Digital Communication at MVA…I think not

Each time someone relocates from one state to another the transition requires the evitable transfer of the person’s driver’s license. I was no exception.

Wanting to be proactive I went to the MVA’s website to research all the information that I would have to have for the DL transfer. I found the information with the forms of identification that I would need, I found the vision screening form and emailed the pdf to my ophthalmologist / eye surgeon and it was completed now I was fully prepared.

What was I thinking…

When I got to the MVA I waited in line just so that I could be assigned a number. Once I got to the counter I was told that my birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, state identification card and bills showing I had a local address was not good enough. When I stated that online this was what was required he then told me that my birth certificate had my maiden name and therefore I now needed to produce my marriage license so that I could prove I was who I said I was and I should go home and get it and come back.

I had just driven 25 minutes, stood in line 25 minutes to be told sorry not good enough. I was so upset that I required retail therapy.

My next attempt at the transfer started off okay; I now had all the proper paperwork and was sure that things would go much more smoothly

What was I thinking…

After a short 10 minutes in line I now had a number. I could officially take a seat in the large waiting area and wait for my number to be called and displayed on the large screen. 30 minutes later I was able to speak with a MVA representative. I presented all my information to the clerk and made the mistake of asking a question. I said “can you tell me a little about the process of the transfer I only know what I read online.” The response still has me shaking my head “please do not talk you are confusing me!”

After several minutes he finally began the process of looking at my identification materials. Then he looked at me and asked why I brought a bad copy of my birth certificate to him and stared at me. I replied that it was a certificated copy the original was destroyed in a flood and he then spent the next five minutes telling me how the state of Ohio does not know how to produce a proper birth certificate.

Just when I though it couldn’t get any worse he looks at my marriage license and then stands up and starts spouting that he can not see how I went from my maiden name to my married name and I said it is listed on the marriage license. 5 minutes later he found the correct line and this brought about a tirade of how Florida should learn how to properly display information on important documents.


Finally we go through the paper work, the person takes my picture and then he answers for me when it comes to registering to vote – I said I wanted to register and he shrugged. Last on the list of torture for the day was the vision test. I explained that I had a paper from the doctor and he tossed it in a basket. When I looked in the viewer I mentioned that he had not looked at the paper. He then proceeded to tell me to read and I explained my vision problem at which time he finally opened the paper. Oh no, the doctor had made a mistake on the form and used white out to correct it. This was a very bad mistake according to this man and he told me to get a new form. I asked him if the doctor could use the electronic form he had and make the corrections, the man said NO you have to have him fill out this form (a rack brochure) he handed me. I noted that the doctor was in Florida and we were in Maryland how was I going to do that and he then said that doctor can fax the form. I asked if the doctor could email the form and was told NO and that the doctor should have known better and should have properly completed the form the first time.

I had just driven 25 minutes, stood in line 10 minutes, waited in the holding area for 30 minutes and spent a very long and frustrating 55 minutes with this man. Forget shopping, I now decided that I should head home and mix myself a very large Cosmo.

The next day my husband, his company knows how to use the latest technology to make life simpler, scanned the documents, emailed them to the doctor and I spoke with the doctors office manager and they agreed to fax the information to the MVA.

August 28th I am now at the MVA for the 3rd time in less than one week. I know today will be better because I had just spent 10 minutes on the phone with a representative at the office while they attempted to find the fax my doctor sent.

Long story short I finally got my license and hope that no other person ever has to endure the frustration I felt at the process which at first looked to be technologically advanced and turned out to be a manual system.

Had the process used digital communication many of the necessary paperwork could immediately be transferred to the correct person. This would maximize productivity, perhaps make the clerks more pleasant and streamline operations that would assist the CUSTOMER in the transfer process.