I could not disagree with you more on the items I highlighted.infoman wrote:I agree with the above post. Also, the $140 (or any other TLC related fees) does not go back solely to fund the program. The money goes to a general centralized DPS fund. You're paying trooper's salaries, DL offices, motor carrier, Private security, on and on and on...
Also, when people call their reps, Governor office, etc.- all they do is file a legislative action sheet to DPS for that individual person & DPS turns the office inside out & expedites that one person to respond to the action sheet. This makes the individual happy, but solves nothing for the whole.
DPS is on a very strict budget, it's regulated by the legislature. They can't just go "hire" 20 people whenever they want to. Every single year they get behind from Thanksgiving until Spring. This year was extra bad in that you had open carry, campus carry, instructor renewals, on top of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc. And when do you think most state employees take use vacation/comp time? A: Nov-Jan
I advise people to tell their reps, Gov's office, etc to budget DPS better & be better prepared for big peak seasons like the one we're in now. Tell them too that DPS needs a more user friendly website & needs better training to their instructors. If anyone simply complains only about their individual application, nothing will get fixed. DPS needs to improve their website, emails reply's, confusing checklists, etc. & btw the phone clerks have zero power & don't even process apps, being rude to them gets you nowhere.
The more those reps get called, the more it raises awareness there is a problem. Not only with the legiscritters, but also with DPS. Do you really think DPS likes the reps poking their noses into DPS business? Every time someone who is over 60 days calls, it is a very real and demonstrable complaint. Instead of empty hot air, it is a traceable incident. The more there are, the better the chances are of getting it fixed.