where is accountability?

[Mrwonderful856]

I have made application for a LTC license in Texas. I am currently on day 75 waiting after completing the full application and submitting all required documentation. I understand that there is a huge increase in applications that is causing delays and have been trying to be patient.

I have been checking status periodically but I have found the official Texas Website to be of little help. I have used two different discussion rooms to see the status of others waiting. Besides frustrated “fellow-waiters” I have found little else. Of significance to note, the wait times have been bad for at least the last 4-5 years. Frustration seems to ooze out of the web site through the years, including this current year.

My frustration boiled over last week when the “Waiting Room blog” was reporting several people getting their license after 35(ish) days, and I was on day 64. I called my State Senator, and they said they would check for me, but it typically took 2 days for them to get an answer.

On day 67 I got a call from DPS Austin office stating my Application was approved that very morning, and that I could expect my license in the mail in 7-14 days.

So I still wait… day 75.

The purpose of this “rant” is to focus on the Regulatory Service Division. Thru the years I have heard nothing but dissatisfaction from the consumer regarding the wait time, as well as the inability of the applicant to find out any information including even knowing whether or not their application really exist or is lost somewhere in cyberspace.

There seems to be no accountability for the Regulatory Services Division. If they were a private corporation they would have gone bankrupt and out of business. But because they are government…

Those waiting on their CHL/LTC License are not going to rock the boat and risk further delays. Those who finally get their License are so relieved they simply fade away.

Somewhere, someone needs to audit the process and place some accountability on those who are serving the Texas Public. The following quote from the official website is totally inadequate;

LICENSE APPLICATION STATUS: If you have a pending License to Carry a Handgun application, please allow sufficient time for processing. If you have not already done so, please submit all of the items listed on the checklist you received. DPS will notify you by mail if further information or additional documents are required.

My login has read those exact words now for 83 days. I am still waiting. It would be a simple matter for the website to change to indicate when all forms have been submitted. Likewise, when an auditor begin the background check, again the webpage could automatically report the progress. Not a very complicated programming issue for a competent programmer, and if done correctly would ad little to no extra time or effort for those processing the applications.

It is time to modernize the process to reflect the greatness of Texas. We are not some backwoods, computer illiterate state. Our LTC Process needs to be improved.

[armnhammer214]

It is very frustrating. I'm on day 73. I never got through to RSD on their number. I even messaged them on day 60, no replies yet. Status remains the same. Haven't contacting anyone else, just been waiting patiently. But from what I've seen a lot of people in the 60/70 day lobby are supposed to be expecting theirs within the next 2 weeks. So hopefully mine shows.
I didn't understand how my friend sent his in a week before me and got it his plastic in the mail within a month. They have a flawed way of running things down there, I do agree. But all we can do is wait.
Maybe down the road, they can go about doing things differently. At least letting applicants know their status in a easier way.
But the way any government related business has been ran in my experience has been always the same frustrating and long. This now includes RSD.

[BCGlocker]

I am also wonder about the accountability of RSD. I already have a LTC license and I sent in the funds and CHL form on 2/26/16 to change my LTC info. They cashed the check on 3/7/16 and received my replacement on 4/080/16. However, they send back the same LTC that I current possess without any change. After repeated call DPS and just getting their voice mail tell me they are not answering the phone, I went online and send them an email on 4/11/16. I received a confirmation that they received my email on 4/12/16 and have not heard back from anyone. Still try to call them occasionally, still only get the voice mail. This has to be the worst customer service in the world.

[Charles L. Cotton]

In an ideal world the government angency would be accountable to the citizens but that is not the case.

Texas can and should do better to serve its citizens.

I see a lot of comments like this, but no one has answered a key question. What is DPS supposed to do when the number of license applications they receive is six or eight times greater than their staffing level?

It is a state agency, so they don't have the option to simply hire more people when they don't have the budget to do so. Twice DPS has asked the Legislature for more money for the CHL (now LTC) division, but the request was denied. Contrary to the myth that I continue to see frequently, DPS does not get the license fee; that goes to the State's General Fund. The only money DPS gets is what was budgeted to it in the preceding legislative session.

They are pulling employees from other divisions to work on LTC applications and they are working three eight hour shifts seven days a week. This leaves other divisions short-handed.

I understand everyone's frustration, but don't blame DPS, blame the Legislature that has refused to provide sufficient funding. Remember, blaming people for things beyond their control is a great way to destroy moral and efficiency.

Chas.

[doncb]

"Charles L. Cotton"....Snip....
I understand everyone's frustration, but don't blame DPS, blame the Legislature that has refused to provide sufficient funding. Remember, blaming people for things beyond their control is a great way to destroy moral and efficiency. Chas.

No doubt that the people at DPS are doing their best, with what they are given to work with. They have to wait on other people to furnish them the information they need, who no doubt have to wait on others. Checking the website several time a day and calling only adds to the frustration. It doesn't speed things up.

[aCoffeejunky]

Keep emailing and calling. I was all in on January 28th and after 96 days I finally got a reply email, saying my CHL100 was too dark for them to read. I thought they were supposed to send something through the mail if there was an issue? Anyway, I resubmitted my documents and now I'm told I'm back at the end of the line with at least a 6 week wait because they're counting my documents as received as of Friday April 29th, Ticks me off

[baseballguy2001]

Years ago when I applied to get my CHL I didn't check, didn't write or call, I just let the chips fall where they may. It finally arrived 99 business days later. There is no way to speed things up. Constant checking and calling will only add to your frustration.

[rexmitchell]

In an ideal world the government angency would be accountable to the citizens but that is not the case.

Texas can and should do better to serve its citizens.

I see a lot of comments like this, but no one has answered a key question. What is DPS supposed to do when the number of license applications they receive is six or eight times greater than their staffing level?

It is a state agency, so they don't have the option to simply hire more people when they don't have the budget to do so. Twice DPS has asked the Legislature for more money for the CHL (not LTC) division, but the request was denied. Contrary to the myth that I continue to see frequently, DPS does not get the license fee; that goes to the State's General Fund. The only money DPS gets is what was budgeted to it in the preceding legislative session.

They are pulling employees from other divisions to work on LTC applications and they are working three eight hour shifts seven days a week. This leaves other divisions short-handed.

I understand everyone's frustration, but don't blame DPS, blame the Legislature that has refused to provide sufficient funding. Remember, blaming people for things beyond their control is a great way to destroy moral and efficiency.

Chas.

I agree with all points above, I think some of the frustration is the apparent lack of communication, and the uncertainties surrounding when/how licenses are issued. People expect the 60 day mark to be upheld but when it isn't and they hear nothing, what are people supposed to expect. I wouldn't want resources pulled away to address this but as others have said, an easy way to check a status online that showed what step of the process would calm 99% of people down.