By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE Road Traffic Department will roll out its new $8m automated system on October 11, eliminating “handwritten vehicle information discs” and streamlining the licensing and registration processes, RTD Controller Ross Smith said yesterday.

At a press conference at the RTD’s temporary Thomas A Robinson Stadium location, Mr Smith said the new electronic system will make it easier for persons to license their vehicles and put an end to having to register the same vehicle every year.

He said while there will be no increase in licensing fees, there will be a one-time $30 payment for a new license plate and initial registration.

Mr Ross stressed that there is no need for persons to rush to get their vehicles licensed, as the process of licensing your vehicle during your birth month will remain the same.

“The registration of clients and the processing of payments will change. The vehicle inspection steps will remain manual and will continue to be executed at the three RTD locations - the parking lot of the Eastern Grandstand, Carmichael Road and West Bay Street,” Mr Smith said.

“In addition we will have two offices open in the first instance, here at the stadium and the other at Carmichael. Driver’s license services will continue at the Clarence A Bain Building for the moment. We are working to relocate those services to a new temporary location at the stadium by December. The licensing process by birth month will continue. There will be no need for any mad rush to our offices. “There is no need for persons who have already had their licenses done to come to this location. We are confident that with the technical and operational support, we will be ready to provide a greater level of service when we officially introduce this system in October. So everything will be manual and once you are registered, you will never have to register again. When you come back the second time, that process will be cut out and you will only have to go to the inspection and then to the cashier and pay. We are also now accepting debit and credit cards.”

Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said the new system is long overdue and will eliminate “risks” and long-standing issues.

“With a wholly manual system, we had lots of risks and in a developing country such as ours, with one of your primary (revenue) generators to be working on a manual system, it does not reflect well on the progress or the health of a nation in terms of doing business and so there was every single reason for this to take place,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.

“For the first couple of months you will have a dual system of plates with the old plates and the new plates. We are not requiring persons who have already registered to come back and pay more money and do it again. When you come back again you will flow into the new system. The disc on the windshield will no longer carry the owner’s name, so you will now have confidentiality, for the first time.”

The new automated system also will be offered in the Family Islands.