Date: 02/04/2007

Source: Gauteng Provincial Government

Title: Jacobs: Langlaagte Licence Testing Centre Automation Pilot launch

Speech by MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works Ignatius Jacobs at the launch of the Langlaagte Automation Pilot, Langlaagte

'Producing better drivers for our province'

Programme Director
Honourable guests
Friends and colleagues
Ladies and gentlemen

The residents of our province demand and deserve a better quality service. As the department we are committed to delivering a system that will adequately redress the challenges identified and raised in the 2007 Legislature Opening Address by Premier Mbhazima Shilowa regarding the need for an equitable, fair and accessible Learner Booking System for our province.

The current Learners' Licence Test is being conducted manually and it consists of three books of multiple questions. The books have been in existence for many years now and this further raises the possibility of fraud and corruption.

There is also a continuously rising demand for drivers' licences in view of economic growth and the need for increased access to economic opportunities. The drivers' licence has therefore become an essential tool for such access.

There is considerable propensity for fraud and corruption in the current learners' testing system, with the possibility of human interference with the results of the current learners' licence test.

The challenges we face also relate to the following:

* the exchange of bribes for a favourable test result in the current testing system
* the test books are several years old, and they can be copied and sold to prospective applicants
* administrative bottlenecks and backlogs due to a travelling increased demand that follows more efficient centres of service.

The programmes and redress

Langlaagte Automation Pilot

Given the challenges relating to service delivery such as corruption and administrative bottlenecks at Drivers' Licence Testing Centres (DLTC), we, as the Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works, have deemed it necessary to pilot the turnkey automation of testing centres, starting with Langlaagte. This is being done with the view to improve the quality of service and to also limit the propensity for corrupt elements to temper with service delivery at the testing centres.

The pilot licence test that we are introducing will be fully run by the computer programme and this completely eliminates human interference as well as the propensity for the exchange of bribes for a pass. The test is also user friendly and it does not, at all, require computer literacy. It is a touch screen test.

In terms of the new system the person who applies for a licence test will be informed by the touch screen whether or not they have passed the test. The examiner will play an invigilator role. Pen and paper will no longer be required. The driver's licence test will also be fully automated, with cameras stationed inside and outside both the testing yard and the vehicle. The new test will also use electronic tracking on all these new vehicles.

We have spent more than R23 million on the project, purchasing the system and the vehicles that will be used for the driver's test. Two mobile trucks with learners' licence testing cubicles have also been purchased so as to enable access for people in remote areas and to also help school pupils to write their learners' test.

As a caring government, we are taking concrete steps to produce better drivers and to offer a corruption free service to the residents of our province and the people of our country. Bad drivers contribute to lack of safety on our roads and this also leads to unnecessary loss of lives. We cannot allow this to continue. Fraud puts incompetent drivers on our roads. It also leads to loss of revenue, also placing an unacceptable additional strain on our health services and the economy as a whole.

The Langlaagte Drivers Licence Testing Centre is situated in the South West of Johannesburg and is mostly used by people from Soweto and surrounding Johannesburg areas. It is the only site in Johannesburg that has been developed into a one stop shop i.e. police clearances, vehicle testing, motor vehicle registration and driver licence testing.

Lat year, we took the initiative and directed the department to look at the feasibility of rolling out and showcasing the complete pilot as of September 2006. Therefore, as part of the investigation, the Langlaagte Driving Licence Testing Centre was identified as a Centre where the system could be piloted and showcased to the entire province.

A project presentation was done on 14 July 2006 to the Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works and the Council of the City of Johannesburg. The department together with the City of Johannesburg was eager to roll out the system following feasibility outcomes which showed that this would have a positive impact on service delivery. We then set aside an amount of R23 million for the implementation of the pilot project. We also decided that the pilot outcomes would inform further implementation of the system in the province.

The system has four main facets, namely:

* a booking module
* the computerised learner's licence test
* mobile learner licence class
* technology to be installed in vehicles with transponders along the route for the road test.

The booking system

The booking system is computerised and it allows the driving licence testing centre to arrange bookings for driving licences according to their available resources. The system digitally registers the candidate's details, including biometrics, Identity Document barcode system, capture reservation of date and time of test, and integrated receipting of application fees.

The digital registration and recording of above-mentioned information eliminates the possibility that any other person other than the applicant taking the test is present on the day of the test.

Once the applicant has been registered, the system provides a seat number where the applicant needs to sit and be subjected to the learners' licence test. Once this has been provided, then the applicant is taught how to use the system, and this is done to familiarise the candidate with the test to be conducted.

Computerised learners licence test

This is a fully computerised learner's test that has a touch screen computer and all the questions in the system are randomised. Candidates writing a test, in the same room and at the same time, will be subjected to different tests at the same time. The applicant cannot predict the order of the questions. The tests are not the same, although the value of the tests is the same.

The system verifies the candidate by means of finger print bio-metrics before the test is done. The computer screen also displays the facial image of the candidate to confirm to the candidate the test venue and seat he or she should occupy while writing the test.

The system then prompts the candidate to have a trial test before the actual test to actually evaluate the familiarity with the test. If any of the candidates is not familiar, then the examiner for driving licences can assist. The system is very user friendly and once the test has been completed the results are made immediately available and onscreen.

Mobile learners' licence class

Two seven ton trucks have been acquired by the department equipped with 13 computerised learners' licence test stations, with air conditioning, video monitoring and tracking system. These vehicles will be used to bring the service to those areas that do not have a Driving Licence Testing centre or where the centre is far and not easily accessible to the people.

The two trucks are loaded with Personal Computers that have a Computerised Learners' Licence Test System.

The department is looking into utilising the vehicles as follows:

* to improve public access to government services
* to provide a training facility for users
* to bring the service to school premises for Grade 11 and 12 learners.

Electronic vehicle tracking

This a system that is used to monitor the learner driver while being tested for the driving licence. The vehicles that are used for the driving licence test are owned by the Department. The candidate's particulars pertaining to his or her learner's licence are retrieved on the system to verify the information provided by the candidate.

The examiner and the learner driver will use the vehicles fitted with cameras and route monitoring system. The yard is also fitted with Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) to monitor the test. The examiner will not use the paper exam sheet, but this is, instead, done by a computerised sheet that prompts the examiner to tick as and when necessary.

This tool can be used to monitor the examiner's performance and to provide training when performance is below average. As soon as the test is concluded the system immediately prints the results. If it is a pass the driving licence gets ordered immediately. If it is a fail the examiner can show the learner driver the reasons for failure.

The information and the video clips are stored for future reference. More than six sessions can be conducted a day and this system can be used even during weekends and after hours 24/7/365.

The complete solution at Langlaagte Driving Licence Testing Centre will comprise of the following:

* seventy seater Computerised Learners Licence System class room
* ten monitored light motor vehicles
* ten monitored heavy motor vehicles
* two heavy motor vehicles (7-ton) mobile learners licence classes
* twenty fully fitted driving licence examiners briefing rooms, including tablet computers for K53 testing
* twenty yard surveillance cameras
* seven robot monitoring transmitters
* positive impact
* improved service delivery
* reduction and elimination of corruption
* production of competent drivers
* value for money
* revenue from increased throughput
* cost savings from lower collision related costs
* cost savings from fewer forensic investigations
* reliable management information, accurate statistics available quickly
* centralised License Booking System roll-out.

The Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works (DPTRW) and the Gauteng Shared Service Centre (GSSC) have been working tirelessly to improve the learners and drivers licence booking process following the commitments made by Premier Mbhazima Shilowa at the opening of Legislature to turnaround licence booking in Gauteng.

The improved and fully automated licence booking system to be rolled out in phases starting 30 March 2007, is but one of the solutions that the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) will be implementing in the coming months to improve efficiency, convenience and transparency in the booking process.

The centralised booking system, implemented in conjunction with walk-in bookings aims to:

* provide a stable, high performing technology solution or environment that will enable citizens to access the Gauteng Provincial Government contact for licence bookings at all times
* provide a transparent and auditable solution that will give all stakeholders visibility into the end-to-end licence booking process with a view to eliminating fraud and corruption in the booking process
* to enable DLTCs to load resources, view bookings and confirm receipt of payments
* have a web-based licensing booking service for contact centre agents to utilise, enabling full visibility of resource capacity within all DLTCs in the province enable prospective learners to view their status on the waiting through the GPG portal: http://www.gautengonline.gov.za
* provide sms support providing confirmation of bookings, reminders and notifications to prospective learners.

Expected outcomes

* a stable contact centre environment ensuring reliable, easy and convenient access to licence bookings by the public within the GPG
* the new system will also provide intelligence (Management Information) to determine trends regarding demand versus supply, areas of concentration for such demand and demand split per license category; this will enable the department to better plan for capacity and resource deployment
* productivity of DLTCs will become visible, enabling an assessment of the need for additional DLTCs or any other resources within the province.

Benefit to the public

* quick and higher rates of bookings resulting in actual tests being undertaken, with optimal utilisation of resources within the DLTCs
* prospective learners and the public in general will in the medium to long term be able to view availability of slot through the GPG Portal so they can proactively determine the centre of choice
* minimised frustrations currently experienced by members of the public in not being able to get bookings; this occurrence will reduce and in time it will be eradicated
* improved access to booking process; across multiple interaction channels and SMS notifications and reminders, thereby giving the public a choice of access to bookings.

The planned system roll-out will be implemented on a region by region basis on the following dates:

Gauteng citizens will be able to start utilising the central booking service through the province's 0860 Gauteng/ 0860 42 88 364 number from the go-live dates mentioned above and walk-in bookings will also feed directly into a common and centralised system.

We have taken all of these initiatives so as to ensure that we rise to the challenge of delivering quality services to the Gauteng province. Working with you, the residents of Gauteng and all stakeholders, we have more reason to believe that we have turned the corner.

I thank you

Issued by: Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works, Gauteng Provincial Government
2 April 2007