Friday, March 20, 2009

Closing Stamford DMW Would Ruin My Life

I'm not sure what it is about me, but I feel like I go to the Stamford DMV all the time. My registration or driver's license always seem to expire. Plus, my husband tries to make me do his dirty DMV work since my job ends by 3:30. I have professed in a previous blog post my love of the Stamford DMV.
I was horrified when I read yesterday that Gov. Jodi Rell wanted to close the Stamford satellite DMV office, which completes 50,000 transactions a year (compared to the larger full-service DMW in Norwalk, which completes 150,000).
Closing the Stamford DMV would be a nightmare. Rell thinks the hard-working people of Stamford have time to leave work to drive to Norwalk during the day, or fight traffic in the evening after work, to go to Norwalk to complete a series of line waits, forms, and interactions with people with stone cold faces. N-O, we don't. It's a pain enough to find time to make it to the Stamford DMV.

I read in today's Advocate that the Stamford DMV has gotten a reprieve- a mediocre reprieve, if you ask me: Rell said Thursday that instead of closing April 3 as planned, the part-time branch will remain open for limited hours until June 30.
Created in 1994 after the state closed Stamford's full-service DMV office, the branch is in the Stamford Government Center... It now is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Rell said the DMV will operate the office two days a week after April 3, but did not specify which days. DMV spokesman William Seymour said the agency should be able to announce more details Friday.

Sigh. I really don't think two days a week is enough, but it's better than nothing.

The initial article in the Advocate points out that there are many other DMV satellite offices that serve much smaller populations; that's another reason it's absurd to close a huge DMV. Even Mayor Malloy agrees: "It makes no sense to close the office in Stamford. The volume that it will cause in Norwalk would make everyone miserable."

By the way, last time I was at the Stamford DMV last week to hand in old plates, the lady was soooooooo rude to me. Still, I wouldn't want to make her move to the Norwalk office just because of one bad interaction; I'd rather have her dismissive attitude right here in Stamford.

7 comments:

Chris Preovolos said...

I totally agree with you. However, I have lived in Connecticut for six years and have needed to go to the DMV exactly two times.

Why in the hell are you spending so much time there?

Manager Mom said...

You can also renew your drivers license at any AAA - I go to the one on Newfield by the new Starbucks.

Damn. STILL no baby?

Unknown said...

of all the DMVs in the area that I have gone to, this one has provided some of the best and most pleasant services. There are mony reasons to go to this DMV and I am sad that Jodi Rell has not realized that it does 50,000 transactions without even being full service, like the Norwalk one.

Ali said...

Norwalk DMV is hell on Earth as is, I couldn't imagine what it would turn into if Stamford's branch was to close. MM - I love the AAA in Newfield! Everyone is so nice and helpful and the license renewal process was s breeze there.

Here's to hoping baby ST makes his debut soon!

Anonymous said...

Your blog makes me want to live in Stamford (or at least the surrounding areas)!

I was sure you had Baby StamfordTalk...

Wendy

You Missed Your Calling said...

That stinks about the DMV; I hate trudging all the way to Norwalk (although I am glad to hear about the AAA office in Stamford renewing licenses).
What, no baby news yet?!?

Mark said...

There's a DMV office in Stamford? Had no idea. The one in Norwalk is hell, but at least the parking is free.