The driving license facilities in Texas are getting a brand new appointment system to scale back ready instances

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Security is set to unveil a new appointment system in driver license centers next year to cut the hour-long waits that politicians and local residents have denounced for years.

Officials told the Dallas Morning News that the new system, which could be rolled out as early as next spring, would allow people to book an appointment up to six months in advance.

“You are free to see the office of your choice and everyone around you,” said Amanda Arriaga, director of the driver’s license department. “We hope that this will give you more flexibility.”

The department currently has a “queuing system” that employees can use to check if offices are available for the current day. However, the queue closes every day when the office is full. Many Texans say that capacity is often filled within hours of an office opening, resulting in people coming into the office to stand in long lines anyway.

Officials say the new appointment system will allow Texans to plan visits in advance. It is intended to shorten waiting times, as the employees in the centers can estimate how much time the specified transaction of a driver will take and plan accordingly.

“We want you to think about it because maybe 3:15 pm next Tuesday will be better for you than gambling today,” said Arriaga.

The system also enables some people to wait in the centers for “standby” if someone does not show up for an appointment. If there are no vacancies, these people can make an appointment for another day instead of waiting hours in the center.

The department is in the process of adding staff and capacity to reduce long waiting times in the driver’s license centers. Around $ 200 million in legislative funding was raised in early September, and the department has hired more than 500 people to fill vacancies at the centers.

The department hopes to add more employees by the end of the year and is currently conducting a study to determine whether responsibility for the driver’s license will remain with DPS or be transferred to the motor vehicle department.