Renewing My Non-Professional Driver’s License

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A week before the Lenten Holidays, I need to renew my diver’s license in order to avoid the penalty for late renewal. Ang bilis ng panahon, naka-three years na pala since my last renewal.

I had my previous transaction in LTO-Sta. Maria, Bulacan Branch. Unfortunately, they are encountering “fatal disk error” as posted on the window of the first step of processing where transactions for driver’s license (student permit and renewal) is not available. So I had to proceed to the nearest branch, Guiguinto, Bulacan.

As early as 9 am, there is already a long line for both renewals of driver’s license and application of student permit. Kahit mahaba ang pila, there are enough seats to accommodate drivers.

Upon entering the compound, a man already assisted me to have a medical test inside the compound as one of the main requirements (no drug test already). There are two  clinics for inside the compound.

Then, the same procedure is followed – submission of the application for evaluation, photo and signature capture, payment, and releasing of license.

According to the information sheets posted inside the compound, the renewal of a non-professional license will take about 120 minutes while professional driver’s license will be longer by 60 minutes due to the a driver's seminar.

But, there is already a disclaimer that renewal could take more or less 5 hour due to huge numbers of drivers and may take even longer depending on the performance of the computer system.

This means that from the supposed to be 2 hours, an additional 3 more hours to finish the entire process!

I finished the first three (3) steps for 2 hours and waited for the releasing station for about 4 hours. I was in the LTO for more or less six hours 

After 6 hours of waiting, I haven’t got the driver’s license card. The OR is stamped indicating that it can be used as temporary driver’s license for at most 1 year. I was also advised to go back to the branch after 6 months to get the new card.

With my recent experience in my driver's license renewal, here are some things I noticed and I think the agency needs to focus for improvement.

Medical

It is good that there is already medical clinics in the compound to give more convenience on the drivers. However, upon entering the clinic, no examination has been conducted to me. There are already forms properly filled-up and just put my name on the certificate and paid 250 pesos. No checking on my eyesight, weight, and hearing was conducted.

Lunch breaks

It is good that most government offices, like LTO, observe NO NOONTIME BREAK to continue the transaction and serve better. However, they lack the manpower to sustain the said policy.

I observed that one by one, the person in each station is missing and taking lunch breaks, understandable because they are also humans. But to properly fulfill the said policy, there should be at least two persons handling each terminal so there will be an alternate turn in taking their lunch breaks. I noticed that during the break, the person in charge of releasing is doing the photo and signature capture and payment.

Audio system

Though there are audio systems used to call the names of the drivers one of the station, the releasing, is not clear. I don’t know if the voice of the LTO officer or the audio itself has the problem. I can't hear my name when I was called to get my temporary driver’s license.

Ventilation

One thing that is good in this is that there are wall fans and air coolers installed all over the place which gives comfort to the drivers especially that day, the weather is very hot.

Aside from the ventilation, there are also TV screens to watch to reduce boredom while waiting for your turn.

I hope these observations will be used as tool for continual improvement to serve better.

Have you renewed your license lately?