Processed

Every four years Pennsylvania sends an invitation for drivers to renew their driver's licenses. In our town there is a PennDOT Photo License Center that is open every Thursday and Saturday 8:30am to 4:15pm. The renewal forms are first completed with a check or money order enclosed and returned to PennDOT.  Photo license camera card paperwork is received by the applicants in the mail. We then take the form, appropriate identification and ourselves to this center. PennDOT uses state-of-the art facial recognition technology when an individual has their photo taken for this renewal.

Now with the flu virus being so prevalent, I debated whether or not to put myself in this public facility when I knew it would be a crowded and busy place. I decided to go.

When I arrived at 9:30am the place was packed. The first thing I did was to pull a numbered ticket from a dispenser and look around. A very nice young man indicated that he was willing to give up his seat (one of about 15) for me to sit instead of standing in the line. My ticket number was 79. They just had called number 68. To me that meant there were ten more people ahead of me. When my number was finally called it was 10:00am. I turned in my old license and signed the form from the mail, sat down and waited more. At 10:15 am I was called forth to the photo area. I had to give my birthdate and current address.  It took the lady three tries to be satisfied with my picture and then I had to answer several questions on a board by punching a number on a keypad. It caused a chuckle in the crowd when I asked her if I broke her camera. Tensions were released a little. I then sat down and waited until 10:30 when I was called forward to receive my new four year license.

Now, this is how I figure out the processing of driver licensing renewals here. It took 60 minutes to process 10 people. That is six minutes per person and who wouldn't mind a six minute process? Well my suggestion is to open the facility more than two days because I had to wait for an hour. That's my call, but not the state's!

Another thing, overcrowding in a small area when the flu virus is rampart is BAD! I was happy to hit the hand sanitizer when I went back to the car. I figure I had touched a door handle, a table top, a pen, a key pad and a chair. Sure hope I didn't breathe!

I now have my new Pennsylvania DIGITIZED driver's license!