The National Department of Transport (NDT) has announced the return of the driving licence card production machine to full production after maintenance and part replacement. The machine’s increased production will address the backlog of 350,000 cards accumulated over the past five weeks, bringing relief to members of the public.
Furthermore, the NDT plans to launch a new driving licence card system before the end of the current financial year. The Department informed the public in May 2023 that the card production machine would be out of service for three weeks to replace a broken part discovered during a routine check. The machine underwent another two weeks of testing to ensure its optimal functionality. During this period, its production capacity dropped to 60,000 cards in three weeks.
Now that the machine is back at full capacity, it can produce approximately 120,000 cards per week, marking a significant increase that will help clear the existing backlog by August 2023. Since its inception in 1998, the driving licence card production machine has printed over 60 million cards, with an average annual production of 2.85 million cards in the past two financial years.
The Department is currently working on introducing a new driving licence card, approved by the Cabinet in August 2022. This new card will bring with it upgraded card production machines to replace the existing one, marking a new era in the driving licence card environment.
The introduction of the new card system is set to improve efficiency and streamline the entire process. While details on the new card’s features and enhancements are yet to be disclosed, it’s clear that the NDT is committed to modernizing the driving licence landscape while addressing the needs of the public.
In the meantime, the Department has put in place a catch-up plan to tackle the backlog caused by the machine’s downtime, with the goal of clearing it by the end of August 2023. This plan ensures that those waiting for their driving licence cards will receive them in a timely manner, bringing peace of mind to thousands of applicants.
The announcement indicates the Department’s commitment to keeping the public informed and signals a step forward in improving the driving licence card system. As the NDT continues to innovate and evolve, it remains dedicated to serving the needs of the public while embracing new technologies and systems.
As the driving licence card production machine resumes its full capacity and the new card system approaches its launch, members of the public can expect improvements in efficiency and user experience. With these advancements, the National Department of Transport is paving the way for a more streamlined and modernized future in the realm of driving licence cards.
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