AUSTIN, Texas — Jadon Savage is a teenager who is driven to get his first taste of freedom by getting a driver's license.
However, the process to getting it was not easy, since Savage and his mother traveled at least a half-hour to find an available appointment.
"It was like, a long time, I had it scheduled and then I had to do something, so we had to reschedule it and then it was like a couple of months," Savage said.
It's an experience shared by Michael Markovich.
"I made my appointment several weeks before my license expired, and it took almost two months to get an appointment today," Markovich said. "A driver's license is something you are required to have, but if they're delaying your renewal of your driver's license, then it interferes with your life."
According to a report on the Texas Department of Public Safety's (DPS) website, wait times to get a license renewed in Austin can vary from 29 to 36 days.
KVUE decided to test that timeframe. On Aug. 24, we found that the next available day to schedule an appointment for a license in Austin was in February 2024. For other suggested locations like Marble Falls, San Marcos and Bastrop, the nearest dates were December 2023 and January 2024.
Why the long wait?
In a statement, the DPS said the appointment system was launched three years ago in an effort to prevent customers from waiting in line. However, appointments have to be made well in advance. In densely populated areas, appointments can be booked out 60 days or more.
The department also alluded to under-staffing, which has had a "tremendous impact," reducing the number of appointments offices can offer.
DPS said there is also a no-show rate that is nearly 30%, impacting the department's ability to offer punctual appointments to those available to take them.
"I don't know what resources they need to make things work, but whatever they need, they should have," Markovich said.
DPS noted that appointments can be made up to six months in advance, and it notifies drivers by mail so they can renew their licenses up to two years before their expiration.