In the last week, several new 16-year-olds have left the Dallas County Licensing Commission with broken hearts.

They’ve just been denied the fruits of a year’s labor and no one is happy about it.

The Department of Public Safety issued a press release Friday, warning the public about problems in the state’s new computer system.

That means in Dallas County, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

“You know how computers are,” Licensing Commissioner Susie P. Watkins said. “They can be up one minute and down the next.”

For some Dallas County youths, that means 16 years of waiting to drive legally stretches on a little long.

“I feel sorry for little teenagers,” Watkins said. “They went through all the procedures of trying to get their licenses…that’s a let down.”

Watkins is forced to beg for patience from the public until the system is 100 percent again.

According to the state, only replacement licenses and learners’ permits are affected.

While the system is down, no driver licenses may be issued; however, license

reinstatement services are unaffected, and copies of driver records and

wreck reports may still be obtained.

“The department is utilizing all available resources to ensure that the

system is back up and running as soon as possible,” said Public Safety

Director Col. W.M. Coppage. “I regret the delays and inconvenience to the

public.”

A new, state-of-the-art driver license issuance system, slated for

installation in early 2005, will help eliminate such technical difficulties

in the future, said Coppage.

Watkins said the system was up as of yesterday, and said she hoped it would stay up.

Still, she has no illusions.

“It’s out of our hands,” she said.