https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com


Texas goes digital with new driver’s license system

Texas goes digital with new driver’s license system

For 25 years,texas drivers have been getting their licenses the old-fashioned way: going to the local licensing bureau, filling out forms, having their
  • Written by American City & County Administrator
  • 1st January 1996

For 25 years,texas drivers have been getting their licenses the old-fashioned way: going to the local licensing bureau, filling out forms, having their picture taken–and waiting 30 days to 45 days to receive their new license in the mail.

Second only to California in the number of driver licenses it issues, Texas replaced its film-based licenses with an all-electronic system from Polaroid Electronic Imaging Systems, Bedford, Mass.

“The new Texas licenses have three main benefits,” says Col. James Wilson, director of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), the state agency responsible for driver licensing. “They are secure; they are nearly counterfeit-proof; and they look great.”

Texas installed 378 workstations in 185 permanent license bureaus and another 72 workstations in rural mobile bureaus.

Each workstation captures and stores applicants’ personal information, portraits, fingerprints and signatures and transfers the information to a local server.

The server transmits the data overnight to DPS headquarters in Austin, initiating a production process that will have licenses, renewals, updates and corrections in the drivers’ mailboxes in five to seven days.

The front of the license has been redesigned and color coded to be more readable and informative, with electronically captured full-color portraits that are larger, brighter and sharper than the old film photos.

Because the captured portrait is displayed instantly on the workstation, the DPS agent can retake the photo if necessary.

Adult licenses have the portrait on the right side of the license, while portraits of those under 21 are on the left. Under-21 licenses also display the date drivers turn 21, so their ages can be checked at a glance.

Because driver licenses are the most commonly requested form of photo identification, the DPS has expanded the magnetic strip information system to carry three lines of data, making it more functional and fully compatible with standard bank and identification card readers.

By checking that the electronic data matches the data on the front of the license, merchants can quickly and easily confirm that the license has not been altered.

Better yet, the system allows data to be loaded directly into a cash register, so transactions are concluded more quickly, eliminating transcription errors and hard-to-read handwriting.

Eventually, Texas law enforcement officials expect to be able to download to police computers and mobile cruiser terminals all the data in a driver’s online file, including portrait, fingerprints and signature.

The entire license is encased in a PolaSecure laminate, a virtually indestructible material that makes attempts at tampering immediately obvious. (The same material is used to laminate all inmate Ids in the Texas state prison system.

An additional security feature is the word “Texas” printed in ultraviolet ink on the inside of the laminate. A number of other closely guarded security features make it virtually impossible to successfully tamper with, duplicate or modify the license.

For example, the applicant’s two thumbprints and signature are electronically scanned and captured.

Image data, which has been compressed by advanced software routines, takes up less file space and transmits faster than standard electronic images.

Bar codes are tracked throughout the production process to maintain “zero gap” document control.

The zero-gap control process, which is commonly used in the control of currency printing, ensures that every license is accounted for.

Thumbprints captured at the time of application are not printed on the license, although they remain a part of the driver’s permanent record.

Tags:

Most Recent


  • Seamless Cooperative Experience Saves Indiana City Exponentially in Time and Money
    Significant new responsibility in an unfamiliar spend category didn’t intimidate Jasper-Dubois County Public Library Director, Christine Golden. What could’ve been an overwhelming furniture project for a state-of-the-art, 67,000 square-foot new facility turned into a seamless, stress-free experience through a cooperative purchasing strategy. “Stress-free” may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s the result that cooperative purchasing […]
  • 10 best large cities for fishing
    Across the United States, Americans of all backgrounds—from both urban and rural settings alike—enjoy a mutual pastime: fishing. But while there are plenty of cities that feature lakes and rivers, some large metro areas are better fishing communities than others.  A list created by Apartment Guide considers all U.S. cities with a population of more […]
  • public sector
    Generational differences present an opportunity to reinvent public sector service delivery
    As major technology companies have transformed the ideal customer experience into instantaneous “one-click” services, the public sector has been challenged to keep pace. As a result, government organizations must meet the changing expectations of Americans with faster, simpler, 24/7 services. Government is ingrained in the fabric of our lives, including the water we drink, the […]
  • Report: Local and state governments are facing a retention crisis; the worst could be yet to come
    When the pandemic struck in 2020, public retention was hit hard: jobs in local government plummeted by 8.5 percent; state employment dropped by 4.4 percent. Two years later, local and state government jobs have rebounded by about half—to 4.1 and 1.9 percent below pre-pandemic levels respectively, according to a new report from Mission Square Research […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Arbor Day Foundation and Intrinsyx Environmental offer natural solution to clean up industrial contamination in cities and towns
  • MS-ISAC members get free access to Deloitte’s Cyber Detect and Respond Portal to help respond to cyber threats
  • Deltek releases 12th annual Clarity Government Contracting Report
  • How local governments can improve bridge projects through strategic engagement

White papers


How to Assemble a Rockstar Website Redesign Steering Committee

7th June 2022

Hand Hygiene: Compliance Matters

23rd May 2022

What it Takes to Build a Winning Esports Program

23rd May 2022
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Seamless Cooperative Experience Saves Indiana City Exponentially in Time and Money dlvr.it/SSxp95

27th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

10 best large cities for fishing dlvr.it/SSxbSZ

27th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Generational differences present an opportunity to reinvent public sector service delivery dlvr.it/SSxbN7

27th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Local and state governments are facing a retention crisis; the worst could be yet to come dlvr.it/SSnmS7

24th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Amid an unprecedented increase in federal spending, cities and counties stand to benefit from partnerships dlvr.it/SSkGBn

23rd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Governments using technology to harness data and improve decision-making dlvr.it/SSk3H0

23rd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Infrastructure highlighted by city leaders as top priority in analysis of 60 mayoral addresses dlvr.it/SSgBck

22nd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Oklahoma City puts the focus on employees when implementing changes in office technology dlvr.it/SSfyns

22nd June 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X