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Senior Reporter
Nearly 600 000 people have so far written the e-learner’s licence at 20 Vehicle Inspectorate Department depots countrywide.
The VID and Road Motor Transportation (RMT) are among the many parastatals under the purview of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development mandated to ensure safety on Zimbabwe’s roads and enforce compliance to regulations.
In a statement, the ministry said VID had a mandate to test drivers and provide vehicle inspection services to ensure safety of both motorists and travelling citizens.
“From 2018 to date, in the Second Republic, the VID has managed to automate learner licence testing and garage inspection systems under the e-Government Programme,” said the Ministry. “The electronic learner’s licence testing (ELLT) was launched at VID Eastlea in Harare on April 15, 2019.
“The system has the following functions: Booking and biometric capturing; receipting; test writing and electronic marking; issuing of electronic learner licence certificate; and a daily transaction detailed report.
“The ELLT and e-garage inspection systems are active at 20 VID depots countrywide So far 577 504 electronic learner’s licence tests have been written and a total of 6 501 electronic garage inspections were undertaken. The following outstanding four VID depots will be done by August 2023: Rusape, Gweru, Hwange and Beitbridge.”
The Ministry said in addition to these developments, Government was increasing funding towards the installation, recalibration and upgrading of weigh bridges at depots across the country. Since 2018, VID has managed to automate learner licence testing and garage inspection systems under the e-Government Programme.
On Road Motor Transportation, the Ministry said the RMT’s mandate was derived from the Road Motor Transportation Act and PSV Regulations S.I. 134 of 1998, which provides for licensing, registration and regulation of passenger and freight transport operators.
“RMT’s strategic objective is to improve road safety and security,” said the Ministry. “In line with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1), improved road transport services are critical in improving accessibility, and facilitating both domestic, regional, and international trade through easing the movement of goods and people.
“In the Second Republic, RMT opened two provincial offices in Marondera, Mashonaland East Province and Victoria Falls in Matebeleland North Province, between 2018 and 2022. In support of Government policy of decentralisation and devolution, RMT is now in all the country’s 10 provinces. This is meant to achieve improved access to our services by transport operators.”
RMT is now involved in transport planning at provincial and local levels.
Road Motor Transport launched an automated operator’s licence platform that is integrated to the Central Vehicle Registry driver’s schedule and the VID garage inspection systems.
When one applies for an operator’s licence, the system validates the list of drivers in the CVR database as well as the garage report in the VID system.
In addition, automation of the operator’s licence module enables the decentralisation of the issuance of these licences at provincial sites.
The introduction of the new system has improved service turnaround times.
So far, 5 338 operator’s licences, with a total vehicle count of 10 075, have been issued through the system.
The operator’s licence system provides: A real time electronic database of operators per operator; type integration with CVR and VID to verify authenticity of driver’s schedule and garage reports; daily transaction detailed reports; segregation of system roles of data capturing, verification and approval of licenses.
“Furthermore, RMT successfully lobbied for the policy on duty-free importation of public service buses. Since August 2022, bus operators have imported more than 165 brand new buses each with a seating capacity of more than 26 passengers. The policy is meant to capacitate bus operators to complement the services offered by the Zupco. “Projects underway include the deployment of the route authority module under the ZIMTIS project. This module is being installed at the head office. This will be a pilot project, and will be deployed to all the 10 RMT stations by the first quarter of 2023. Cross border permits modules are currently in the development stage and will be deployed during the second and third quarters of 2023,” the Ministry said.
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