I am thankful for MVA workers.
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"Have a nice day."
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Last week, I had an appointment with the MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration). They had been closed to in-person transactions for a while and now were open only with appointments. I showed up early for my appointment and to my surprise there were 25 people in line waiting to be screened before entering the building. It was at least 100 degrees in the unshaded parking lot where we were lined up and for the half hour I was waiting in line, I watched poor, naive people go to the front of the line thinking that since they had an appointment, they could go right in. Nope. We all had appointments. When I finally made it to the front and after I passed the screening questions, I made it into the building where they took my temperature. I then went to the counter to get a number. There I was told that my wait would be at least an hour and they were right. When it was finally my turn, the transaction was done in less than five minutes and I was good to go.
Then I thought about how hard it must be to work at the MVA--especially on days when you are dealing with people who have been in the heat (while wearing a mask) and have to wait and wait and wait for something that can't be done anywhere else. Every employee I talked to was friendly and competent. They were trying, but they had been put in circumstances where none of their customers were happy. Part of my job is answering calls, listening to problems, and trying to solve them. I could very well imagine what kinds of comments the MVA workers were getting. It's not an easy job they do, especially during these COVID days, and I do not envy them at all. So for the MVA workers and the patience they show in difficult circumstances, I am thankful.
I think you are wonderful for thanking them. I recently spent about 2 hours in line to get the car title to Mom's car changed. It was a pain but the woman who helped me was so kind.
ReplyDeleteI think they try really hard to make the motor vehicle experience a good one, but they just can't handle the number of people who need their services. And now that everyone has to go through a screening, it adds another difficult wrinkle. I will say that everyone was wearing a mask and the appointments limited the number of people in the building so we could sit far enough apart from each other. So at least the employees didn't have to worry about enforcing the COVID prevention rules, at least when I was there, on top of everything else.
DeleteIn our state it's called the DMV, department of motor vehicles. I've always thought the workers there should get a medal for dealing with irritable people and I'm sure it's much worse now. I'm sure they appreciated your positivity when you were there!
ReplyDeleteIt's always been a DMV everywhere I've lived except MD. I don't know how much they noticed me, but that may be good. That meant I wasn't yelling at them.
DeleteI am sure that the MVA workers were equally thankful to interact with someone like you, who appreciated their difficult work situation and, no doubt, was pleasant and polite.
ReplyDeleteI hope that I was polite but not chatty. They didn't have time for that.
DeleteWe can do many DMV tasks online, but those who must go in, face wait times of two to three months to get an appointment now. I agree, hard job to do in these times.
ReplyDeleteIt took a couple of months to get an appointment, but then they cancelled it and I had to make another one. However, they are extending deadlines on several things to account for COVID cutbacks.
DeleteCrazy times, but even if we weren't in the middle of Covid, our DMV takes just as long. It took me 3 hours to get the 'real' drivers license. We had to take numbers, and someone offered me $100 if he could have my number, as he was late for an appointment. LOL. (I didn't take it. ;) )
ReplyDeleteI was worried if I were going to make it to work on time, but I did. I was a little nervous for a while, though. Three hours is a long time, but it's one of those necessary evils.
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