New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — Attraction in North Bergen

6/16 trip one: How about you update your information for your customers? I went to renew my registration for my car (license is suspended, not driving, but went to keep it up to date). Website says all I needed was my insurance card, license plate numbers, and form of payment. I waited on the line for over an hour with a woman in front of me constantly getting out of the line and walking away because she couldn't control her kid (another story altogether), and when I finally get to the front, they tell me I need a photo id as well. I do not have one as I am not driving and have no need for one otherwise, so they tell me now I have to go fill out another form and wait on a different line to get the id before I can do my registration. If you need the id for something, say something on your website. Otherwise, you are simply making people waste their time in your lines without knowing what they actually need. Customer service is very unfriendly and unwilling to help.

6/19 trip part 2: in the line for the ID check so I can get the photo ID before getting my registration, and I overhear one of the women at the ID check clearly say she is going to make the line wait until 9am, as she is just walking back and forth, looking at the long line and drinking her coffee. At 9, she just completely leaves the ID check. Another person showed up but spent her time talking to the only other person in the ID check instead of helping the people on line. Then she complained she couldn't log in on her computer, delaying the line even more. Once she finally started actually working, the line finally started moving. Waiting in line to get the ID, I see one of the two women that were working at the ID check just walking around with her eyes glued to her cell phone. The other was just standing in the back area, looking at the lines and smiling without actually doing any work. The one fixated on her phone came back. Apparently, running out to get coffee and food was more important than doing her job, which she could have only been here for maybe an hour (all of this trip is first thing in the mornings when the DMV opened at 8). At the front of the line as I was finally about to get my ID, the man at the window decided to start paying attention to another coworker, who thought it was so important to show off her several week old tattoo on her foot/ankle. Nearly an hour and a half just to get the photo id. I get in the line for registration renewal, which is also incredibly long, and two of the people working the desk there just get up and leave with nobody to replace them. After 25 minutes in the line, somebody finally comes back to start moving things along, but one of the others then proceeds to walk away. Once I got to the front of the line, somebody came over to open another window. 45 minutes for the registration. 2 hours and almost 20 minutes...

During my visit to this location today, I had the worse customer experience ever. I walked in because I need a copy of my registration records for the past few years. The lady a the customer service desk smile to me and asked what do I needed. I explained to her why I was there. Before I finish talking she provided me with a form to complete and pointed me to window 12. I completed the form and proceed to go to window 12. After waiting on line before two other customers for 45 minutes, a lady on window 12 called next. I approached to the window and said good morning, the lady at the window didn’t even look at me and said to me what do you need in a very angry voice. I provided her with my completed form, DL and credit card. She took everything with her and moved to another location for about 5 minutes. She comes back and give me a document that has none of the information requested and asked me to sign my credit card receipt. I then tried to tell her that I didn’t see the I formation I needed on the document she provided to me. She then proceeded to asked what it’s that you are looking for?? I explained again what do I needed. She then takes the paper from my hands and said to me you have to go to Newark or Paterson for that. She went to the back and as she is walking away from me I said to her please let me keep that document you don’t have to give me a refund. She got upset and said”oh my God” and gave me a bad look. Not sure at the moment what was happening but she went to the back again leaving tittles and other customers private information and money on her desk. It looks like she voided the transaction, which I said to her that I was going to keep. She then gave me another document to completed and left the window. Came back with another credit card document for me to sign and left the window again. When I asked why am I signing the same document again she said to me because I voided the first one and you to sign again. You will be done after you sign. At that point I was still waiting for her to tell me where do I need to go to get the information that I went there for and when I asked again she pointed to window one.

WHY IS THIS PERSON WORKING WITH PEOPLE???? I’m not sure.

DMV employees need to understand that yes, we need the services they provide to us but they need to keep in mind that we (customers), are paying for theses services, this is not a FREE! If they are dealing with customers they need to be able to speak to us to understand what we need and what we are paying for.

Thanks to the manager Maria for listening to me after I waited 15 minutes to speak to her.

Hopefully next customer will have a better experience and my private information is not going to be left unsecured on...

THE BEST ADVICE: read the most recent reviews of this place the day before you go in and have the proper mindset and you’ll do just fine. Just be prepared to commit half a day for licensing.

The below is my experience:

The night before I went in, read all reviews from the previous day to manage my expectations.

Arrived this morning, Friday, at 5:30. Brought a chair, warm clothes and some food and joined the line.

At 8:00 two employees started making their way through the line. One woman screened that you were at the right place starting at the front of the line, checked IDs, made sure you had the right documents, and gave you the proper forms to fill out. Please note at this point the person that is in line needs to be the person who is actually trying to get their license renewed. If you are holding a spot for someone else (I.e. wife holding spot for husband), they will kick you out of the line, thus the reason they check IDs at this point. There was a bit of arguing this morning over this so be prepared.

Next, if you make it past the first woman, the second woman tells you your order in line and asks you to write down your cell number. Stay in line at this point. You’ll soon get a confirmation text and then you can do other things until they call you back.

Getting in line at 5:30am, I was #65. If you’re curious, the first person in line got there at 9:00pm the night before if you’re feeling ambitious. By 7:30, the line was already around the block.

At 8:50 I received the text confirming I was in the system. At this point you can leave the line to sprint to the nearest bathroom or do whatever else until you’re called back.

At 10:24 I received the text calling me back. Joined the small crowd by the front door.

At 10:35 I received the ‘almost your turn’ text.

At 10:50 I was called inside. There are two parts to this. The first is the ID check. Make sure to triple check you have all required documents. There was straight up yelling inside when people found out they didn’t have what they needed. If you pass ID check you then go to another area inside to sit down for a bit. Use the bathroom now if you haven’t already. Around 11:40 I was called to the second and final station where it took about 15m to issue my new license.

I was done and on my way home by noon. 6.5 hours from joining line to leaving with license.

*Final advice: 1) Get there before 6:30 or you will be waiting around all day for your number to get called. 2) Come prepared with a chair, mindset expectations, and food and water. 3) Be prepared to commit 6 hours or...