AUSTIN — There's a possibility that a drivers license office near you could shut down. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is considering a plan to close down more than 80 offices across the state.
DPS emphasized that they are not implementing any mass closure plan for offices with low demand, although it's a proposition. Several drivers told KVUE there is a better way to handle this situation.
"Having to sit and wait more than an hour can be hectic," said Joyce Johnson, who has been renewing her drivers license for decades. "It should be a lot easier because right now we're dealing with too much."
Johnson's frustrations of trying to renew her drivers license are being echoed by people all over the state.
"Waiting in line and having to sit for 30-45 minutes... there has to be a better solution," Johnson explained.
As a possible solution, DPS has come up with a plan to close 87 inefficient drivers license offices, but many of those offices are the only ones in its county.
According to DPS, they won't take action without the approval of state leadership.
"If they close the offices, they would have to have somewhere to renew their license I would think," Johnson said.
You can renew your license online, but a local driver, Grace Linebarger, is skeptical about the idea.
"If the websites work really well, then I don't think it's an issue to close down the offices," Linebarger said. "But, I think they need to work on that first before they close the offices."
Johnson says she believes the alternative could cost you your identity.
"Once you renew online, you are jeopardizing information that could be used for other reasons," Johnson explained.
The changes could be decided by next week. If accepted, the plan will move forward to 2019 legislation for approval.
If this plan goes through, 78 counties in Texas will not have an office to get their driver's license, which is obviously a concern to people who live in those counties because you can't vote without an official photo identification.
VIEW DPS RECOMMENDED CLOSURES LIST BELOW:
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he does not support this idea.
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