Ridgedale DMV

If every government employee were like Kelly (window 17 today) no one would complain about paying taxes. Kelly helped me through three DMV transactions today – she was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, patient with my questions. Kelly was great! Thank you, Kelly!

As with most government services they give you the run around. No enhanced drivers license available at this dmv location. Go to Plymouth.

Wait was half hr but it was pretty full so I expected it. The employees all smiled and actually seemed to enjoy getting you in and out painlessly. The new remodel was a good idea as it seems to work smoother. Last few times I went before the remodel it was crowded an chaotic. As dmvs go I’d say it’s now one of the better.

Ok, so there really is nothing super sexy about going to the DMV. Each one has roughly the same features, long lines, gross but oddly comfortable chairs, and the desire to be doing anything else with the inevitable 30 – 90 minutes that you spend there.
I’ll give the Ridgedale DMV props for having a Dunn Bros. in the waiting area and an awesome library within the building but around the corner.

5 stars for a DMV? What hell you say?
Fact: Everyone hates the DMV.
Fact: Most people would rather visit the dentist than the DMV.
Fact: This DMV has a Dunn Brothers inside. And a library. And lots of great parking. And free WiFi!
I’ve been here twice in the last few months — once to renew my passport, which took a considerable amount of time, and then today to renew my driver’s license.
Today, I went in at approximately 11:45 am (it was a Friday.) I went to the front counter to get my number, was handed the paperwork that I needed to complete, and had renewed my license, had my new photo taken, and was out the door by 12:10. Seriously. It was about as painless of an experience as one could get.
And hey, if I wanted to treat myself with a Dunn Bros coffee on the way out, I had that option, too.
Employees are nice. Lines may be long, but they have seemed to move fairly quickly, and the process — due to the reception assistant at the front desk — seemed very organized.

Dude. It’s the DMV. So expectations should be really low. I’ve gone here a few times and the wait is long … every time. Fortunately the seats are comfortable and coffee is only a few feet away. Unfortunately, I don’t like to wait 1 hour to get my license renewed. It was on a Thursday at 1 pm so I thought that everyone would be at work. A lot of people had the same idea apparently.
Customer service is pretty good. I was greeted with a smile and the person that processed my transaction was amicable. I’d still try to find another DMV where my butt doesn’t get sore from waiting.
Suggestion: First go to the library and check out a nice thick book, because reading a novel on Samsung Galaxy II’s screen is no fun. I got a headache.

While the staff was friendly, and the initial experience was as streamlined as one could expect from a DMV, that is failing to make up for the fact that I renewed my driver’s license here over 2 months ago and still have not received it. I called this morning the minute they opened to find out what the problem was, waited on hold for almost half an hour (with some of the most brain-​numbing musak I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter), only to discover that they mailed my license to an address I haven’t been registered with for almost a year– an address that wasn’t even on my renewal application (did they even look at it?). I was never notified that my new license had been returned to them a month and a half ago; they were apparently just waiting for me to call them. So now, I’ve started the process over again, and have to wait another 2 – 4 weeks for them to «remake and resend.» Yikes.

Having to transfer a title for a car is a pain in the butt.
I thought that going to the AAA in SLP would ease the pain, but when I got there they had one service rep to serve almost a dozen customers and to top it off she took over five minutes to administer an eye exam. Note to staff — if they can’t read the first few lines they should fail.
I gave up on AAA after 15 minutes and headed back home, since I realized I should have had a check for the tax to transfer the title.
After I grabbed a check I headed off to Ridgedale. I know Ridgedale has issues with staff cutbacks and all that but what I experienced here was entirely positive. Less than a 10 minute wait. Professional employees. Quick service. Non governmental companies should strive to provide the level of service that the Ridgedale employees deliver.

No one likes the DMV.
I stopped to get license tabs and it took over a half hour. If I had gone to the Anoka county place I usually go to it would have been 10 minutes tops.
What bothered me most was their numbering system — each type of service had a different letter and number and they are all called in some kind of semi– nonsensical order. So — at a glance you can’t tell if there will be a 10 minute wait or a half-​hour wait.
Boo.

They have really spiffed this one up! The past two times I’ve needed anything here, they have been both helpful and best of all, fast!
The AAA in SLP, may be losing my DMV business, although they are a very good option for these matters, as well. Good job Ridgedale!