“Skip the Transport Division trip and handle it from your home.”
That’s the advice of Transport Commissioner Clive Clarke as the Licensing Division launched an Online Driver’s Permit Renewal System, Online Certified Copy System, and Certified Copy via a Kiosk System on Tuesday.
With the launch, citizens will not have to leave their homes to apply for both services as they can pay for the Certified Copies and Driver’s Permit online and receive them directly via TTPost or at a TT Connect Centre.
Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the new system is expected to significantly reduce foot traffic at the various offices when rolled out by next week.
“You could apply for your permit one month in advance, right, before it’s expired. So you don’t have to wait until the day your permit expires to have a renewal, okay. You could apply a month before, and within five days you have your permit.”
Transport Commissioner Clive Clarke said Licensing Offices across the country issue as many as 8,000 certified copy requests per month and over 3,000 requests for Driver’s Permit renewals, but pointed out that there are some licensing transactions that could never be done online.
“Transfers of a vehicle, the law requires that the person must visit the Licensing Office for transfer to take place. You still have transactions whereby persons who might be coming to have their vehicle checked because they might need chassis amendments, or you might have issues in terms of wanting to change the colour or the engine, the officer must see those things on the vehicle to initiate those changes.”
Minister of Digital Transformation, Hassel Bacchus, said while the Online Renewal Driver’s Permit System will take effect from next Monday, and the Online Certified Copy and Kiosk Systems will be deployed two weeks thereafter, he will ensure they are efficient and secure before the official launch.
“There are a couple of things. One of the things about digital systems and I want to stress, I can’t stress this enough, is that we have to ensure not just that the thing is transactionally efficient, but that it is secure. And one of the things that I have stressed to all of my colleagues and the teams and any of the Ministries that we work is that from a security standpoint we will test, test, retest, and revalidate.”
Chairman of the T&T Postal Corporation, Dr. Michael Seales, said this partnership places TTPost in a strong position to meet the demands of the initiative.
“Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation understands that we are not merely delivering driving permits or certified copies. We are delivering convenience and peace of mind all from the click of a button.”
Minister Sinanan denied claims that the introduction of this technology will displace staff, noting the mobile buses have seen over 16,000 transactions in the last two years.
“We park the bus, and you can do any transaction. Obviously, except for inspection at these mobile buses. And I can tell you during the COVID period, they would have significantly, because there was a big backup during that period. So, the Transport Division, they’re using technology, but it is not displacing any staff.”
The online system was developed in-house at a cost of TT$250,000.