The Department of Motor Vehicles, commonly referred to as the DMV, is a source of countless headaches for every driver. A trip to the DMV usually entails hours of waiting, uncomfortable benches, and unpleasant workers. If any other business treated its customers in this manner, it wouldn’t last three months. Regardless, the DMV continues to operate without reform, despite enormous criticism.
Most high school students will have their first encounter with the DMV when they turn sixteen and are eligible to obtain a learner permit. “It was a very annoying experience,” said senior Amanda Graziano. “I must have waited on line for an hour and a half.”
A student must pass a written test before he can receive a permit and begin driving. If the student wishes to take the test at the DMV, he will be have to wait on line with other permit seekers while feverishly studying the New York State Driver’s Manual.
Fortunately, Massapequa High School offers students the opportunity to take the permit test on campus. While this allows the student to bypass one line, he will still have to wait for an available clerk. When it is finally his turn, the student will spend a few minutes with an unhappy and abrasive clerk while finalizing paperwork and paying the bill. Two excruciatingly long hours and 100 dollars later, the exhausted and disgruntled student finally leaves the DMV with his learner permit.
Why is a service that is so important to everyday life so inefficient? The answer lies in the fact that the DMV faces no competition. Competition drives businesses to lower prices, improve customer service, and ensure the greatest efficiency possible.
This lack of competitors allows the DMV to be lackadaisical with regard to the customer experience. If the DMV were to be privatized and introduced to competition, there is no doubt that service would improve, prices would drop, and everyone involved would have a better experience.
While a trip to the DMV will never be the thrill of someone’s day, is a quick, painless transaction too much to ask for? Considering the current situation, it appears so.