Smile! You’re at the new, improved DMV!

Many users say the agency’s push to improve its service is working

Under siege for more than a year due to the REAL ID crush, the DMV has spent millions to ease incredibly long lines, pushed out its director and extended office hours, and it plans to hire hundreds more workers.

But just as vital, perhaps, have been new training classes for employees that encourage them to be friendlier and smile more.

“Let’s admit it, nobody enjoys going to the DMV because of their rude employees with horrible customer service and super long lines,” said Stacie Thomas of Fremont.

It’s tough to show a happy demeanor when lines can be six hours long, leaving motorists surly and workers overwhelmed and stressed.

But times are changing and customers are quick to note a change in attitude.

• “The ladies who helped me were very nice and injected plenty of humor into the process,” said Marty Feldman of Los Gatos.

• “There were some extremely helpful workers available when I had a question,” said V. Flan of Concord.

• “My DMV agent was friendly, affable, and we had a great chat about living in Santa Cruz County,” said Greg Richtarek.

• “Everyone was pleasant and courteous,” said Jean Nix after a visit to the Santa Clara DMV. “Very nice surprise.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget called for an extra $163 million for the DMV. And $10 million was set aside to launch an aggressive marketing campaign, redesign the agency’s website and respond to customer complaints.

“The DMV is committed to providing the best customer service possible and as part of that commitment, provides customer service training to staff,” said spokesman Jaime Garza. “The focus of the training is to ensure our customers are welcomed, we demonstrate that our customers are important, ensure our customers are understood, and to take ownership and work together to resolve our customers’ issues and needs.”

The agency has 18 training classes planned before Labor

Day. They began in May and resume July 24. Wait times dropped to 49 minutes in May, down from hours last year.

And 69 field offices are now open an hour earlier at 7 a.m., except Wednesdays, and 62 offices are open Saturdays. The additional days and hours are designed to assist the anticipated influx of REAL ID driver license and identification card applicants as well as the expected summer surge in customers.

The DMV will add 200 more self-service kiosks by

the end of the year and allow the machines to process additional types of transactions. DMV offices will accept credit cards by the end of the year, following Newsom’s demand for them to do so.

But there remain unhappy folks — and with good cause.

An office worker hung up on Susan Sullivan of Pleasanton, who was trying to get a refund on her registration renewal in the mail. After being on hold for 40 minutes, Sullivan told the worker that she might “complain to her state rep. The DMV worker said something to the effect of, ‘You do that, I’m through helping you,’ and hung up. Maddening.”

Marian Stevens of Fremont burned a vacation day to make an appointment in Capitola, only to discover that the DMV’s camera to take her license photo was not working. She scrambled over to the DMV office in Watsonville, where she had been promised she would get priority. Her wait was four hours.

“I was treated like dirt on the bottom of a shoe. They made me wait just like everyone even though all I needed to do was get my photo taken,” she said. “I was in tears by the end of the experience. I was ready to blow a gasket. I was seriously ready to cry.

“I don’t know the last time I felt so frustrated.”

Appointments can take months, often at sites many miles from one’s home and weeks after their renewal deadline.

But Thomas, the Fremont woman who had run into too many grumpy office workers, on a tip from friends decided to drive to the Senter Road office in San Jose. Hoping for the best to renew her license, she came away impressed.

“From the moment I walked through the doors to every single employee that helped me, wow,” she said. “They all greeted me with a smile.” Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat at noon Wednesday at mercurynews. com/live-chats. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/ mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@ bayareanewsgroup. com, grichards@ bayareanewsgroup.com, 408-920-5037 or 408-9205335.