January Applicants

[blackdog8200]

For all of you Harris County applicants, a little bird told me that a big stack of applications (the pile mine was in) just got dropped off at the Houston office Monday of this week! (mine was in Austin January 15th)

I am not exactly sure of where thay have been up until now but, Austin, in a bag, on the floor would be a good guess. They might do some preliminary stuff on the apps. there then send to Harris for the background check (i'm guessing).

Anyway, from the total "Obama effect" I think they are overwhelmed but things are moving slowly but still moving. I bet on having plastic around April 15th back when I sent it in.....I see some January guys are getting theirs now so its not too bad all over. It looks like April 15th might not be too off the mark.

Until then, "keep your powder dry."

[IzzI]

Took class jan 3 ,mailed packet jan 20 ish.
March 27th in mail,license active.
Yea

[Muhr]

Application mailed 1/7 (assumed delivery on 1/9)
Application processing 2/5

77 days or,
110,880 minutes or,
1848 hours or,
11 weeks later

Application Completed - license issued or certificate active

[Rovin_htx]

For all of you Harris County applicants, a little bird told me that a big stack of applications (the pile mine was in) just got dropped off at the Houston office Monday of this week! (mine was in Austin January 15th)

I am not exactly sure of where thay have been up until now but, Austin, in a bag, on the floor would be a good guess. They might do some preliminary stuff on the apps. there then send to Harris for the background check (i'm guessing).

Anyway, from the total "Obama effect" I think they are overwhelmed but things are moving slowly but still moving. I bet on having plastic around April 15th back when I sent it in.....I see some January guys are getting theirs now so its not too bad all over. It looks like April 15th might not be too off the mark.

Until then, "keep your powder dry."

I wonder what reciept date the pile of apps is thru. I was conceieved in March and dont expect to be birthed until July or so but it would be waay cool if some of the apps received in March made their way with this pile too!

[shh83]

hey guys, i just registered and decided to sign up after i have been reading this forum for several weeks now. great information, wish i would have found this a long time ago!!

just for everyone's information, i just wanted to share that i called dps last wednesday, day 60 for me (dps received jan 25), and the lady (who was very nice) told me they are behind on background checks about 6 business days.

after reading this forum, i have been scared to death i was going to get it sent back to me for picture/fingerprints/etc. She said everything looked great on my application and they were only waiting on the background check.

I am sorry if this is information that everyone is already aware of. hello to all again

Scott

[bkblaw84]

No, thanks for the information. I think it is interesting how some agents are much more willing to disclose information, and others are just trying to get you off the phone. If they would be more forthcoming as to what is going on, there would probably be less calls.

[steve_stock]

This is the email response that I got from the email that I sent (posted on page 9) to my State Representative Debbie Riddle.

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Dear Mr. Stock,

Thank you so much for the e-mail. You're right, this is a very, very common complaint that has been made much worse since Hurricane Ike. Here's my understanding of the problem in a nutshell.

Harris County only has one trooper who processes CHLs. Like driver's licenses and other items in DPS, it is not something that is currently allowed to operate as a civilian system. A trooper, who honestly should not be chained to a desk and should be doing public safety work, has to be put in charge of processing, and DPS honestly can't spare more than one off the beat to take care of the backlog. When Ike hit, that trooper was forced back into the field, and the backlog got worse.

In the end, two things would make the problem better. First, the legislature could allow DPS to adopt a civilian model for processing things like Driver's Licenses and CHLs, so that civilians and not officers are handling the paper work, and secondly, it would require increased funding.

As the chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Rep. Riddle just this week completed a round of recommendations and funding that would do the following:

1) Appropriates nearly $80 million to DPS to restructure the driver's license division and information technology architecture throughout the department to improve efficiency and

2) Appropriated $20 million for the purchase of 450 additional vehicles for DPS, which makes the entire department vastly more efficient and decreases need for overtime and reduces turnover.

We are also currently considering DPS payraises, which will help decrease turnover.

Now, because of the tight economic situation, we were not able to fund specific strategies that benefitted CHL programs and only CHL programs, because we had to consider the largest bang-for-the-buck available. However, by increasing the efficiency of the entire department, limiting turnover, helping DPS recruitment new troopers, adopting mainstream business practices, and employing civilians to do paperwork jobs, the theory is the CHL divisions will also become more efficient because DPS will be able to focus more of the freed-up resources towards neglected areas like CHLs.

In the meantime, I'll copy in our district director, Gail Gallien, and see if our staff might be able to inquire about the status of your application for you and see if anything can happen to speed it along. It's an issue that's very important to us, and something we will watch closely in the interim if the efficiency does not improve.

Sincerely,

Jon English

Chief of Staff
State Representative Debbie Riddle
phone: (512)-463-0572
fax: (512-463-1908
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
jon.english@house.state.tx.us

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If you read between the lines, this is a polite way of telling me to get lost. In the same email, this guy has the nerve to tell me that due to tough economic times no programs that directly benefit the CHL can be funded however they will be requesting spending of over 100 MILLION dollars towards the DPS for everything else. In my response back to him, I told him that I appreciated his informative response and posed a situation to him. Say that I received a speeding ticket from the DPS and failed to pay the ticket, take defensive driving and submit paperwork or show up in court on the appointed date. Would the DPS listen intently to my excuses and be so understanding? NO, they would issue a warrant for my arrest. So I went further to tell him that while I understand the delay, it isn't excused and nothing in his email changes the fact that right now the DPS CHL issuing department is breaking the law and I am getting nothing but excuses telling me why it is ok for them to do so.

[shh83]

At first I did not notice that you posted anything but the actual letter that was sent back to you. I did not seet that you had responded to that letter. With that in mind, I thought the exact same thing you did.

I am sure you REALLY care about all of thsoe facts and numbers!! Why do they not understand that nothing matters to any of us except that we have the plastic. I do not feel bad for anyone about the backlog of applications or how bad the economy is. We ALL paid our $140.00 for this service, with the backlog they are talking about, they should be rich from all the applications they have.

Day 64 myself, I guess I am going to make another phone call now and every day until my application is complete.

Scott

[JimBob]

Anyone know where the money goes for our renewals and applications?

that is 140 + 70 every 4-5 years from 300K people.

Heck if you calculate the lowest numbers possible of 315K people just renewing every 5 years that is 4 million a year and they only employ one guy for the most populous county in the state?

Seriously where is our cash going?

[smittyM&P9c]

Hello all..

New guy, just wanted to say thanks for all the contributors to this site... It's been especially helpful in more ways than one. I decided it was time to quit lurking and get involved with this community.

I sent in my paperwork on January 5, received my PIN on Feb 4 and just received the plastic last week! It was a long wait... Sure is nice to be done!!!

[oldguy]

Renewal mailed in Jan 20, 09, as of today 3/31/09 no license, called DPS and emailed, each time being processed, 70 days,
what gives.??

What can be done on a renewal,I've been checked and rechecked throughout my life, secret clearance in military, finger
printed numerous times,etc, etc. Basically in this day and age you can google most folks and clear or reject them.

[shh83]

Well....
Called today. Like I said before, I am going to call every day until I get the plastic.

I heard the best news yet!

They said they are literally are waiting on a "tech" to make the actual license and mail it out. I said that was great and mentioned that I might even get it by the end of the week. She said she would estimate about 3 weeks for me to have the plastic....3 WEEKS....are you kidding me!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, they said they were behind on background checks. I received confirmation today that my background check is in fact DONE. NOW, I have to wait 3 weeks for someone to hit "print". I guess I should be happy it has at least made it this far and there is a light at the end of the 3 week tunnel!

Scott

[Muhr]

Well, graduation day has come for yet another, as my 'wallet size Second Ammendment' arrived today.

Good luck to all of y'all left.

[shh83]

For anyone that has called and spoke to Steve at the DPS....


Please complete the following sentence....


Steve at the DPS is ______________________.


I would have filled in the blank but I do not want to be kicked off this forum!!

Scott

[bkblaw84]

hahaha! I was just thinking about posting something about this guy yesterday. Complete "sack" if you ask me.....he is absolutely ZERO help....sounds so irritated to talk to you.