Calling the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration is a straightforward process, although the assistance I received was a little less than enthusiastic. When I called, I was immediately given confirmation that I'd reached the Maryland MVA and told to select from several options.

I chose the option for speaking to a customer service representative, and after a brief wait, I was connected to a representative. She asked how she could assist me, and I told her that I'd be moving to Maryland shortly and wanted to know how long I had after my move to get my new license. She said I'd need to get a Maryland license within 60 days of moving.

I asked what documentation I would need to get a Maryland license, and she asked whether I had a regular or commercial out-of-state license. I told her I carried a standard license, and she said that I'd have to surrender my valid out-of-state license and bring in my birth certificate and two forms of proof of my Maryland residence. She then noted with a degree of resignation in her voice that all of that information was available on the Maryland MVA's website. 

I then asked her what kind of fees I'd need to pay, and she said the cost for a new Maryland license was $72. I told her that all of my questions were answered and thanked her for her time, and she quickly responded and immediately hung up. 

While the information I received was good and helpful, the manner I received it made me feel a little less than valued as a customer. It felt like the representative was trying to hurry me off the phone and get me through as quickly as possible, and she gave the sense that my call was a waste of her time. Although I can understand that, as well as the desire to move people toward the website, the reality is that not everyone likes using the internet. Some people prefer a real human voice, and they'd rather not deal with a machine.

If the Maryland MVA wants to push its website, it can do so in a more friendly manner, or it can have its automated system recommend going to the website to cut down on wait times. Plenty of states do something like that, and it doesn't affect the mood of the call. Having the representative comment that the information was available online in the way she did made it feel like my call was unwelcome. When someone calls to get information, that's not the image you want to project.

Overall, I thought the information outweighed the atmosphere of the interaction. If I did need assistance from the Maryland MVA, I would use this number for help, but I'd hope for a more friendly customer service representative.