Jackson Jambalaya

It is the most poorly run part of the entire State of MS government - no small feat. Heads should absolutely roll over this, top to bottom. The collective loss of productivity incurred statewide by everyone waiting around all day to get a driver's license must be in the millions.

Let's stop dancing around the obvious and confront it. Who specifically is the point at which blame lies? Be specific. Don't say the governor, although certainly he has been more than complicit in the poor top-staffing of this outfit and it's umbrella agency.

Secondly, as always, averages are useless and meaningless. When you average all the ridiculous wait times and related inadequacies with those that are mediocre, you get what sort of looks acceptable, overall, but is not. Like when SDE averages all poorly performing schools with those of excellence and says we're improving and doing pretty well. Peddle that bullshit to Canton, Greenwood and Clarksdale.

When Bryant appointed his clone, Fisher, to head up that agency he must have done so out of some sort of psychological inadequacy of impotence that both suffer from. May both clean out their desks sooner rather than later.

Assuming the Walnut Grove and Kosciusko DMV offices are open on any given day, it's well worth the time and effort to drive to either one. I recently went to the one on Walnut Grove. Got there right when the opened at 8 and was done with my business in 20 minutes.

It’s an insult to a LEO to be assigned to the DL booth. And that’s how they treat the job and their customers.

Can you imagine working there? Moral must suck because all you hear is "Troopers need a raise". Wake up!
I agree with @10:22, put the LEO's out in the field & let civilians manage the Departments!

It maybe be an insult for a LEO to be assigned there, but it is very likely punishment for poor performance, etc. The FHP wouldn't assign their best and brightest to most of these locations.

Our DMV offices are a freaking joke. The employees are the laziest people I've ever encountered. They have created a culture where it's dammed near impossible to get fired, and state employees are just buying time until they advance or retire with almost zero job performance evaluation. These people would never make it in the private sector.

I don't think 90% of these people are sworn LEO. What I see is a bunch of large women, in uniform with a stainless name-plate on their shirt. And the men, down the hall, who supposedly supervise these people are simply checking off the days on their PERS calendar.

Anyway, hopefully this function will transfer to the incoming Secty of State when the legislature meets (as soon as they deal with the need to increase per diem).

People who complain about long wait times are sissies.

@ 10:22-

Do those locations do CDL renewals? Gun permits?

Working for the "DMV" is welfare with honor. At least they aren't sitting on their porches getting fat and drinking 40s; they are getting fat at work.

1st attempt at renewal in August, stopped by around 1pm and got in line behind the line of folks out the door and was literally laughed at when I asked if my number would be called before they close.
2nd attempt: Took off work the whole day, set my alarm early and thought, I'll show them as I pulled into the parking lot around 7:30am. There were NO parking places left. Got in the long line and barely made it out before 11:30am with my license, and just before the computers "crashed" again.

I have never seen such inept, rude and inefficient services. Even based on the normal level of abysmal government agencies, this is truly the worst and beyond laughable that nothing ever changes.

I live several miles from Troop C located on 468 and pass by there twice daily en route to/from work. On any given day there are individuals sitting in line in the parking lot in their folding stadium chairs beginning as early as 6:30 a.m. awaiting an 8 a.m. opening. I myself had to deal with this twice earlier this year attempting to get my son's learner's permit- the first time we arrived at 6:30 a.m. and we were third in line; the second time I made the error of not arriving until 7:15 a.m.- it was not until 10 a.m. before our number was called. It is absolutely worse on school holidays as parents attempt to avoid their kids missing a full day of school. There is ZERO excuse/sense for limiting the testing in the Tri County area to this one station. It is sheer madness.

Ridiculous and wholly predictable juvenile whining and fingerpointing. Folks, you TeaTards insisted on TWO things: cutting taxes to eliminate "GubMint" and REAL ID, cuz Mexicans are a takin' yo job (you think) and all them furiners is terrorists.

This is happening in ALL states. Tennessee, LA, California. But it's especially bad here with Tater Tot's greedy geezer tax cuts and GubMint bashing hillbilly posse.

It's entirely predictable. Do some math.

EVERY ADULT DRIVER now has to go in within 1 year to get a "REAL ID" by showing SS card and Birth Certificate. In person. No exception. No mailing it in. No digital submission. No kiosks. Just like E Verify but we DON'T all have to do that in 1 year!

That's a once in a lifetime thing now to be done for a span of 70 years of drivers which was once done for the 16 year old range only. Do the math.

But, Billy Bob spews tobacco spittle, hmmmmmph, if'un this was the private sector...... Yeah, Good one, Cletus. Try to imagine the "lowest bidder" hiring illegal aliens to do the D/L document process after getting the Legislature to steer another contract to their cousin/brother. Good one. Hee Haw!!!

Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Brought to you by pandering politicians. Of both parties. The Dems want voters at any price; the GOP wants 5 dollar an hour wages and is "skeered." And this is just one of the outcomes.

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/dmv-wait-times-skyrocket-after-people-queue-up-for-new-real-id-licenses/51-5ad350d8-cf0e-40c8-bed2-a8e521081ee5

Another Department ruined by Marshall Fisher!

Attempting to get your license in Jackson is like waiting in line for Black Friday at a Walmart.

Kosciusko does not do firearms, but is a fantastic location to get a driver license or renewal.

Batesville is a fantastic place to get a gun permit or driver license.

Jackson, is, well, Jackson. Those employees don't want to work or have a job, but being employed (not working there) there is second to being on the dole. Welfare with honor.

A group is only as good as its leader.

Two more weeks.

It's the most poorly run service. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that it's always a surly Democrat working? Truth is that the kiosks do a better job. That's why they don't deserve a raise.

So, who bought the new computer system? Who trained all the employees in its use. Who is inefficient on this new system and why are they still working if they cannot operate it.

Has anyone read Entergy's explanation of how they will transfer customers to their new meters and billing system. It is so simple that it has to work well and both the company and the customers should be happy with this process.

Why oh why can't the City of Jackson and the Drivers' License places use their equipment or is it the vendor who is at fault?

Please, someone, a few of the taxpayers would like to know.

If I was more of a dickhead, I would get tremendous satisfaction out of slapping the shit out of every entitled employee in the Jackson branch. Evidently just thinking about the place makes me angry. Thanks for providing a place to vent.

this will never change until the governor , lt. governor, legislators and all other political fat cats have to come stand in line with the rest of us.

this is proof that this welfare republic called mississippi can't even perform the basic fundamentals of state government . but they are constantly attempting all the trick moves such as the kemper coal plant, the beef plant fiasco, a department of marine resources for our 40 mile coastline, complete with lots of money for the director to steal, and a million other boondoggles that no one even remembers now.

State Government at its finest level!! Every thing that has been mentioned here is 110% correct. Last time I renewed I did it online this year for 8 years. Maybe they will have it figured out by then and who ever the Idiot is that let DPS/DMV get in to the shape its in will be gone.

If you can renew on line, do so. Process takes just a few minutes and I had new license in two days, just as promised on the website. Was SO glad I didn't have to go to DL station and wait and wait and WAIT!

This issue can be traced to one source...the Mississippi State Trooper Association. For Fisher, or any other Commissioner, to remove troopers from the DMV, they will literally have to change a law lobbied for and put in place by the Trooper Association.

Troopers running a multi-million dollar business that does not mandate good customer service to keep the doors open has always been a recipe for disaster.

The DMV is a sacred cow for troopers because it allows officers that would not otherwise be promote-able due to ineptitude to be promoted into upper ranks, receive a high four year retirement and be protected from actually performing law enforcement functions - like working wrecks and arresting bad guys. The long-term joke is on the tax payer that will get to fund the retirement of a trooper that worked the DMV for most of his or her career and produced the work product we are all used to seeing now.

Until troopers are removed from the DMV, the problem will never get better. No new computer system can overcome apathy, ignorance and arrogance.

The one department that Mississippians are forced to deal with on a regular basis and the service is terrible. Really!

This is why I believe in small government. Show me a government agency that performs exceptionally, comes in under budget, has happy employees and understands customer service. It doesn't happen.

Ford and GM actually assemble an entire car in less time then it takes to get your licensed renewed. Some cars take as little as 11 hours to assemble.

The Highway Patrol is always boasting about being LEO finest. You would think that they would take pride in the part of their job that every citizen witnesses at one time or another.

Has anyone tried making an appointment? I have been wondering if this actually works.

Will always work at a 13% level of output.

3:03
I think you nailed it! Tack on Fisher being a former Fed who has no business in State Government and you have it figured out.

The "trick" is to walk through the doors at the local DMV and take a ticket one hour before they CLOSE. You'd be amazed at how the process speeds up for those left in the building. Showing up early is counter productive. They don't give a shit how long you sit. As for the automated kiosk--- I tried it a couple years ago. It went as far as taking my picture then that was it. It never did finish the process. So I took a number and had a seat. Watched 2 more people try the kiosk. It didn't work for them either. Finally the third person I warned them good luck, but of course they tried it and failed also.

The damn kiosk was no more than 12 feet away from a female DMV "Greeter" sitting at a desk by the front door. I told her on my way out that they should let people coming in the door aware that the kiosk wasn't working, maybe put a sign on the thing. Her reply was "not my job". This was on 468 in Pearl.

12:43 shows his ignorance. You don’t have to show up in person. If your address has not changed you can get the new Real ID in 30 seconds online. Just order a replacement license for $11. It will have the Real ID star.

And if you don’t fly, you don’t even have to do that. Real ID is just for flying.

But keep typing dude.

12:50 shows his ignorance. If the Jackson DL office is bad, that falls on DPS leadership. Not Jackson. But don’t waste an opportunity to bash Jackson.

If Jackson DL station is understaffed, that’s Fisher or Bryant. Not Jackson.

@10:48 is the one who has figured it out. He hit the nail on the head. It's not a staffing issue. They don't need more people. It's a work ethic issue. They have the laziest people ever. It is terrible. I went to the one in Pearl across from the prison. I have never seen human beings move so slowly. It was terrible. Every employee in that office should have been fired. Every one.

" Vacancy rates among examiners increased from 20% to 30%.

A new computer system increased wait times for regular transactions such as driver license renewals 40-50%.

Simply put, the technology sucks. The application on the DSB website is obsolete and can't be accepted at field offices, forcing cutomers to fill out applications at the field office. Real ID requirements are not posted on the website.

Poorly trained staff don't provide accurate information about required documents to customers. "


The PEER committee is 100% correct.

As a retired State employee, I can honestly say this exact same schit exists in more than a few agencies.

The only difference is the other Agencies don't receive the same media publicity.

And yeah, when I started working for the State back in the 1980's, it was still a half way respectable career.

Now it's a joke.
The comments are correct.

It's virtually impossible to get rid of any lazy employee under the "State Personnel Board" Rules & Regs.

Like many, I started my career trying to do the best for this state.
At the end, I was so demoralized. . . I too was counting the days until I could retire.

I live in the Hattiesburg area. The service at the Turtle Creek mall is mostly good. Advice, don’t wait til your license expires to get one. And, get your license for 8 years instead of 4.
I’m usually critical of customer service, however this is not one. Thanks to all Troopers for the job you do!

"Thanks to all Troopers for the job you do!"

I agree.
But this is not about the State Troopers.

This is about SOME (but not all) civilian employees that have been conditioned to
scream racism about anything remotely related to an honest performance review.

Tate & Delbert have a great opportunity to eradicate this "culture" in State Government.

And yeah, it starts at the top with all current Agency Heads,

The primary problem lies in the Jackson area. And, no doubt, this lies at the feet of all of the previous governors, be they Republican or Democrat. They have all failed to improve a service that affects virtually all voters. What say you Tate? Can you fix this?

Why would there be an option for either 4 or 8 year license?

It's a fact that when people get real old, their visits to 'the doctor' become an opportunity for 'social outings'. They live for those visits. This may be similar to the attitude of most of the people I see sitting around in the DL waiting area. They got nothing else to do.

I have to get a STAR drivers license in order for airline travel.

This absolutely sucks.

But what do you expect when the state pays these workers $7.25 per hour?

Got my REAL ID-compliant DL a year or two ago, online. Doesn’t really bother me much either way, because I have a passport I can use to get on a plane, and I have to renew that every ten years regardless. I have to renew Global Entry every five years, and they could make me come in and interview again for that if they wanted, but it saves so much time if you travel even a little bit that it’s well worth the investment. Keep your belt, your coat, your shoes, don’t bother pulling all the electronics out, no naked scanner.... it’s like a time warp to 1990, with the added benefit that you go straight to the head of the line.

N642 - the eight-year renewal costs twice as much as a four-year. If you’re broke, the extra $20 might not be sitting around. I’m not now, but there sure were times in my life where that would have mattered.

Our State Troopers have the best rated trooper training school as anywhere in the country. They have done a great job in the past patrolling our roads. They have a strong SWAT team. However, I have to agree that the job done with licensing is atrocious and has been for a long time. Troopers are not good managers and administrators. They need to stay on the road and do what they are trained to do. Some have gotten lazy even on the road - I have seen personally troopers who avoid stopping a wreck less driver. I followed that trooper. He met with other troopers for BBQ. Didn’t want to be late for the party. We do not need troopers moving up the ranks into office or administrative jobs. They must have a bachelors degree and if they aspire to get into management they should have an MBA. Otherwise stay on the road and let qualified people run and manage the department. I’m still waiting for a full on investigation on the roadblock money. And yes, I agree, fisher is a joke and he and rest of the department need to get thrown out ASAP.

If your licence is current with NO gold star on it, you can request a DUPLICATE license online and receive one with the gold star in the right hand corner. Costs about 18 dollars. Got mine yesterday. You do not have to go down there unless you have moved since your last renewal.

"You can get a REAL ID at any time, but you will need to go to a DMV Office. You cannot get a REAL ID online, by phone, or through mail."

"Visit your state’s driver’s licensing agency website to find out exactly what documentation is required to obtain a REAL ID. At a minimum, you must provide documentation showing: 1) Full Legal Name; 2) Date of Birth; 3) Social Security Number; 4) Two Proofs of Address of Principal Residence; and 5) Lawful Status.

States may impose additional requirements, so check with your state’s driver’s licensing agency website, before visiting them IN PERSON, for additional guidance and assistance."

"Q: When will REAL ID be enforced?

The final enforcement deadline is October 1, 2020. By this date, not only must all states be issuing Real ID-compliant licenses or IDs, but individuals must also have VISITED their state’s driver’s licensing agency and obtained a REAL ID compliant card, or acceptable alternative such as a U.S. passport, if they wish to fly on commercial aircrafts or access federal facilities."

Hey, 5:06, what does IN PERSON and VISIT mean?? Oh, yeah, in person.

Now, since you drive a tractor and have never ridden in one of them new fangled aeroplanes, you can keep your non REAL ID license or bring your passport to fly.

Till you show up at the Federal building spewing tobacco spittle about "Where's mah check?" Good luck, hero. They will explain "ignorance" to you, too, as you do not get to go in, or fly.

Go to the DPS website. Order a duplicate license. It’s $11. If you have not moved you don’t have to go in person. The replacement they mail you will have the Real ID star and you are good to go.

I once was waiting to be called at a DMV office. While sitting there I notice one clerk's position was closed. Then she returned from lunch a couple of minutes early.

Did she open her booth a couple of minutes early? Nope. For 3-4 minutes she shuffled her pens, pencils, stapler, etc. around on the counter to kill time, all the while checking the time.

However, when we went to Kosciusko last year, we arrived during lunchtime so we went to lunch and returned about 10 minutes before 1:00 PM. Those two sweet ladies opened early, as it is posted that they are closed from 12:00-1:00.

Love reading the comments from the sidewalk operation experts.

Me thinks most of them couldn't operate Snow Cone Shack with any better results.

DPS only screens LEO candidates for troopers. Other employees come thru the state HR office which is full of former City of Jackson HR type employees. They have no idea what qualifications are required by state agencies even though they're spelled out on the paperwork for the open position.

I once submitted a vacancy with specific LEO or Military requirement skills needed to fill job......one of the applicants had only worked in a dress shop for 7 yrs after college(so much for the value of that degree), the rest were custodians at other agencies. The rest left work experience blank.

Lemme just throw this here querstshun in the mix: Have you ever seen a skinny woman at a license counter calling out numbers and frowning?

6:13, nice try, but there is no such thing as a 'state HR office'.

Untested leadership to run such an intricate part of our states motoring safety. Ones in charge to hire who they want for just having a beautiful ass in a church dress. Or to shut her mouth because she is baby mama. State job with benefits and your sleeping with the boss or other troopers. Therefore you know you don’t have to do your job because you are protected. Coming to work and doing your job is not what you were hired to do. Your hired to keep quiet and not say a word. Please help Tate. Run these people to the hills. Don’t allow this to continue under your watch. It’s ruined. Think that’s bad. Look at MDOC and other entities.

Thank you men who at the top. Chris Gillard Kenny Brown and don’t forget. Yes, you guessed it. Marshall Fisher himself. Has left a trail of ruins from every place he has been. Ask DOC!

MHP, the best trooper training in the USA Blah, blah, blah....the only thing they are interested in is another budget allocation from the legislature. Paying back money to the federal government due to non compliance with grant requirements and constant publicity that is less than flattering, this agency is more "Barney Fife" than "Super Cop".
An no, I haven't had a ticket in years! MHP...legends in their own minds! Ha!

Billy Jack; I'm afraid you don't know Jack.

MHP is run by cowards.

Billy Jack and I apparently have both done what some poster is consumed with saying you can’t do. I got mine. It’s easy. $11 and it shows up in a week.