Because they have to spend 8 or more hours at the DMV

We don't have a DMV here. That function was privatised and the result was amazing. One guarantees no more than a 5 minute wait on a walk in basis. The staff is very friendly and I always have a pleasant if brief chat as they process my DL or registration etc.

When I lived in New York, the DMV workers were always grouchy.

But here in Minnesota, I have generally had pleasant interactions with them, even joking around with them

Once, when I went there shortly after a previous visit, I got the same woman, who had a picture of her dog on the wall. She absolutely melted when I remembered the dog's name!

In my state is is privatized so the workers actually treat people like they are human beings.

Before though yeah, they were pretty awful.

I guess since it is civilian owned, the workers worry about losing their jobs if they treat customers like livestock.

Their misery most likely stems from being overworked dealing with the public.
Also most likely not enough staff.
Maybe working unpaid overtime, through last clients still being processed after closing time.

Well, I would like to know how you treated them? Perhaps your expectations were unreasonable? Maybe they were just having a terrible day.

What did you wait in line for?

That's crazy

Oh boy. You have no IDEA what they deal with day in and day out. Let me guess, you were trying to get your Real ID?

If I had their job I would feel the same way

Aybe they are miserable because they are working within a miserable system

In Nevada in 1999 they installed a new computer program they insisted would streamline the agency, instead it became a nightmare where a simple renewal would take an entire day for reasons unexplained.