No Rhyme or Reason

[The_Vigilante]

It has become obvious to me and I am sure to all of you waiting here that there is no rhyme or reason to the method used by the DPS to process our applications. Some people are waiting over 100 days and others getting their licenses in short time-no wonder tempers and patience are short. I think the DPS needs to be held accountable for the haphazard method they are using to process our applications and I urge everyone in "The Waiting Room" to write (or email) their State Reps, State Senators, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, and Governor Rick Perry outlining the apparent disorganization. I realize the DPS may be backlogged but that is no excuse for the disorganized methods they are employing. There is no reason it should be taking 4-5 or even 6 months to receive one's license!!!

[HerbM]

While I agree you may wish to read the threads where contacting representatives and complaining about late DPS processing are discussed. Quite a few issues have been beaten pretty thoroughly.

[Liko81]

Everybody who is commonly assumed to be able to do something about this problem is VERY aware of it already. However, other than the temp worker bandaid already applied, nobody can do anything more to relieve the backlog until the next budget comes up for review. This is a State agency; they cannot spend more than their budget (though they are at the moment), and their budget cannot be recalculated on a whim.

The "haphazard" method being employed is more often than not a direct result of complaining to the state senator. The senator then leans on office management to get the guy's application processed, regardless of where it is in the stack. Not only does that push other people's apps even further back, it wastes more time as they have to look through the stack till they find a specific app rather than taking the next one off the top of the pile.

[The_Vigilante]

Before the State Senators and State reps got involved there were still cases of "someone getting lucky" and getting their license in short time as compared to those who have been waiting "forever." I agree that contacting your state rep/senator might be a part of the problem but only a small part. It just doesn't appear to me they are very organized up there in Austin.

[KC5AV]

I wonder if the 'lucky' folks (even some, not all) are lucky because their background checks come back faster, or if there really is no method to the madness.

[Commander Cody]

I believe there is no method to their madness. I hit a speed bump with the background check. It took at least a week to straighten that mess out. I still received my plastic in the mail in less than 60 days. My son on the other hand did everything I did and with no problems received his plastic in about 100 days.

[wrinkles]

I wonder if the 'lucky' folks (even some, not all) are lucky because their background checks come back faster, or if there really is no method to the madness.

I don't believe so, because I'm at 95 days no PIN, at 79 days I was told my application information had not been entered into the system yet.

[rob02262008]

It has become obvious to me and I am sure to all of you waiting here that there is no rhyme or reason to the method used by the DPS to process our applications. Some people are waiting over 100 days and others getting their licenses in short time-no wonder tempers and patience are short. I think the DPS needs to be held accountable for the haphazard method they are using to process our applications and I urge everyone in "The Waiting Room" to write (or email) their State Reps, State Senators, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, and Governor Rick Perry outlining the apparent disorganization. I realize the DPS may be backlogged but that is no excuse for the disorganized methods they are employing. There is no reason it should be taking 4-5 or even 6 months to receive one's license!!!

Sit down, get comfy, and be patient. It'll come. It's a numbers thing, twice as many applicants as last year. Kick yourself for not doing it earlier, I was reading late last year the waits were much less. A few have mentioned and I believe because of the election people are jumping in.

Good Luck,
Rob

[Rub N Smoke]

Heres an idea. When DPS gets an application that application needs to have PIN # assigned to it IMMEDIATLY. Even if the only thing a person sees when they check on the internet and use their PIN is "Not in the System yet" it would likely cut down on ALOT of the calls. At that point someone (I.E. Applicant) could feel as if they had a small GLIMSE of what was happening with their application, even if it is NOTHING. I also think that if DPS was actually doing what they say, they wouldn't be so far behind. Lets do the math, 40% more applications that normally took 60 days, without getting out the calculator and figuring out exact numbers, that tells me it should take 40% more time to do the applications, so thats approx., 82- 83 days. Some of us are already at 80 days without a PIN. Thats why I called Gov. Perry and Senator Van Arsdale. If some pressure can be put on the DPS people maybe it'll help ALL OF US in the long run. Some of our Brothers and Sisters who didn't call or E-Mail their Reps., are sitting on well over 100 days and then they get "Your Prints have been rejected" some 2-3 times. This too is not acceptable but the reason it has happened is DPS is not being held accountable, the only way to hold them responsible for their inadequacies is to call a Rep., or the GOV. thats why they were elected, for the public to depend on when they need them.

[LarryH]

Lets do the math, 40% more applications that normally took 60 days, without getting out the calculator and figuring out exact numbers, that tells me it should take 40% more time to do the applications, so thats approx., 82- 83 days.

No, your assumptions are not correct. It's not a linear relationship. I've already posted elsewhere how quickly the backlog grows with a 40% increase in the rate of applications.

[bayouhazard]

I love practical applications of queueing theory.