TxDOT looks to crack down on medical priority boarding passes for Bolivar ferry

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- With more people using medical priority boarding passes for the ferry between Galveston and Bolivar, the state agency that runs the service is looking to crack down on the program.

TxDOT LOOKS TO CRACK DOWN ITS BOLIVAR FERRY MEDICAL PASS PROGRAM

The Texas Department of Transportation said it's looking at how people apply for its ferry medical passes. It's a program that allows users to skip wait times that can sometimes be three hours long.

"We feel like the new process, once we implement it, it'll be a way to reduce fraud, abuse and it would streamline the process," TxDOT spokesperson Danny Perez explained.

Right now, in order to get a pass, people turn in an application signed by a doctor. TxDOT is considering a virtual service where the doctor turns in the documents.

"We don't have a timeline, but we're working on it," Perez explained. We want to implement it as quickly as possible. It's something we want to make sure it's something we do correctly."

THE NUMBER OF MEDICAL PASS HOLDERS HAS GROWN SIGNFICANTLY

TxDOT launched the medical program in 2006. At the time, Perez said only a few hundred people had passes.

Now, it's climbed to more than 8,200. That's more than double the population on the Bolivar Peninsula.

"I think everything needs to be monitored," ferry user Robin Reid said. "If needed, they need to be given, but if not, they shouldn't have the right to pass everybody up."

Passholders ABC13 spoke to are okay with the application changes.

"I understand where they're coming from because people do take advantage for sure, but hopefully they do what they need to thoroughly to make sure people that actually need it, get it," Sianden Grant said.

DEPUTIES ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PASS SHARING USERS

On each pass, TxDOT said the name of the approved person is on it. In order to use the pass, they must be in the vehicle.

However, they've discovered sometimes people share the pass. "We've had situations where someone is using a relative's pass, and then they show it, and the sheriff's department can ask to make sure it's matching the name," Perez explained.

Perez said TxDOT can't check the passes, but the sheriff's office can. Over the last three years, deputies have found 84 people who were using passes of someone who wasn't in the vehicle.

If that happens, Perez said the pass gets revoked. While they work on a new application process, they're also trying to accommodate non-medical pass users.

If the line reached a certain point, Perez said they'll load half of the ferry with medical pass users, and the other half with everybody else.

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