My Kudos To The DMV

The Sacramento Bee reports the Department of Motor Vehicles is putting more effort into marketing their web site, hoping more and more people will start doing their business with the DMV online.

I realize most of us enjoy denigrating the DMV, especially libertarians who often use the DMV as an example of how we want things not to be run. Libertarian though I may be, seems to me the DMV has improved quite a bit through the years.

Sure, I suppose the state legislature might have been behind many of the improvements, but I'll still give credit where credit is due. Hey, if we can denigrate the DMV for things the legislature might be responsible for, the opposite should certainly be done as well.
************

I forget when they changed the system. Seems to me it was some time ago, but you used to have to go into the DMV every time you renewed your driver's license. That was a real pain in the neck, especially since everyone else was going there to renew their licenses too.

Umpteen years ago, as best I remember, they started automatically renewing the licenses, assuming you didn't have any traffic violations, althought they do call you in every few years to have your photograph retaken. The automatic renewals were certainly a change for the better.

It really got annoying when you had to provide proof of insurance when renewing your vehicle registration- myself winding up in traffic court because of that as I've related here before.

Now the insurance companies submit their policy info to the DMV so the DMV can check for themselves if you have insurance. This would have saved me the problem I had with this issue before had it been in place back then. Yet another improvement.

Trailer's are always an added hassle that can send you to the DMV. Used to be you had to renew the registration on those every year, just like your car. Some years ago they started some program where you register it once for something like five(?) years. Then they send you a license plate for your trailer that says something like California Permanent Registration on it.

Not sure if it's five years or not but I know I haven't dealt with the DMV regarding my trailer ever since they started that program and I think it's been five years or more. I'm loving that!

Oh, I actually did have to go into the DMV for the trailer a few years ago, but that was to get a replacement for the license plate I lost. That wasn't so bad, though. With more and more people doing business by mail and internet, there's not so many people in line there anymore.

I will have to go to the DMV again soon, though. I need to get some paperwork squared away on my old wrecked trailer, register my new one and re-apply for one of those temporary disabled placards for the wifey. I think when I do that I'll try one other renovation within the DMV, although it's been around for a while: Making an appointment. They say that's a lot faster way of getting in and out of there.

But just you watch. Bureaucrats that they are, you just know they'll tell me I need a different appointment to resolve each issue. Grrrrrrr.....I really hate government!

I'll let you know how it goes.