Driver's License Fiasco
Posted by Red Neck Girl (+63) 11 years ago
I love how a person either has to get an appointment on the internet or call Helena to get their Driver's License issued, renewed, or replaced in Miles City.
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Posted by Toni Rentschler (+1509) 11 years ago
My sister in law was a BOY on her last one.
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Posted by ocne (+481) 11 years ago
I've been trying for the last 45 minutes to register online so I can renew my license seeing as how its due in 3 weeks. Every time I've tried, the online system fails to work and I get some kind of error message.

Now what? What a pain in the butt....
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Posted by Nancy Okerman (+227) 11 years ago
I finally made my appointment by phone. I called 232-2821 and pressed "5" to talk to a real person. They have kind of weird hours:

Monday: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wednesday & Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
CLOSED: Noon - 1:00 pm

Hope this helps.
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Posted by Matt Smith (+786) 11 years ago
I bought a DL scanner once to use at our auctions when registering people.

We had to quit using it.

There were so many times we would scan the license & up would come information on someone else, not the person registering.
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Posted by spacekace (+888) 11 years ago
I called and got an appointment. I don't think you have to have an appointment, but people that made one get precedence over others. There were individuals there when I got my license renewed that did not have appointments, but had to wait for me...
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Posted by BD (+334) 11 years ago
Well let me tell you that it has taken us 6 weeks to get a drivers licenses, some was our fault, the people that work here at our drivers license center only give you the least amount of information as posible and are not accommadating at all. They could care less if you get a license or need help. We went in with the information we were told to bring then all of a sudden we needed a certified birth certificate. Ok so we sent for one, then we make an appointment and now were told we need to prove address, we bring in address off his car license and were told again it has to show his street address, the kid lives with his folks. I finally called Helena and we seem to be heading now in the right direction after 6 weeks he is almost done, can't say anything else don't what him to not get his license hopefully by the end of this week. If you can't get any satifaction here in Miles City, Helena was really good and gave me all the information at one time didn't have to keep coming back to get it. By the way we did use the Booklet they provide for taking the test, but again it really is not helpful, you can bring in many documents but if the people in the office doesn't feel that these are the ones they want. You might as well just leave or call Helena they will help you get a license and are very pleasent about it to. VERY UNHAPPY WITH MILES CITY LICENSING BUREAU!
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Posted by Cheryl Pieters (+478) 11 years ago
Did Miles City vote for a Democrat in the last election?

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Ever since Republicans captured the majority in a number of state legislatures last November, they have systematically attempted to make it more difficult to vote: by onerous voter ID requirements (in Wisconsin, Republicans have legislated photo IDs while simultaneously shutting Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices in Democratic constituencies while at the same time lengthening the hours of operation of DMV offices in GOP constituencies); by narrowing registration periods; and by residency requirements that may disenfranchise university students.

http://www.truth-out.org/...1314907779
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Posted by BD (+334) 11 years ago
Don't know or care, I just think it is a lack of caring for the individual and if you don't do it my way it's the hiway.
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Posted by howdy (+4947) 11 years ago
As I remember correctly last year and before, the man that ran the DL office in Miles City and Broadus was a very grumpy man that ran the office like a dictatorship IMO...Maybe he is the largest part of the problem if he is still there...
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Posted by j2r (+144) 11 years ago
Sill there, and just as pleasant as ever
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Posted by t.anderson (+105) 11 years ago
I got sooo frustrated with the whole mess that I almost just drove to Glendive to do it. There you can just walk in during business hours, no appointment at all.
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Posted by Red Neck Girl (+63) 11 years ago
Cheryl, this is a real stretch. . . . the republicans are just trying to keep things balanced. A pendulum swings both ways, but always comes to the center unless someone forgets to wind the clock. If all the people on the multitude of freebie programs would quit having babies, maybe there would be more tax money available for a full time driver's license guy in Miles City and somebody to answer the phone.
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Posted by Bridgier (+9506) 11 years ago
Red neck girl, please don't take this the wrong way...

but you are a procreating moran.
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Posted by Gale (+176) 11 years ago
he is not grumpy. He is just over worked. He is actually a very pleasant and helpful individual.
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Posted by howdy (+4947) 11 years ago
IMO, being overworked is no excuse for grumpy...He was downright rude to me twice...
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Posted by Jay (+285) 11 years ago
Wife just returned from getting her license renewed. Walked in, no appointment, 6 people ahead of her, out in 35 min.
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Posted by Art (+209) 11 years ago
When I renewed I made an appointment on line, showed up on time, was called on time, did the process efficiently and was done. No complaints.
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Posted by howdy (+4947) 11 years ago
I ran in to problems when my teen grandson needed a License...the hoops to go thru were ridiculous and his mom had to come all the way from another state to sign a form, as we were told that couldn't be done thru the mail with a notary seal...after all the trouble we went thru another person in the office told us that was quite unnecessary as it was allowable to go thru the mail after all...GRRRRRRR...
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Posted by Hal Neumann (+10314) 11 years ago
Takes about 15 minutes here - most of that time is spent waiting for the machine to print out / produce your driver's license. But when you walk out the door, you have the license in hand.
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Posted by StacieE (+386) 11 years ago
It may work out that some have an easy time but talking with people I see that the renewal process is not bad but if you have to get a license be prepared to show your death certificate because it will take you that long to get it.
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Posted by ocne (+481) 11 years ago
I called this morning and had no problem scheduling an appointment. I used the number that Nancy posted earlier here and was able to speak with a very pleasant and helpful woman.

After trying again to do it online this morning and getting the same error message I've been getting since Mon., I said screw it and called. Much better results! From what the gal said, the website has been having "issues" for a while...

Thanks Nancy!
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Posted by BD (+334) 11 years ago
Yes we had no problem scheduling an appointment it was what followed afterward that was the problem. Just be warned it has been know to happen it took up 6 weeks of returning each scheduled appointment just to find out we need still more information. Followed the booklet information, finally called Helena still took us 2 more scheduled appointments before we got the licensed, not a renewal licensed. VERY FRUSTRATING!!! AND NOT NESSCESSARY after visiting with Helena. It is a power trip for the people that work in this office. I would tell you to travel to Billings or call Helena before doing anything with this office.
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Posted by Wendy Wilson (+6169) 11 years ago
Here we renew by mail. So easy.
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Posted by Diane Grutkowski (+208) 11 years ago
It is very seldom a day goes by when someone doesn't tell me a horror story about what happened to them at the local driver license office. All I can say is, If you have a complaint & want things to change, take the time to write a letter to Helena. Address can be found at www.mt.gov.
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Posted by Kacey (+3151) 11 years ago
It's only because you are no longer there Diane!
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Posted by Richard Bonine, Jr. (+15424) 11 years ago
Maybe they should move the DMV to the WalMart customer service counter. :ducking:
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