Despite regular reminders that a lot of tasks can be taken care of online, calling the Connecticut DMV was relatively straightforward. In fact, it only took me about five minutes to get through multiple phone directories and talk to a live agent. While it would have been nice to have the option to skip a few navigation menus, I recognize that the process was streamlined.
I needed to talk to the DMV about unpaid tickets that were attached to my license. I wanted to see what I owed so I could take care of them before my license was suspended. Given how worrisome this is, I wanted to talk to someone personally and make sure that I got the right numbers. I also wanted to pay them off and get confirmation from a person.
Most people who call the DMV probably need to talk about detailed and specific topics. The majority of things they deal with are highly complicated, from obtaining a license to transferring a title. I don't have time to run down to the DMV in person because they are only open while I'm working, but that doesn't mean I don't want to talk to someone before paying off the tickets.
When I called, the first thing I was told was to have a pen and paper ready to record information. That was helpful, but not necessary since I could jot everything down onto my tablet notepad. The recorded message then told me "to pay suspension fees press one," "for requirements for a driver's license press two", and "for unpaid ticket information press three."
I chose three since it was exactly what I needed help with, then the recorded voice told me that for faster service I could use the keypad or speak. It asked if I lived in Connecticut and didn't recognize my answer, so I resorted to using the keypad. It then asked me to enter or say my Connecticut driver's license number, but this time regardless of what I said or typed it said it didn't recognize me.
I was then transferred to talk to a live agent and told again to get a pen and paper. The recorded message told me I could check the status of a transaction and pay restoration fees online. I was given the option of paying fees by check or mail order. Then, finally, I was switched to a wait line. The wait was only about five minutes and the hold music was 80's hits, which livened up the interaction.
The agent walked me through my issue and gave me a total for my unpaid tickets that I could work with. They spoke clearly and answered my questions with ease. I had no questions when I hung up the call, which was reassuring.