#204: Why Texas DMV Chose $6M in Planning Over $150M (Plus TDLR's 25-Program Modernization)

Written by Joe Toste | Jun 27, 2025 5:34:19 AM

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Featuring

Wendy Barron, CIO, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Courtney Arbour, Executive Director, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

What You’ll Learn

How choosing $6 million in planning funds over $150 million in immediate funding can lead to better modernization outcomes at Texas DMV
The strategic approach to consolidating 25+ programs and 8 legacy licensing systems at TDLR into a unified platform
How Texas DMV interfaces with 254 counties through 500+ Tax Assessor Collector offices and plans to streamline manual processes using RPA
The innovative use of regulatory authority to combat human trafficking through emergency facility closures and cross-agency data sharing
Why building relationships with vendor communities and stakeholder feedback loops drives successful transformation in government

Timestamps

(03:00) Why Licensing is Workforce Development: Career Transition Strategy
(05:00) $6M vs $150M: How DMV Chose Planning Over Quick Implementation
(08:00) 25+ Programs, 8 Legacy Systems: TDLR's Consolidation Strategy
(11:00) Solving the "Page 10 Error": RPA for 500+ County Tax Offices
(16:00) 35 Facilities Closed: Using Tech Authority to Combat Human Trafficking
(18:00) Multi-State CIO Networks: Learning from Florida, California, Arizona
(21:00) Innovation Sources: Vendor Partnerships and Stakeholder Feedback Loops
(25:00) 2025 Execution Plan: Balancing Quick Wins with Long-Term Vision
(27:00) New York's Planning Failures: Expensive Lessons for Texas Modernization

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