My Step Son has completed all the requirements to take his drivers license exam, but all the near-by DPS stations (Will Clayton, Spring, Liberty, etc.) are booked solid through the end of August to make an appointment.

Can anyone recommend a DPS site that he might be able to take the test sooner?

He's worked so hard to get ready for his test and I hate to see him wait another month, or longer, to take the test.

I don't mind driving a few extra miles to a DPS facility if it means we can get him in sooner.

Thanks ... 

Luckily, I haven't had to use one in a good while...

A lot of people use this one... 

Thanks Monza, it's been nearly 50 years since I had to do this.

Of all the DPS sites I checked, I left out Cleveland, but I'll call them first thing in the morning ... it's after 6:00 pm, so I'm sure they're closed now.

I'm told that summertime is a bad time to schedule a test drive, because all the kids are signing up for their ride.

Thanks again ... 

What about the one in either Dayton or Liberty, maybe even Livingston?

The Houston-Spring Mega Center lets you make online appointments.

Link to the DPS official site 

Oma, I read on KU an old thread about this very topic and someone posted that the Livingston branch wasn't very friendly to people from Kingwood and almost always flukes them the first time around. Hard to say is that's true, or not, but it planted a seed in my brain.

Liberty doesn't have any openings until August 22nd ... didn't think about about Dayton, so I'll look into it.

In the meantime, I think we'll just do a "walk in" at the Spring Mega Center and plan on sitting there all day, if necessary hoping for an opening. I've got a book I'm reading, so it might be a good opportunity to finish reading it.

As a precaution, however, the wife did set an appointment date at the Spring branch for the 27th of August (she didn't know he could get in at Liberty on the 22nd, so I may cancel that appointment and reschedule at Liberty).

Thanks for the suggestions, much appreciated!

Fun, fun, fun ... eh? 

Pepper - when DH renewed his license in March, we went to the SMC and he made an appointment online. We kept checking the time until it was 1 hour out and then we drove in from the lake (we were up there working).

Also, I would check every single day to see if any appts have opened up. Someone may cancel and you be online setting up at the same time...you may luck out.

I do not envy you. The SMC was a great people watching opportunity. Would you believe that some people bring their whole family for the wait, not just mom/dad/teen, but mom/dad/grandma/grandpa/dozen kids/probably the whole neighborhood. Couldn't believe the number of people in one family that was waiting. I love people watching.

Oh, and they do have entertainment - watching the monitors scroll the numbers....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 

Also, I would check every single day to see if any appts have opened up. Someone may cancel and you be online setting up at the same time...you may luck out

That's an excellent suggestion, Oma.

Actually, I've heard from others that the Spring Mega Center is pretty nice ... however, I agree that it's not necessary to bring the whole family.

Only the student and one parent (maybe both) needs to be there, but not all the siblings, cousins, nephews, nieces and grandparents ... 

don't forget neighbors and coworkers and strangers picked up from the street corner!!!! hahahahahahahahahaha


Oh, they have a coffee pot, think the coffee is free, not for sure. 

Free coffee?

Well, that settles it ... we're going to the Spring branch.

He got his learners permit in Liberty and they didn't offer coffee, or anything for that matter. 

I think the coffee is to compensate for the long, long wait. I can't swear that it's free, but there was a coffee pot and paper cups. Can't even say if there was sugar and powdered creamer. 

Well, we took a chance and drove to the Spring Mega Center earlier this morning hoping they'd take a walk-in ... no luck, though.

But the good news is, he got a firm appointment for next Thursday morning.

Oma, I was really impressed with the Spring Mega Center! Nice and clean and the staff was extremely polite and helpful.

Best experience I've ever had at a DMV ... however, I didn't find the coffee pot :( 

They may have had to remove it since the price of coffee has skyrocketed. It was there back in March.

Did they say if you can follow your appt. time by text? It lets you know if you've moved up or back in the line. That may only happen if you set the appt up by text or online...I don't know.

Glad he got a firm appt., now we can have another teenage driver. :-) 

Did they say if you can follow your appt. time by text?

That won't be necessary. All we have to do is be there 10 minutes prior to his appointment time and pull into the lanes on the side of the building and the examiner comes to your car.

They said we wouldn't even have to come in the building. 

pull into the lanes on the side of the building and the examiner comes to your car.


Sounds like a drive in...wonder if he'll come out on roller skates...LOL 

"May I take your order, please?"

:) 

Y'all are funny! LOL 

We'd like 4 right turns, 1 red light stop, 3 left turns, and a parallel park...and could we follow that up with a new license, please... 

We went out and practiced parrallel parking this afternoon and he did really good. Hopefully he'll do good on his test.

Maybe, just maybe, the Vietnam Vet license plate on my car ( which he''ll take the test in ) will earn him some points. 

They most the time skip parallel parking :) wish the little whipper snapper good luck for me! 

He "nailed" the parallel parking test and passed his exam.

Called the insurance company and had him put on the car policies ... :(

That's the only downside to him having his license, but oh well.

We've been car shopping, so the next step is to get him his own car. 

UGH! try having 3 boys under 25 on the insurance.. that hurts! My oldest will be 25 this year thank god! but my adopted son is only 23.

they can't afford insurance on their own because of their ages. So on our policies at least they can afford that.

Glad he passed, tell him grats from me! 

Thanks Angie, I'll let him know.

I got the amended cost to our insurance and it's not as bad as I thought it'd be ($460 additional per year), however; he's going to buy a new car next week and that will be the killer!

Fortunately he can pay for his own insurance and he'll will reimburse me for the added cost. 

Congratulations to the new driver. I know he is thrilled to death!


I remember how excited I was when I got my buggy license back in the dark, dark ages. :-) 

Oma, he was very thrilled and for a kid who normally doesn't say much, he was a real chatter box driving home.

I got me one of those "buggy licenses", too, with an "M" endorsement on it ... meaning "multiple horses" ... :) 

I've got just the car for him...show him my profile picture...he can get to school very quick...lol 

Pepper, they limited me to a Shetland pony, I failed parallel parking and had a lead foot. 

Monza, that's a cool looking car. How come I haven't it seen on the streets? There's no mistaking it!

Oma, sorry you got stuck with the Sheland Pony, did they let you upgrade to the "Pinto" later in life? 

Monza, that's a cool looking car. How come I haven't it seen on the streets? There's no mistaking it!


It's not street legal...drag strip only


 

Monza, I can't see the picture from my iPad, so I'll have to look at it when I'm on my laptop.

Are you a dragster (as in cars ... :))?

ETA: Oma, there's your opening :) 

Yeah, I use to...there is no picture till you click the play arrow