Momof3, I don't know if coaxing someone who can't see into passing the vision test is all that great for the Dept. of PUBLIC SAFETY. LOL

I've never had a bad experience in Victoria, unless you count someone in the parking lot dinging up my PU door quite a bit.
It's all a matter of picking a time that is less congested. If you can do that, you can get in and out pretty quickly.

When I lived in San Antonio, going to those offices was a nightmare. I have never had any problems with anyone in the Victoria office. They have been very nice when I have renewed and also gone with kids to get their licenses.

All you people commenting about the ladies at DPS are somewhat wrong. I have had the misfortune of having to do business in the office and witnessed a much nicer environment. I was waiting in line (believe me 30 minutes of waiting is nothing compared to waiting in Houston, Dallas, Austin, etc.) and one of the ladies was waiting on a middle age woman who couldn't pass her vision exam. The employee was extremely patient, kind and understanding. She kept telling her "You almost got it, you can do it", after awhile the lady finally passed her vision, and thanked the employee for being so nice. Surely there have been people out there with good experiences. I was waited on promptly and efficiently. I overheard a man in line saying the Victoria office also waits on people from bigger cities. Its easier to renew online but no everyone can do it. Anyone else have a decent experience at DPS?

Jeff, that's probably the best thing, doing it online. I wonder if this letter will affect their future service.

I read this letter in the newspaper so I came here to comment about that certain lady who has been there for years, but a few people have seemingly beat me to the punch. I'm sure we're talking about the same person, but she was surprisingly pleasant to me one time about 20 yrs ago. I was about the 5th person in a line of about 10. I was in my early 20s, and I was wearing a Hank Williams, Jr concert teeshirt. As she was working, she looked up, glanced at me, and asked with a smile, "Have you been to his concert?". I was initially clueless at what she meant until she nodded towards my shirt. I shyly answered, "yes ma'am". I have no idea why she singled me out to be nice to, but I appreciated it coz I had witnessed her being not-so-polite to others in the past.

Granted, it can be difficult dealing wtih customers who are rude and inconsiderate, but it seems this lady's MO has been witnessed by many.

When I renewed my license several months ago the two women behind the counter were much more focused on telling people they couldn't talk on their cell phones than they were on helping the customers. I agree 100% that someone should not be on the phone when they are at the counter but the people 10 or 12 back in line were not be loud, rude or disruptive.

I waited for about 10 minutes (didn't move up even one space in line), left and renewed online. I think it cost an extra $1 or $2 but it was well worth it.

I guess over my lifetime I have been in that office 8 or 10 times and the clerks are consistantly just as described in the other posts. Somewhere over the last 200 years we have lost the truth that government (and all the associated agencies) work for the people, not the other way around.

What? Government workers were rude to someone? Say it ain't so!

The entire process is pretty bad. I went through the nightmare of waiting in line and being told I didn't have the right paperwork. Drove home called the company that puts the drivers programs together and they said you have everything you need, go back to DPS and call us from there. Wait in line again, get to lady again and be told no, you dont have the right stuff. I begged her to call them and she did. Yes, miraculously everything was cleared up.

Believe it or not the service has improved over the old bat from years back. Yes, it's much much better now.

When you are the only game in town, you pretty much get to treat people like crap year after year after year and nothing is ever done about it. We want our licenses, they control them and if we complain, they know they can make it as painful for us as they want.

I've had rude experiences myself I'm so happy we can renew online!!

I have also had the pleasure of being treated like they are doing me a favor...I think they need to be reminded who pays their salary.

SAD that this is on going! I agree with you 100%

I rememer several(a lot)years ago there was one particularl woman who worked there that was really not very nice to customers. It was as though we were really ruining her day by having the gall to want to renew a license or even worse,apply for one the first time. Sounds like her On-the-Job Training Program for new employees paid off! Only good thing is that licenses are good for a longer period of time that in the past.
Patrick Barnes
P.S. Never though about going out of town for the renewal. Great tip.

This seems to be the gold standard for customer service all over town.

Years ago there were 2 older ladies with big hair that worked at the DPS office. They were very rude ol' bats. I see nothing has changed except the faces.

Port Lavaca was awesome then last 3 times I went there.

I was at this office the other day and the line was also very long. A young man about half way up the line said he had been there for 1 1/2 hours. I bailed out and went to the Sinton office the next day. The lady there was very nice and my wait was about 20 minutes as there were three persons ahead of me.