Sunset Self-Evaluation Report
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TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report Sunset Self-Evaluation Report Texas Department of Motor Vehicles September 1, 2017 1 Sunset Advisory Commission TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report Sunset Advisory Commission 2 TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report Table of Contents I. Agency Contact Information .................................................................................... 5 II. Key Functions and Performance ............................................................................. 5 III. History and Major Events ...................................................................................... 14 IV. Policymaking Structure .......................................................................................... 17 V. Funding ................................................................................................................. 22 VI. Organization .......................................................................................................... 29 VII. Guide to Agency Programs ................................................................................... 32 1. Registration Services .................................................................................... 32 2. Title Services ................................................................................................ 43 3. Commercial Fleet Services ........................................................................... 53 4. Credentialing (authority to operate on highways) .......................................... 60 5. Oversize/Overweight Permits ....................................................................... 66 6. Innovative Technology Deployment .............................................................. 72 7. Motor Vehicle Division .................................................................................. 79 8. Consumer Relations Division ........................................................................ 85 9. Enforcement and Investigations .................................................................... 91 10. Lemon Law ................................................................................................... 99 11. Lemon Law Hearings .................................................................................. 105 12. Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority .................................. 109 13. Finance and Administrative Services .......................................................... 116 14. Department Support .................................................................................... 120 VIII. Statutory Authority and Recent Legislation ......................................................... 124 IX. Major Issues ........................................................................................................ 138 X. Other Contacts .................................................................................................... 142 XI. Additional Information ......................................................................................... 146 Reporting Requirements ..................................................................................... 146 Complaint Data ................................................................................................... 146 Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Data .................................................. 147 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Data ....................................................... 149 XII. Agency Comments .............................................................................................. 152 Attachments ................................................................................................................ 153 Attachments Relating to Key Functions, Powers, and Duties .............................. 153 Attachments Relating to Policymaking Structure ................................................. 153 3 Sunset Advisory Commission TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report Attachments Relating to Funding ........................................................................ 153 Attachments Relating to Organization ................................................................. 153 Attachments Relating to Agency Performance Evaluation .................................. 153 Sunset Advisory Commission 4 TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Self-Evaluation Report I. Agency Contact Information Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Exhibit 1: Agency Contacts Telephone & Name Address Email Address Fax Numbers 4000 Jackson Ave., Agency Head Whitney Brewster (512) 465-3046 [email protected] Austin, TX 78731 Agency’s 4000 Jackson Ave., Sarah Swanson (512) 465-1436 [email protected] Sunset Liaison Austin, TX 78731 II. Key Functions and Performance A. Provide an overview of your agency’s mission, objectives, and key functions. The mission of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV or department) is to serve, protect and advance the citizens and industries in the state with quality motor vehicle related services. The department strives to modernize processes and gain efficiencies that meet the expectations of the customers and the industries the department serves. The department performs five key functions: Provides title, registration and specialty license plate services Regulates the sales and distribution of motor vehicles Issues motor carrier permits and credentials (operating authority) Investigates complaints against department licensees and conducts enforcement activities Aides in prevention of motor vehicle burglary and theft The Texas Department of Transportation was the state agency previously responsible for many of these functions. The department was established in 2009 as a stand-alone agency with its own mission, objectives, and key functions. B. Do your key functions continue to serve a clear and ongoing objective? Explain why each of these functions is still needed. What harm would come from no longer performing these functions? 5 Sunset Advisory Commission TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report Each of the department’s key functions continue to serve a clear and ongoing objective. While vehicle registration exists to enable the state to pay for new roadways and maintain existing ones, many of the department’s key functions exist to protect the motoring public. Proper titling protects vehicle owners and prospective buyers by allowing motorists to establish ownership and safely transfer ownership. It also notifies prospective buyers if a vehicle is encumbered by a lien or is a salvaged, rebuilt, or nonrepairable (junked) vehicle, as such designations impact value, the ability to title and potentially the safety of the motoring public. Buying a vehicle can be one of the largest investments an individual will make, so ensuring that those selling them have proper credentials is critical. Likewise, it is important that there are enforcement mechanisms in place to hold licensees accountable when they fail to act in accordance with the law. This is true for motor carriers as well. Texas roadways experience a great deal of motor carrier traffic each day. Proper permitting and credentialing keeps unsafe vehicles off the roadways and makes certain that motor carriers are traveling on roads designed to handle them. Finally, through the Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority (ABTPA), the department is able to support local law enforcement agencies across the state in their efforts to protect motorist investments by combating and working to prevent instances of motor vehicle theft and burglary. C. What evidence can your agency provide to show your overall effectiveness and efficiency in meeting your objectives? TxDMV is always looking to the future and trying to change the way business is done in Texas through the use of technology. In the spring of 2017 the department deployed eLICENSING, a new online self-service licensing system that provides a hub for customers with continuous online access to account and application information, as well as the ability to upload documentation. This system recently received the Project Excellence Award for High Value Impact/High Value Business Impact by the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications. Internally, the TxDMV Board has put into place key performance indicator (KPI) measures that are tracked and monitored on a monthly basis and reported on a quarterly basis. These KPIs are in addition to the performance measures approved by and reported quarterly to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and are used to give the board a more detailed picture of the health of the department. The department’s KPIs demonstrate that it is meeting its objectives. The department developed a system known as webDEALER, which allows dealers to eliminate the need for staff to physically deliver dealer transactions and allows them to process title applications and new registrations online. The ability to process title applications and new registrations online has resulted in a quicker and more accurate submission process, and the time for receipt and approval of each application has been drastically reduced. This is not only a benefit to the dealer, but it also affords TxDMV quicker visibility of titles for Sunset Advisory Commission 6 TxDMV Self-Evaluation Report examination purposes. KPI trends since 2015 indicate that use of webDEALER is consistently exceeding its target level. Similarly use of the department’s online oversize/overweight permitting system to self-