In Texas, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) collectively perform the services that are often handled in other states by only one department. Texans are proud of every aspect of Texas history, and this area is no exception.

Top Department of Transportation

The Texas DOT oversees the titling and registration of motor vehicles here. In fact, the Vehicle Titles and Registration Division (VTR) does little else. But the Texas DOT has much more to it than that.

In fact, there is even a museum dedicated to the history of the Texas DOT. The items displayed are rotated regularly, but they include maps, highway equipment, and a 1929 Chevrolet truck used by the department. The exhibit is located at the Dewitt C. Greer Building, 125 E. 11th St., Austin. The telephone number is (512) 463-8588.

As the address above indicates, Dewitt C. Greer is a name to conjure within Texas transportation history. He started work in 1927 and was still on the job 54 years later, with many years spent as the DOT's chief executive. An annual award is given in his name to the department employee who most embodies the qualities of "skill, dedication, civic-mindedness, innovation, and performance excellence," as the award description states.

The Texas Department of Transportation was originally founded in 1917, and its first major project was to register all the motor vehicles in Texas. By 1930, the department had more than 1 million vehicles to keep tabs on.

Presently, Texas is planning to add free wireless Internet access to all 84 of its highway rest stops and its 12 information centers. This will be the first system of its kind in the nation.

For many other important dates and figures, see the Texas Department of Transportation Timeline. If you're really curious about the DOT's evolution, you can download An Informal History of the Texas Department of Transportation.

Top Driver License Division

The Texas Driver License Division is part of the state's Department of Public Safety. The Driver License Division's primary function is to administer driver testing and issue driver's licenses and ID cards. The division also maintains the extensive database of Texas citizens' driving records.

More information about the DPS is available online, and you can even contact the DPS public information office (this page offers brochures, fast facts, press releases, and other nuggets about the department).

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