TxDMV recognized for oversize/overweight permit process enhancements
May 2, 2022 - Drilling rigs, wind turbines, and airplanes – oh my! Texas drivers sometimes spot the strangest things rolling down the road. A safety enhancement for the system that permits the movement of large and sometimes unusual loads that are critical to supporting the Texas economy is getting some recognition.
The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) awarded the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) its Fraud Prevention and Detection Award for programming enhancements to the oversize/overweight permitting process completed in August 2021.
Now the Texas Permitting and Routing Optimization System (TxPROS) automatically rejects oversize/overweight permit applications for motor carriers deemed unsafe by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or the Department of Public Safety. An additional enhancement allows law enforcement to immediately verify oversize/overweight permits presented to them roadside.
“Keeping unsafe vehicles off the road is everyone’s business,” said TxDMV acting Executive Director Daniel Avitia. “This enhancement keeps the industry moving while screening out unsafe carriers more quickly.”
With these enhancements, TxPROS has denied the applications of 48 carriers found to be unsafe, while approving more than 450,000 permits through late April.
Vehicles exceeding legal size or weight limits must obtain a permit from TxDMV. TxPROS allows carriers to apply for permits, pay fees, and obtain a route online, 24/7. Launched in 2011, TxPROS has served as a model for other states looking to automate their permitting processes.
The award also recognized an enhancement to the Commercial Vehicle Information Exchange Window (CVIEW), a TxDMV system that receives active permit information from TxPROS and provides it to law enforcement on the roadside. CVIEW is also the conduit for information that identifies unsafe motor carriers so that they are denied permits.