Kootenai DMV (Post Falls, Sandpoint, Parker: appointed, minimum wage, vs.)

[elousv]

At the beginning of the month I was going to register a vehicle and found that the latest deal was appointment only. The first available was today, the hottest flippin` day of the year. So I grab the paper and see this : https://cdapress.com/news/2020/jul/3...get-in-line-5/
Next, I pick up my phone to check the qless app (should be "clueless" app) and it says error appointments. Google that and nothing, go to qless site and nothing, call DMV and nothing. Decide to gear up and pack water, snacks, book, sanitizing stuff, 2 masks and a neck cooler. I contemplated drinking, but thought better of it lest I end up in ICU instead of DMV. All of a sudden, a full hour before my appt., the qless shows I am 13th in line and a few minutes later 11. I rush down there, of course there is massive traffic, all the while I am getting closer "in line". Finally get there and run to front door. I noticed two entirely different protocols from driver license to vehicle reg. The DL was masks required and much more stringent. The VR was allowing walk ins, no masks, entirely different. I found that odd. Anyway, it was a good thing I got there early as I was out before my official appointment time.

[volosong]

That application is awful, but it's the only way to get in. About a month or so ago, I purchased a car from Parker Toyota and needed to get it registered. A lady down the street purchased a new Mercedes around the same time. We wanted to go in together, so I made an appointment in the app. Then it locked me out and I couldn't make a second appointment for her, (she did not have the app on her phone). Uugh!

At the appointed time, several weeks later, we went together and the "door monitor" allowed both of us to conduct our business, but one at a time. We should have gone to Sandpoint because the DMV is a lot less busy up there than in either Post Falls or CdA.

[f5fstop]

Ludicrous. State DMVs are noted to be an experience just one notch better than a colonoscopy, and now the states have made the experience worse than a colonoscopy. If the workers at Walmart or other stores can work for minimum wage than state workers making a lot more can also work. (And that especially goes to all those congress people who have decided to hide in their basements vs. going to DC and actually attempting to get something done. And that is in regard to all....dem, republican, independent.)

[banjomike]

Yup. It was pretty bad. It usually doesn't take me 3 times to figure out how to navigate a website.

What was so crazy to me is the DMV site being so bad, while the state dept's vote-by-mail site was so good. That one was very easy and very clear.

I finally managed to get some new registration stickers (have't arrived yet), but I was never able to renew my driver's license on the website. I'll have to go down to the DMV to get a new one.

[f5fstop]

I was lucky with the truck plates, I did the two year renewal last October so I'm good till 2021. My trailer comes due every year; however, I mail in the money in January and no need till usually March at the earliest. Renewed my driver's license two years ago. They make us old people renew in person every four years. Guess they want to make sure we don't walk into the walls or trip and fall twenty times from the door to the counter.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I don't think the department of motor vehicles in any state is a fun experience. Its bureaucracy at its very worst.



DMV in Idaho probably worked fine when the population was 1/5 the size that it is now, but it hasn't had any upgrades since then. But, what the heck, if it work for great grandad it is good enough for us now.


On the plus side, my experience is that the clerks are always friendly, so the whole experience could be worse.

[volosong]

As an example of how things are running these days. I purchased a auto from my local dealership. It was "recorded" on June 17th. Just today, six weeks later, I received the pink slip in the mail.

[Shaner]

I wish they would have a commercial cashier only. Had an appt last week to register my scooter and said I had 7 minutes. Person in front of me was a city employee and had a BOX of paperwork as they were registering all the city vehicles. 53 minutes later of standing in the sun, I was invited in. So frustrating.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by Shaner

...Had an appt last week to register my scooter...

Going "off topic" here, for a moment. Who are you using for your scooter mechanic? I have a Vespa, but as we all know, there are no Vespa dealers closer than Seattle/Portland/SLC. I have not been using mine for fear of going over the mileage for oil changes.

[redwood66]

The process sucks now and we are still waiting for plates after 4 weeks. Hubby didn't want a K plate on his new Jeep so he opted for the Rangeland plate.