Jump to content

Texas Vehicle Inspection


Onthego

Recommended Posts

Folks have been saying for months that the law can't be changed by March 2015. Here it is 8 months before that date and it was changed. Now there's worry about how they're going to put it in place? Geez...give them a chance before coming down on them. They have 8 months to figure it out and I'm sure they will.

You have to understand how the Tx Legislature works. A committee saying it is going to to be fixed is a good idea, BUT those assurances and $5 will get you a latte at Starbucks down the street from the Capitol. Nothing has been changed yet. There is at least an acknowledgement and a plan, but it has a way to go.

 

Barb

Edited by Barbaraok

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 494
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I worked in Texas State Government for 30 years. My experience is that most of the real work gets done in committee and (more importantly) by the agency that actually writes the rules implementing the legislation. Once legislation is passed the senators and representatives pay little attention to it, unless it is an extremely high-profile topic.

 

So we've heard that both the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee( Senator Nichols) and the Director of the agency implementing the law (Whitney Brewster) have publicly stated in a committee meeting that residents will be allowed to register their vehicle without returning to the state. And Polk County has confirmed that they are aware of the process for doing so and will make that process available.

 

Short of the entire legislature coming into emergency session to re-write the legislation (zero chance of that) it seems like things are on about as good a track as we ever could have hoped for. Is there still a chance that something might not work out? You bet. But it looks to me like we are about 95% of the way there.

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark,

 

I do agree that this is good information. Just that I've seen a lot of "it's a done deal, the committee chair is with us" optimism only to see the request (usually funding of a project) deleted by someone from another part of the state with a bigger pull in the legislature. So I take any legislative promise with a grain of salt.

 

Barb

Edited by Barbaraok

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having lived as a permanent resident in 9 different states and as a temporary one in 19 others I find that all political systems move rather slowly and tend to make more mistakes when they hurry, but TX has moved much more quickly on this problem than is typical of most states. It seems to me that the Escapee staff, other interested parties, and the political delegation representing the RV community and truckers who have sought action have been very responsive. It is true that they still bear watching but then our system only works properly when under scrutiny by those served. There is no solution that will be immune to criticism by those who are determined, and you just can't make everyone happy, no matter how hard you may try. I am sure that they will continue to monitor the results.

 

To Jim and those who worked on the problem, well done!

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Short of the entire legislature coming into emergency session to re-write the legislation (zero chance of that) it seems like things are on about as good a track as we ever could have hoped for. Is there still a chance that something might not work out? You bet. But it looks to me like we are about 95% of the way there.

 

If you'll read my post a few up from yours on the page, you'll see that the legislation doesn't need to be rewritten. The extension for out-of-state vehicles that has been in place is still there. It's up to the agency to implement the procedure to include a way to "claim" an extension instead of just ignoring the inspection until you return to the state--no legislative involvement whatsoever.

 

And that has evidently been the case all along, but for some reason Escapees was telling people a legislative change was going to be necessary.

 

It turns out it was always on a good track, but nobody knew it, and were in fact being led to believe otherwise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bit of a diversion but since enforcement has been mentioned a couple times I'll toss this in. As I read the new rules they are going to end up with your inspection status in the state registration computer along with all the other information they keep there. Aside from the cross-checking they do before issuing the registration they can provide the inspection status to the enforcement officers when they pull up your information at a traffic stop. That will impact folks that have been out of state as has been noticed above.

 

An additional thing that could be done, it may or may not be, is to add the inspection status checks to any licence plate scanning systems in use. If that is done any plate scanned inside Texas that didn't have a current inspection in the computer's records would flag that vehicle for a possible stop. It would be possible to have the flag be given a higher priority if the vehicle had been seen earlier and not stopped.

 

No idea if of how Texas will do something like this but licence plate scanners, both police car mounted and fixed station types are proving very effective in detecting plates they have been programmed to find.

 

Dallas: http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/Dallas-police-say-new-license-readers-are--248658061.html

 

 

 

The department recently joined a growing number of local agencies that use this crime-fighting technology. It’s equipped 14 vehicles with the cameras and deployed 14 fixed readers throughout the city.
“Trying to do things with less officers, we needed some kind of edge to work smarter and more efficiently,” said Maj. Scott Bratcher, who oversees the program. “In a three month period, we scanned 10 and half million license plates.”
In response to last year’s concerns from Dallas City Council members, the department implemented a fairly strict retention policy for the license plate data. It keeps the scanned license plates for 90 days. By comparison, Mesquite and Grand Prairie keep the information for about two years. Richardson maintains the data for three years.

 

Highland Village: http://www.texasobserver.org/the-eyes-of-texas-cops-are-upon-you/

 

 

 

License plate readers are a deceptively simple technology: They basically consist of cameras – either in a fixed location or mounted on the top of a car – that are capable of capturing and processing thousands of license plates each hour even at high speeds, low light and bad weather. The plates are then automatically checked against databases of stolen vehicles, warrants, kidnapped children, and more.

Whereas before a patrol officer might have been able to check a dozen or so license plates in a shift, the computer can check hundreds a minute. All the cop needs to do is wait for the system to alert him to a match.

“The scanners are fantastic,” said Highland Village Police Chief Ed O’Bara. “It’s amazing how they can process information from the license plates.”

 

Plate scanners can be a political issue so please don't go there on this forum!

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They intend to have the inspection status tied directly to the vehicle registration process eventually, Stan, but that's one of the "startup" problems. The program is set to kick off in less than eight months, but the database of valid inspections to which inspection stations are to directly input the information is not ready, nor is it expected to be ready when the combined inspection/registration goes live in March. So, for the time being, everybody will get a certificate from their inspection mechanic to take to the Assessor/Collector's office when they renew (no word yet on how the certificate is to be tendered in conjunction with online renewals, since many Texans avoid having to make the trip to a registration office like the plague), with the electronic version to follow some day. The inspection data will be manually input from that certificate at the time of registration/renewal processing, so it will be available to LEOs and plate scanners, but it will be an "after the fact" entry for the foreseeable future.

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

ET Air Hitch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know, Phil, I've been wondering about this. At the first committee hearing I listened to, they talked about the "first year exemption." Suppose someone had his car inspected in June 2014. When his April 2015 registration comes due, will he have to have a new inspection done within 90 days before that? That would mean getting an inspection less than a year since the last inspection.

 

The guy from the DPS said no. As long as someone has a current (even if done more than 90 days prior) inspection when he renews his registration the first time after March 1, 2015, he won't have to get another inspection for that renewal. He said, "If your car is currently inspected, we reset your inspection." For his May 2016 registration, the guy in the example above would have to comply with the 90-day inspection window, but he ends up getting almost two years on his June 2014 inspection.

 

And I think it was Whitney Brewster, at the June meeting, who said they're not going to require people to get more than one inspection in a year.

 

What I don't understand is how the guy in the example above is going to show he has a current inspection from June 2014. All he has is the sticker on his windshield. (Since he had his inspection done before any of this was even in the news, it's entirely likely he didn't keep any paperwork.)

 

Someone at one of the hearings did refer to a computer system, and there evidently is one out there that inspection stations are hooked into, but that might be only the ones who do emissions testing, since that was the focus of the discussion. But the discussion made it sound like there's already something along these lines out there. Someone even said that if you do a same-day inspection and registration, your inspection information won't be in the system yet because it will be updated every night, but you can bring the certificate to the office if you don't want to wait until the next day. That seems kind of detailed for something that doesn't even exist yet.

 

I'm not challenging your sources, or, well, maybe I am, since they were wrong on the other stuff they told you. Do you have reason to believe they really know what they're talking about this time?

 

Nobody at the hearings seemed to have any issues with how a person would prove a current inspection. Which leads me to believe either they're already inputting the data, they will expect people to bring their windshields in to the Tax Assessor's office, or they're just going to assume people have a current inspection or take their word for it and issue the renewed registration and reset the inspection date to match the registration. That last option is basically a free-for-all, and from the way they were talking, I don't think it's completely out of the question.

 

The thing is, lots of other states have gone to a single sticker program successfully, so it can be done. But I think generally, inspection compliance plummets during the year between the first renewal and the second because of the inspection sticker reset. Only it's not really noncompliance because they're explicitly saying you have a freebie during that time. What I can't believe is that the inspection stations aren't screaming about this, since there's going to be up to a year when people might not have to get inspections.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blues

There is a computer system already being used for the counties which do emissions testing, which is a large portion of the population (metropolitan areas).

The inspection sites have a computer hooked into the interweb and they send it to the database based on the VIN.

There are many counties that do not have the computer system, yet. I'm pretty sure part of the bill mentioned getting that set up for these other counties.

 

The past three years I have sat with him and helped as he punched in our data to register the new inspection in the computer. Currently he has to input the VIN twice - the worst part. :)

 

I am pretty sure the inspection stations will ultimately love this because it will be more difficult to sidestep the system and they will ultimately have more business. The downside to the ones that don't already have the specialized computer setup is that it will be an added cost for them. And Barb mentioned something a while ago which does frequently happen - stolen stickers. They will have less worries with this issue.

I am pretty good friends with the gentleman who does my inspections (Travis County - emissions testing county) and he has told me about these sticker thefts. Certainly this is not empiracal data but he was clear that many sites have this issue.

Susan & Trey Selman | email | HDT: '01 770 VED12 | 5er: '02 40' Travel Supreme RLTSOA | '16 Piaggio MP3 500 | '15 Smart Cabrio | Personal Blog | HHRV Resource Guide | HHRV Campgrounds | Recreation Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation |

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When this whole thing started, I contacted our elected representatives. I heard from a staff member in Senator Nichols' office. I had to explain to her why the new law was going to cause problems with full timers that were not in the state when their registration was up for renewal. They got someone from the Public Safety department in touch with me. He explained that, based on their reading of the law, there wasn't any wiggle room for the DMV to defer inspections. If that's not the case, so be it. I am willing to take the state police at their word about defering inspections.

 

If there is a way out of it, I'll have to wait and see. One of my registrations expires in October, so it won't be subject to the new law. My other registration expires in April. I just so happens that we'll be in Dallas in April, so I can get the vehicles inspected then. That gives me a year to see what happens when the smoke clears. I am with the group that is optimistic that the problem is going to be solved and is making contingency plans just in case.

Michael

2017 Allegro Bus 45OPP
Cummins ISL 450

Visit us at schwarz.org!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They got someone from the Public Safety department in touch with me. He explained that, based on their reading of the law, there wasn't any wiggle room for the DMV to defer inspections.

 

And that's what Escapees was telling Phil. But take a look at what the legislation did to the statute (underlined words are new; words that are bracketed and struck through are deleted):

 

SECTION 22. Section 548.103, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

 

Sec. 548.103. EXTENDED INSPECTION PERIOD FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES. The department may extend the time within which the resident owner of a vehicle that is not in this state when an inspection is required must obtain a vehicle [an] inspection report [certificate] in this state.

 

All it did was change "an inspection certificate" to "a vehicle inspection report" to comport with the single-sticker scheme. It didn't touch the part that gives authority to extend the inspection sticker renewal, and for the life of me I can't figure out why the person you talked to from the DPS and Escapees said it did.

 

This would have been an entirely different discussion without the threat of mandatory travel to Texas, also known as "what we've been doing all along and works fine. Maybe a tweak, but that's it."

 

 

There are many counties that do not have the computer system, yet. I'm pretty sure part of the bill mentioned getting that set up for these other counties. ... The downside to the ones that don't already have the specialized computer setup is that it will be an added cost for them.

 

In the interest of not relying on what someone says is in a bill, here's the pertinent section, effective March 1, 2015:

 

Sec. 548.253 INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED ON COMPLETION OF INSPECTION. An inspection station or inspector, on completion of an inspection, shall electronically submit to the department's inspection database:

(1) the vehicle identification number of the inspected vehicle and an indication of whether the vehicle passed the inspections required by this chapter; and

(2) any additional information required by rule by the department for the type of vehicle inspected.

 

It doesn't sound like there has to be special equipment or anything--just a database to log in to. But then, these might be the same people who saw the complete revocation of inspection extensions where there was none, so who knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not sure that many of the lower level state workers are capable of reading anything with words of more than one syllable. They have to have a higher up read it and explain it to them.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not sure that many of the lower level state workers are capable of reading anything with words of more than one syllable. They have to have a higher up read it and explain it to them.

 

Ken

It would seem to me that the upper level workers couldn't or didn't or wouldn't read it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would seem to me that the upper level workers couldn't or didn't or wouldn't read it.

 

It would seem to me that the upper level workers couldn't or didn't or wouldn't read it.

Yep, might seem too much like work.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not sure that many of the lower level state workers are capable of reading anything with words of more than one syllable. They have to have a higher up read it and explain it to them.

 

It's doubtful that lower level state workers are tasked with reading, interpreting, and implementing legislation, so I don't see a problem.

 

Then again, I know of two people right off the top of my head whose first jobs after college were as file clerks for the State of Texas. So even lower level state workers aren't necessarily monosyllabic.

 

 

It would seem to me that the upper level workers couldn't or didn't or wouldn't read it.

 

Yep, might seem too much like work.

 

I think the same might be said of Escapees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am trying to figure out how this is going to work for me, because we always get our registration sticker in the mail for Sept for the truck and rv. We do not return to Texas until Dec. And that is when our inspection is due in Dec. So are they going to try and make us come back early or force us to drive around illegally for 4 months.

I guess I will be considering South Dakota now for my registration.

Edited by HuntExPow
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The most recent information that the state has given to the Escapees office is that the former "out of state" exemption is being restored.

 

Next year (September 2015) you'll be unaffected, according to some of the news articles that have been posted, since your inspection will be good beyond your then current registration. Effective the following year your inspection will expire in September, along with the previous year's registration, and you'll have seventy-two hours upon arrival at your destination in December to get everything inspected.

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

ET Air Hitch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am trying to figure out how this is going to work for me, because we always get our registration sticker in the mail for Sept for the truck and rv. We do not return to Texas until Dec. And that is when our inspection is due in Dec. So are they going to try and make us come back early or force us to drive around illegally for 4 months.

I guess I will be considering South Dakota now for my registration.

 

If you don't come back until Dec. why do you think you'll be operating illegally if you are out of state?? The other states could give a rats arse about the sticker.

Dave & Tish
Beagle Bagles & Snoopy

RIP Snoopy we lost you 5-11-14 but you'll always travel with us
On the road somewhere.
AF retired, 70-90
A truck and a trailer

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion” -unknown

HoD vay' wej qoH SoH je nep! ngebmo' vIt neH 'ach SoHbe' loD Hem, wa' ngebmo'. nuqneH...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because as it stands now, the online registration wouldn't go through because the inspection won't be in the database. So that means he wouldn't be able to get the registration sticker. That's one of the details that they have to work out.

 

HuntExPOW - I would suggest that you see about getting the registration date moved. You can call the county tax assessor and ask that they registration date be moved (actually I think you pay for an extended one to what the move date is) to when you've been back for 30 days of so to give yourself time to get the inspection done. You have to call and ask for the new registration date in the 90 day window BEFORE you registration is due.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi All

 

Jim Koca and the Escapees put out a blast this morning and the issue has been resolved. Out of state Texas residents/registrants do NOT have to return to Texas for inspection in order to re-register their RV.

 

Stan posted the Escapees blast in another thread.

 

Dave O

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I bought my fifth wheel used at DeMontrond RV in Houston/Spring and they said good luck finding someone who can inspect a fifth wheel. Great Salesmanship. It has a partial sticker on the pin box but I've never heard or seen of anyone getting a Fifth wheel inspected maybe I've been out of the loop. I would think they would check the lights, tires, etc. but are they taking it around the block to check the brakes as well? What are they charging for this? I wasn't sure if the other posts were Class A, B, or C so I wasn't sure which class everyone was referring to. Are we talking registration or inspections?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Texas requires ALL trailers over 4500# GVWR to have a yearly safety inspection. As for the lazy sales person a Dumbmontron, there are lots of places that can inspect a large 5er.

 

http://milsteadautomotive.com/

 

MIlstead is one place in the Spring Conroe area.

 

Be sure to call ahead and make sure a location has a large enough parking lot to get a 5er close to the building and that they have the appropriate sticker.

 

You can also go to the DPS site and look up other places in your area.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

RVers Online University

campgroundviews.com

RV Destinations

Find out more or sign up for Escapees RV'ers Bootcamp.

Advertise your product or service here.

The Rvers- Now Streaming

RVTravel.com Logo



×
×
  • Create New...