DVDL to text drivers about fees due

| 10/12/2018 | 48 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): As the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing (DVDL) seeks to widen the use of technology to improve customer services, drivers will soon begin receiving text messages from the department to remind them that their vehicle licences are coming due for renewal. DVDL also has a new widget on its website’s home page allowing customers to check if their new electronic licence plate is available for collection by typing in their plate number. 

DVDL director David Dixon said that the text message service was being implemented due to customer demand. “We’re excited to roll out this service, because it’s one that customers have been asking for,” he said. “Everyone has busy lives and sometimes these things slip our minds. This is a way for us to help make life a little easier for our customers.”

The service was developed in partnership with the e-Government Unit, the Computer Services Department and the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure. DVDL customers will receive up to three SMS reminder messages leading up to the expiry date, starting one month before.

Commerce Minister Joey Hew, who has been promising an increase in online services to cut red tape, said he was thrilled with the latest new service. “Government wants to ensure that we find more ways to save our people time and hassle, and these new offerings provide them with that needed convenience and efficiency,” he added.

The director of e-Government, Ian Tibbetts, admitted that these new services do not eliminate the need to go to the DVDL but that it removes some of the difficulty in accessing some services and saves customers significant time.

The department also recently introduced an online guest vehicle renewal service, where customers who have a current vehicle inspection document, their licence details and a digital or scanned copy of their insurance showing the vehicle is currently covered can pay for the renewal and inspection through the online portal.

 “We’re still working to have more of our services available online, but we believe that these new offerings will really help to ease some of the stresses our customers face, and that’s our ultimate goal,” Dixon added.

More details of the on-line services at DVDL can be found at the DVDL website or through the e-services portal.

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Comments (48)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The guy who has my old phone number is really going to be pissed!

  2. Anonymous says:

    govt seems a bit greedy these days…people just dont have money? place expensive

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  3. Anonymous says:

    When can we book Driving Test Appointments on line? What does it take a 3-4 months to get a date for a driving test? In most countries it is a few weeks.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Great. More Spam.

  5. Anonymous says:

    This is good news and to be able to renew your vehicle license online is FANTASTIC.

    The only complaint that I have, is the length of time you have to wait in the express line at the Crew Road Licencing when you go to turn in the yellow plates for the new ones. I did that last week and had to wait almost an hour for the person to retrieve the new plates from the warehouse. Maybe speeding this process up might be something to look in to.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Kyd$1.5mln was budgeted for the Tönnjes RFID plate fiasco to Dec 2016 (spread over two budget periods)…which works out to $33,000 per car. You have to really wonder how far this hole has deepened during this period, considering how many yellow or missing plates are still around. Where did all of this money go?

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    • Jotnar says:

      Out of curiosity how do you get to $33k per vehicle? You saying only 45 vehicles have been licensed? Or is math not your strong point?

  7. Anonymous says:

    Commenters here can be so frustrating.

    I read comments like “they don’t have my phone number”, this breaches Data Protection and all sorts of other silly comments.

    If they don’t have a valid cellular number for you then you just won’t get the reminder!
    If you want to get the reminder, update your contact information.

    How would this be violating Data Protection Law? They didn’t get the information from someone else to use, they are not giving it to anyone else to use, they using information we gave them to get in contact with us!

    This department is trying to provide a service they thought would be helpful but instead of acknowledging the usefulness of the service, a bunch of whiners complain about everything else “wrong” with the department!

    Have any of you ever tried to renew license tags or drivers licenses in New York or any other big city for that matter?

    Stop complaining about everything!

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  8. Alfred says:

    DVDL does not have my phone number and if they did I’m sure it’s outdated. Also I never gave you my number to text me. I’m sure there is something in data protection that is being breached.

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    • No state citizen says:

      Perhaps you should read the Data Protection Law before making stupid comments.

      They are not selling or giving your information to anyone else for other purposes.
      They would be using the contact information given to them by you to contact you to conduct their business.

      If you don’t want to be reminded I am sure they are not going to try to convince you, it was just a service to try to assist customers, particularly with the new tags that do not show a specific date that it expires.

      People here are so ignorant.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Mi have phone but mi no have no credit.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    I got the text last week. Nipped down to DVDL in Town and boy was I surprised. I was met by a smiling lady who pointed me in the right direction. I was in and out in 15 min. I will now renew my Drivers license online in January. World Class Civil Service is happening. Thanks to Minister Hew and theTeam.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    OMG is this all they have to announce? Sending a text message reminder??? Joey, you must be able to do better than this.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Well, I guess he could say that they have done sweet FA about regulating the vendors on public beach, but otherwise no, not sure they do have anything to add.

  12. OneVoice says:

    It is always good to think forward. But I do believe before you start up another customer service portal, you should get things in order first . The disorder that is currently at the DVDL is unbearable. They have 6 windows and at any giving time only 2 are open with what appears to be staff walking about in the back offices with nothing to do. I do understand breaks but I do believe that this must be streamed lined . Open 7am to 12noon close 12:30 to 2pm lunch break for all staff open 2:30 to 5:30 That way all stations are opened at these time making waiting time less and the frustration level for both parties a little less. Think out of the box government departments . also a smile would help and keeping the personal chatter to a minimum. Just my 2 cents

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  13. Anonymous says:

    What’s the license fee for motorized bicycles and scooters?

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  14. Confused says:

    How are they planning to do this when they don’t have my telephone number?

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  15. Tom says:

    They need sort out these front desk officers as they are useless and too slow also keep all front desk open when more than 10 people all times.

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  16. Travis says:

    I received a text for the first time from DVDL last week with license expiry date and a prod to renew online. I renewed online in approximately 3 minutes and paid online as well. They are sending our renewal papers in the mail within 3 working days. Top notch!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t speak too soon…still needs to get into “your” PO Box

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    • Anonymous says:

      Well done Travis. However, this is of no help when you have to go and wait to have your car inspected, or a myriad of other things that they are unwilling to do unless you show them your pretty face.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    If they want to “save customers significant time” maybe they should concentrate on cutting the wait time at their licensing department. A good start would be to set a target of 15 minutes maximum wait time per customer.

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    • Anonymous says:

      encouraging people to renew on line will do just that! You can save lots of time doing it online. By doing so you free up the lines.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Will they also text those that don’t bother to pay fees, register their vehicles or have insurance?

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  19. How very convenient says:

    And there was me thinking that applying the date that the license expires to the disc which is affixed your car windshield would be an adequate reminder of when it might expire, after all, it’s not like you stare at it every day ?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Does not work like that now. If you stare at a new one all day now, it’ll just show from when it was issued. Even if you stare really hard.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Don’t text and drive.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    Why not just getting the website to work properly. I got just one license renewal before it started giving me an error which nobody seems to be able to fix.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Thanks Mr. Dixon and Minister Hew. So, instead of us having to remember to come there and sit down and wait for 90mins, you will send us a reminder text that we have to come there and sit down and wait for 90mins.

    BRAVO!

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  23. Anonymous says:

    Got mine last week, thought it was a great idea as my insurance and licensing are 6 months apart, I would have missed the inspection if I didn’t get it.

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  24. land crab says:

    I trust the DVDL will send a text to the well connected owner of the Trolley Roger to advise him that due to documented public concern that his contraption is dangerous and a traffic obstruction, that it’s licence will NOT be renewed.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I was behind that thing the other day watching it sway left and right! It doesn’t look safe at all,

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      • Anonymous says:

        That’s because it’s not.

        That’s why it is driven at about 20mph everywhere.

        That’s why it pisses off every motorist that is inconvenienced by it, every day.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    Can I text back ‘yes I want to renew, I’ll do whatever you ask, just please don’t make me come to your building’, and get my new sticker in the mail?

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