Gov’t processes 55K+ digital vehicle registration tags in service’s 1st month
Puerto Rico drivers have renewed 55,851 vehicle registration tags through the platform launched by the government earlier this month. Of these, 33,550 were renewals of existing tags and 22,301 were new tags, known as “Marbete Digital,” from Sept. 1-25, according to government officials.
During a news conference, Puerto Rico’s chief technology officer, Antonio Ramos-Guardiola, and the executive director of the Driver Services Directory (DISCO, in Spanish), Mary Fuster-Romero, reminded the public that the deadline for renewing vehicle stickers is Sept. 30. Vehicles due for renewal by this date will receive electronic tags.
Fuster-Romero noted that “the phased implementation of this project allows us to adjust and address any questions that arise in each case.”
“We continue to guide vehicle owners and the owners of the 378 official inspection stations to ensure a successful transition,” she said.
Ramos-Guardiola added, “The digital tag is a transformation project that benefits more than 85% of our citizens … offers a digital payment option for annual fees, and reduces time spent in lines to complete this process.”
“While the digital tag is being implemented gradually and in stages, as with any digital transformation process, some confusion might naturally arise among the public,” the official continued. “However, the public should have the certainty that our government is focused on improving services and streamlining processes, and we are ready to address any issues that may arise.”
Ramos-Guardiola said agency officials have been providing in-person guidance at the island’s vehicle inspection stations and sales points “so that all personnel involved in the sticker renewal process are properly trained and equipped with the knowledge to assist citizens directly.”
Since the shift to the electronic sticker began earlier this month, Ramos-Guardiola, Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP, in Spanish) Secretary Eileen Vélez-Vega and Fuster-Romero, along with their teams, have visited inspection centers to identify and rectify issues.
“These visits to where the action happens have served us well in addressing several user experience issues that we have observed and could improve,” Ramos-Guardiola stated. “There are always opportunities to continue optimizing processes, and firsthand knowledge of citizen concerns has helped us identify how to improve our user experience while incorporating tools to eliminate waste in the inspection and renewal processes.”
Fuster-Romero said they monitor sticker inventory daily through transactions conducted at the inspection stations.
“We’re in close communication with the stations, and especially in these last days of the month when driver’s license renewal transactions rise; we check the digital sticker inventory status to issue the necessary ones. We have not encountered issues at the centers,” she said.
