We went down to the Rt. 30 Post Office to get a passport for our son.  It was not the best of experiences.

There was a poster with information about which forms to use, but no one manning the passport counter.   A gentleman in the line mentioned to the person behind him that he was going to step out of line to go ask where to go to get a passport.

He was told to just get in the line.  It evolved that if you wanted a passport, or passport photo, you had to get in the regular line and get processed and pay, then the clerk would come out and take the photo.  This meant leaving one of the windows empty, to the frustration of those who needed regular service.  And there were only two clerks on duty at the time, although a third dropped in.

It also meant a lot of extra questioning as the signage wasn’t there to explain the process.   Some of the clerks’ tones were a touch impatient, but customers can’t read minds, and getting a passport is an infrequent task.

There has to be a better way.