The Senate Committee on Transportation held a public hearing to receive an overview and update from the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Whitney Brewster/John Walker, Department of Motor Vehicles
- TxDMV oversees the issuances of 20 million vehicle registrations and 7 million titles annually; it issues 8,000 oversize/overweight permits; and is seeing a $12 return to the State for every $1 spent
- TxDMV wants to re-establish the TxDMV fund introduced last session by HB 2202
- If the TxDMV fund were re-created a Rider would remove the need to obtain almost $30 million in funding from the General Revenue fund
- TxDMV drafted legislation for this session in the form of an omnibus bill which proposes to streamline agency processes and create clarity for language pertaining to the vehicle salvage industry
- HB 2305 (Single Sticker Initiative) will merge Texas registration and inspections stickers into one sticker and launches March 1, 2015
- The initiative will provide drivers a 90 day window after inspection to update their registration
- A media campaign is currently underway (Two Steps One Sticker) to educate drivers about the registration and inspection changes; TxDMV began sending informational alerts in registration renewal notices in January
- TxDMV has created TwoStepsOneSticker.com which allows drivers to enter the registration date of their sticker and it will provide instructions on the renewal process
- TxIRP vehicles will not receive the new consolidated sticker, rather drivers will carry a cab card proving registration
- Funding for a new TxDMV headquarters facility—currently at Jackson Avenue in Austin
- TxDot is selling their Bull Creek location which is currently leased to TxDMV and will require relocation of 120 TxDMV employees
- TxDMV’s headquarters, the Camp Hubbard location, is at capacity and will not allow for relocation of the Bull Creek employees
- TxDMV has worked with an architecture firm to estimate the cost of constructing a new location; the estimation projects a cost of $58.7 million to purchase land and construct buildings OR a cost of $19 million per biennium to lease buildings
- TxDMV has several projects underway:
- An RTS refactoring project that will revamp the registration and titling system software(from 1980s); in June of 2013 TxDMV entered into a contract to update the code to a java web-based program
- Key dates- point of sale implementation April 14, 2015; new RTS system goes live August 3, 2015; post refactoring enhancements will be done in December 2015
- TxDMV will request $7.4 million dollars be returned for registration automation project funding to allow facilitate TxDMV’s to separation from TxDOT
Q&A
- Sen. Garcia asked what is being done for minority citizens to ensure that they are able to obtain registration/inspection and are aware of the upcoming registration changes; she would also like TxDMV to consider television based informational commercials
- TxDMV has an outreach initiative—Two Steps One Sticker materials are printed in Spanish online, in brochures, and at DMV locations
- TxDMV has reached out to local law enforcement to inform them of the new program and publicized the changes on statewide radio in Spanish and English
- Sen. Ellis asked if social media is being used to advertise Two Steps One Sticker.
- Yes, TxDMV is using a number of social media outlets to advertise the changes
- Sen. Hancock commented on seeing an educational television piece on Two Steps One Sticker in Dallas
- Sen. Taylor asked if TxDMV has statutory power to advocate their needs to the legislature and adopt a legislative agenda
- Yes but that ability is relatively unique to this agency
David Baker/ Joe Peters/Chris Nordloh/Dennis Device/Earl Bowie, Department of Public Safety
- The border is the primary safety threat right now but highway based deaths aren’t far behind
- A recent study indicates that the DPS is 1,400 troopers short of a minimum staffing level required to carry out day to day functions
- Three item requests in appropriations request:
- $171 million to continue the 10 hour work day program that provides 2 extra hours per day per trooper
- Operation Save Texas Lives which would entail 172 commissioned position and 92 non-commissioned positions at a cost of $100 million for the biennium; the project would provide crash data analysis
- An additional 141 troopers at a cost of $91 million for the biennium to protect and improve State highway infrastructure
- DPS is concurrently working with DMV on outreach efforts to educate drivers on the new inspection sticker system
- The primary source outlet for outreach is public schools and driver’s license locations
Joe Weber/James Bass/ John Burton, TxDot
- Weekly update on TxTag improvements:
- Call center operations have expanded to 3 locations starting February 2, 2015
- The average call center handling times have come down to 7.5 minutes
- The call center is averaging 6,000 calls per day and wait times/handle times are getting lower
- The TxTag accounts that were double billed with mail invoices are being credited the overcharges; this is expected to be completed by March
- An audit of the toll operation system has been prioritized and expedited; TxDOT chose McKinsey & Co. to perform the audit
Q&A
- Sen. Nichols asked what constitutes an abandoned call and what the current abandoned call rate is.
- An abandoned call occurs when customers call in, are put on hold, and hang up before reaching a representative
- Abandoned calls have gone from 35% in December to 5% last week
- Maximum wait time is down to 10 minutes
- Sen. Taylor voiced concern over the cost of hiring McKinsey and Co. and whether it was a competitive bid?
- TxDOT interviewed 3 firms and McKinsey had the most experience reviewing toll operations and call centers which is why they were selected
- McKinsey was only 10% more expensive than the second ranked audit company considered
- Sen. Huffines asked how TxDot estimated a $4-5 billion funding increase for operations going forward
- The funding was based on a Texas A&M study in tandem with the 2035 committee; in their analysis it was determined that TxDot needs to put $14 billion per year towards traffic and congestion; an additional billion was added to the estimate to address the additional wear and tear put on roadways by the increased oil and gas operations throughout Texas
- The estimate does not consider bonds sells
- Sen. Garcia asked what progress has been made in regard to crediting and refunding TxTag customers for the double billing incidents.
- Late fees have been waived and removed but base toll rates are still being collected
- Sen. Hancock asked if there’s a threshold for toll fees where it’s more expensive to pursue the fees than to waive them; he would like to see small fees that are not profitable to pursue waived
- Yes, but state laws prohibit the state from extending credit in situations like this which would create issues if the small fees were waived