If you've been to a Texas driver’s license office lately, you may know the feeling. Long lines and wait times of several hours.
In southern Denton County there could be a solution. DPS opened a new satellite office Tuesday at the Denton County South courthouse in Flower Mound.
For customers, it’s a welcome relief from long lines at other offices.
“Lewisville's an hour and a half wait,” said Russell Goodman of Justin. “Denton's a three hour wait. Some days I just turn around and leave, because there's so many in line."
The Flower Mound DPS office has four stations to assist customers. The goal is to alleviate longer lines at those other facilities, like Carrollton’s “mega” office.
“Well, let's put it this way. The line was out the door and into the parking lot,” said Ted Flowers, of his morning trip to that office. That’s why he decided to visit the new office.
The director of Texas DPS understands why customers are frustrated by driver’s license office visits.
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“Absolutely,” said Steven McCraw. “I hate standing in line, can't stand it. And I expect people to be surly when they get to the front of the line if they've waited."
This past summer, DPS directed customers away from smaller offices like Denton's to mega-offices like Carrolton’s. But lines remained. Officials say they could be alleviated if more people used online services. McCraw says 53 percent of in-office business could be completed online.
McCraw says another struggle has been keeping up with the booming population here in North Texas.
“I'm quite confident we'll get there,” he said. “As the state grows, the target moves."
A new office could help reach that goal.
“This makes it more convenient,” said Goodman. "I'm pretty sure it will."
