AVOID. I've been to several DMVs in my 30 years living in NJ, but this was the worst experience…read moreI've ever had, hands down. It was chaotic, disorganized, mismanaged, and full of miserable people who seemed to take pleasure turning an already awful experience into absolute hell. It was the only location somewhat close to my home where I could get my license renewed and not have to wait several months out. Now I know why.
First of all, there's nowhere to park. We pull up ahead of our appointment at 8:20 am and there's already no parking in the lot. There are people standing around outside in freezing weather with no official telling anyone what to do or where to wait. I walked to the door and said we had an appointment. Told to check in at the desk, which we did.
Was told to fill out a paper and wait on a very long line that snaked around a corner. Got a number texted to me noting that I had checked in. Waited about 20 mins. Two people at the desk, but one was occupied with one person the entire time I was waiting, so really only one person was moving the line.
Then I get up there and I had mistakenly written "USA" where I should have written my NJ county -- I thought it said "country." Woman lectured me that I filled out my paperwork too fast! Gave me a blank paper and told me to fill it out again and get to the back of the line. Commiserated with another woman who had "Dk Brown" next to eye color when it should have just said "Brown," and the woman made her get to the back of the line and fill out the form all over again too.
The woman behind the counter was so rude to people who were not native English speakers in the worst kind of stereotypical way -- she kept screaming the English words at them slowly, as if this would help. This person should not be employed in New Jersey where we have a diverse population!
After the second try, I made it through only to wait on another snaking line, even longer this time -- about 1/2 hr -- for the "ID check." There were four windows, but some times only 1 or 2 people were assisting. All along, I keep getting text messages like, "Your number will be called soon!"
Turns out, that number I was texted meant nothing. I'm given ANOTHER number at the ID check. I went to sit down at one of the two crowded waiting areas. The woman behind the ID booth stopped me and said, "Oh, you want to sit over there (the other section) since they'll be calling people up from there." Of course there were no signs telling anyone where to go.
This point took the longest, about an hour and 1/2 from the wait to being done. There was a woman with a clipboard calling numbers but what if I had sat down in the other section? Would I be waiting all day? The place was chaos.
There was no help, no one answering questions, no signage, no guidance. Oh, but every now and then a woman would come out from some back room and scream at people waiting on line to have their paperwork filled out correctly.
While I was waiting, a horrible person came over the loudspeaker and read off license plate numbers of people who they were going to call the police on because their cars were parked in the lot in non spots.
My number was eventually called and I stood on yet another line to be seen by the people who actually process the license. Again a long wait. There were about 6 stations, but often just one or two people were working--sometimes none!
I was finally next in line and was waiting in the same place as the person ahead of me when a woman came from out of nowhere and literally pulled hard on my shoulder and yanked me back, yelling "you're too close!" I wasn't blocking the aisle, there was no line I was over, no sign telling you where to wait. I can't believe she manhandled me! I think she didn't want me to see how few people were actually working at one time.
Again, non-English speaking people were treated so rudely and held up the process because no one working there seemed to speak Spanish, which is crazy at a location like Newark.
When leaving, there were people crowded in the vestibule and again were getting threatened by the staff to move or else. It is the fault of the people managing this place for being disorganized -- not the folks there to get their business done who are given no direction or help.
Wound up talking to many folks during the wait and everyone said the same thing -- not just that staff were rude, but that they were demeaning, belittling and insulting. This should not be tolerated and isn't in other locations, which is disgusting.
Whoever manages this place should be fired or reassigned to a desk in a dark corner somewhere to do no further harm to people. This DMV is an embarrassment to the state of New Jersey.
