Texans can skip the DMV line with new digital assistant
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Photo: AP Photo/John Locher
Here's a thought: Maybe you shouldn't have to wait in line for hours to get a driver's license.
Well, well, well: The Texas Department of Information Resources finally agrees, announcing Monday the launch of a digital assistant for residents, dubbed Texas by Texas.
The new tool is part of the state's effort to reduce wait times and complete transactions with multiple state agencies on one personalized account.
Flashback: Some Texans literally slept on concrete last year to get a driver's license appointment after pandemic shutdowns led to a backlog of customers.
Of note: You can already renew and replace your driver's license and vehicle registration online, but agency officials said the new technology will keep everything in one place and maintain an organized list of upcoming transaction.
Details: Texans will be able to create their own Texas by Texas accounts to renew or replace their driver licenses or state IDs, renew their vehicle registrations and renew massage therapist or massage instructor licenses.
- Additional agencies will be added to the platform in the future, per the Department of Information Resources.
The platform was built by Deloitte and developed in collaboration with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
What they're saying: "TxT expands our online services and provides greater flexibility by allowing Texans to securely renew, replace, or update these important records without coming into a physical office," said Steven McCraw, DPS director.
It's a significant step forward, added DMV executive director Whitney Brewster.
- "Drivers can spend more time exploring our great state and less time waiting in line to renew their vehicle registration," Brewster said.