
Photos by Sharon and David Challenger.
