A new computerized Vehicle Management System to be rolled out at all Examination Depots of the Island Traffic Authority was launched at a Press Conference at the Offices of the Ministry of Transport and Mining on Wednesday, January 11, 2017.

Under this new System, all motor vehicle and Driver’s Licence information that is currently captured manually, will be computerized. Features of the System will allow for:

• Computerized issuing and printing of Motor Vehicle Fitness Certificates

• Viewing of motor vehicle information

• Fitness Reports being done within a specific time period

• Fitness Reports being done per vehicle type

• Fitness Reports being done per Certifying Officer/Inspector

• Fitness Reports being done per Depot.

Speaking at the Launch, Transport and Mining Minister Mike Henry said that the new System is a work in progress and will feed into the Transport Plan being developed. He said that the new System is a critical step in the modernization of operations at the ITA and will embrace the use of technology in a great way. The Minister also used the opportunity to highlight the fact that the Launch should not be seen in isolation to other elements of other initiatives such as the overhaul of the new Road Traffic Bill; the New Licence Plate System and the new ID System being looked at by the Government. He congratulated the Island Traffic Authority for work done in bringing the Launch to fruition and promised that he would be continuing the ongoing improvement of the physical infrastructure of ITA plants around the island.

Also speaking at the ceremony was Mr. George Wright of Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) who explained that the TAJ that they would be working with in tandem with the ITA to reduce the existing bureaucracy with respect to the licensing and registering of motor vehicles. He said the Launch of the System was a good move on the way to achieving a paperless system and signal the way of the future.

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, Dr. Janine Dawkins noted that she was proud to be associated with the initiative, hailing it as ‘a great step on the road to moderniization’.

For her part, Commissioner of the Revenue Project Division, Retired Major Johanna Lewin also welcomed the initiative. She said that its Launch would assist in putting a dent in the problem of revenue loss occasioned by problems such as the cloning of vehicles and fraudulent motor vehicle papers.

As part of the new System, a mobile app will be used by Certifying Officers which will see computerized Driver’s Licence Exams; the availability of computerized scores and exam results in real time; the provision of a report of total passes and failures of driver’s licence applicants as well as the updating and uploading of Drivers’ Licence information both internally and externally.

This is the pilot phase of the roll-out of the system and is scheduled to start at the Swallowfield Depot on Thursday, January 12.