It is 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning, and customers are already waiting outside for the Prineville DMV office to open.
Three smiling faces greet customers, always ready for the day’s challenges—and the favorite part of their job-which is customer relations.
These three ladies work in a very busy office—and they recently added one more staff person to keep up with the demand. Jessica Brinkley, Kim Duncan, and Mistie Gibbs serve customers Monday through Friday. Contrary to local misconceptions, the office is fully staffed all week. Only on rare occasions will customers find a sign on the door—due to illness or extenuating circumstances. On such occasions, rumors circulate quickly.
“The rumors spread that we are shutting down permanently. It is constant, like a daily thing. We are growing, we are not going to be shutting down,” clarified Duncan.
Duncan indicated that Prineville also gets customers from other areas, including Redmond, Bend, and Madras.
“We get a lot of Bend customers, and we get a lot of Redmond customers,” she added.
Mondays and Fridays are the busiest days in the Prineville office. Summertime is also the busiest season because Prineville is a destination area for recreation.
“The numbers were so high for our two-person office, that they decided that we did need that third person, so we were lucky enough to get Mistie over here,” said Duncan. “We all three live in Prineville, which makes it nice because we are all close by. Mistie has been a blessing to add to our team, and we all mesh really well together.”
She emphasized that working so closely all day long, it is important to have personalities mesh together.
Mistie has been in customer service her entire career and began her employment with DMV in October 2024.
Before Gibbs came to the Prineville office, Brinkley and Duncan would see 150-175 customers per day, and with Gibbs on board, that workload is spread between three of them.
“Now that Mistie is here, it has helped relieve some of that,” said Brinkley.
Gibbs came from Redmond before joining Prineville staff last month.
“Redmond office is a busier town. You have a lot more (of the) customer base that is expecting a no-wait time, because they are in Redmond and its busy and its big, and they come in with the misconception that it is going to be in and out,” said Gibbs of the difference in the two offices.
She said she has observed Prineville customers seem a little more laid back, with a different customer attitude.
“It is a lot easier to handle when customers are understanding that we are busy and we are trying,” she added.
Brinkley has always loved the customer service aspect of her jobs—whether it was her first job as a barista, or her current position at Oregon DMV, she’s always found fulfillment in helping others.
“I have always done customer service, and I love it actually,” said Brinkley. “I joined the Prineville Field Office in June 2023, and it’s been a rewarding experience ever since.”
Together with her coworkers Kim Duncan and Mistie Gibbs, they manage a steady stream of customers per day.
“Even though it’s a lot of people, we’ve got it down to a science. We work together like a well-oiled machine,” she added.
For Brinkley, the variety of people and situations is what keeps the job interesting. Whether it’s helping someone get their driver’s license back after years without it or guiding a nervous 16-year-old through the process of getting their first license, there’s always something new.
“One experience that really stood out for me was helping a customer title a car that would allow them to drive to chemotherapy treatments,” explained Brinkley. “It was one of those moments that really hits you emotionally and reminds you how much of a difference you can make in someone’s life.”
At the Prineville DMV, Brinkley, Duncan, and Gibbs take care of everything, from photos and plates to disabled parking placards and hardship permits. They also do drive tests on Tuesday mornings before the office opens, just to keep up with the demand.
The tone of the office is very important.
“A lot of times, the biggest challenge for us is when people come in and they get very upset, or they are already upset before they walk in the door. Many times, we have been able to turn that around and end up with an apology,” clarified Duncan.
A sign in their office, posted for customers, reads, “We are here to help you, please do not be disrespect to our staff.”
Duncan said that they do not get disrespectful customers very often, and she believes Prineville customers are the best customers. She has worked in Bend, Redmond, Madras, and Prineville DMV. She has been with DMV for almost six years.
“What drew me to the DMV, was, I enjoy the customer interaction,” emphasized Duncan. “Some people don’t enjoy that aspect of it. It’s very challenging at times. That is kind of the person that I am—I like the challenge of it—I like to be able to take a scenario where somebody feels like ‘there is no way I am going to able to get this done,’ and to be able to reassure them that there is a way to get this done.”
She added that she likes to give them a path to follow, and it is not overwhelming if they take it one step at a time.
“We can get there. Just that little encouragement,” she went on to say.
She emphasized that customer service is a huge part of their job.
“If your personality is you don’t like to deal with people, this is not the job for you.”
She said that there is a preconceived notion of DMV, which isn’t always good. She likes to think that Prineville is changing that view at DMV.
“We get them in, we get them out, and we get them what they need. Nine times out of ten, they leave here happy,” Duncan said proudly.
This crew of three women like to have friendly banter between them, and with their customers, and like to lighten up the atmosphere.
“We even have the customers joining in sometimes and getting a good laugh. If you are going to be here, let’s make the best of it,” Duncan said with a smile.
Real ID, and what to know
A REAL ID is a state-issued driver’s license, instruction permit or identification card that meets federal security standards set by the REAL ID Act of 2005 to increase the integrity and security of the credentials, according to the official DMV website.
It added that starting May 7, 2025, the federal government required every person 18 years and older to present a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver’s license, instruction permit or identification card, or another acceptable form of identification — like any government-issued passport, a U.S. passport card or military ID — to board a flight within the U.S. and to access certain federal facilities, such as military bases or nuclear plants.
Like other DMV offices, Prineville was busy as the deadline approached.
“It went really well, and we were very busy. We had about an hour wait time right before the deadline,” reflected Brinkley.
She added that there was the misconception that you had to have it, which is only true if you are flying or entering a federal building. She said that they are currently slowing down on issuing Real ID. Brinkly added that if a customer is flying, they are encouraged to check with TSA (Transportation Security Administration) to find out what the requirements are. They need to allow approximately one month before traveling to come in and get the Real ID, because it takes 10-20 business days to get the hard plastic in the mail, and the temporary that they get doesn’t reflect their Real ID.
“It’s confusing for a lot of people, because they come in with questions and they don’t understand it. They leave (knowing) what documents they need to bring in, and what they need to get it,” she concluded.
In the end, these three women indicated that working at the DMV isn’t always glamorous, but it’s always rewarding. Whether it’s a teen getting their first license or someone dealing with a complicated issue, Brinkley, Duncan, and Gibbs say it feels good to know they’ve made that person’s day a little bit easier. There’s a lot of pressure, but there’s also a lot of satisfaction in helping people through the process – one customer at a time.
“Working in a three-person office means multitasking is key. Many customers come in feeling overwhelmed, unsure of what they need to do, and sometimes even a little defensive. But when they leave with a smile, thanking us for making the process easier than they expected, it makes all the hard work worth it,” concluded Brinkley.
Hours
The Prineville DMV is located at 1595 E Third Street, Suite A-4,
It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday.
The office is closed daily from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for a midday break. Stop by and say hello to Brinkley, Duncan, and Gibbs the next time you need to visit the Prineville DMV.
