Expecting nightmare my NJ MVC visit turned out to be a dream

For the longest time after the restrictions were lifted, we heard of the nightmares that were taking place at the New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission. I was so expecting a day in MVC hell that I cleared out my entire day to spend there.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

My trip turned out to be an absolute dream. Let me explain.

What started out as a failure to transfer a courtesy plate turned into a registration and license suspension that caused me to go down to Eatontown MVC to clear up the matter. Because I was dealing with restoration, I didn't need an appointment.

Like I said, I was planning to spend the day there. It would be my luck that the entire population of New Jersey would need to get their license reinstated and they would all be in front of me.

I arrived around 10:30 and was greeted by a very friendly police officer who directed me to where I needed to go and was given a number.

Within minutes I was in front of a clerk named Lisa who suffered through my long explanation and was very helpful and courteous. She even went the extra mile to make sure I understood what was happening and why it happened.

Not long after that, I was given the letter that I needed for my court appearance — like I said, long story — and was out the door totally in less than 30 minutes.

I was so amazed that I went back and told Lisa that I wanted to let everyone know. I later received a call from MVC press secretary William Connolly who emailed me this statement.

"Over the last few years, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has dramatically transformed operations to make our services more convenient and efficient.

 

Now 80 percent of all New Jersey motor vehicle transactions can be conducted swiftly online at NJMVC.gov, including nearly all renewals for licenses and registrations. Only about 20 percent of transactions require residents to actually go to an agency in person. This has dramatically reduced the number of customers in state motor vehicle agencies.

 

Most in-person services are now handled by appointment, eliminating the long lines associated with MVC in the past, with appointments widely available across the state, including for permits for first-time drivers. We also offer several walk-in services, like the suspension services you accessed at our Regional Service Center in Eatontown earlier today.

 

All these improvements allowed us to process a record number of transactions last year, nearly 12.3 million, the first time we ever broke 12 million in a single year. And we’re on track to break that record again this year.

 

If there’s one thing we can impress on you and your listeners, it’s this: when you need services from the Motor Vehicle Commission, your first stop should be NJMVC.gov. More than 30 online services are available on our website, and there’s a strong chance you can do your transaction there, without going in person. If you need an appointment, you schedule that at the website, too."

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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