The newly-commissioned Licensing Division mobile buses are expected to process 100 driver's permit renewals a day.

The buses made their first stop at the Cumana Community Centre, Toco on Thursday where several people were able to renew their permits in under 30 minutes.

The $700,000 buses were put into operation at the Caroni licensing office before being sent into communities.

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said the investment is worth the quality of service it is expected to provide.

"This is not necessarily a revenue earner, although we do earn revenue from the service, but the service that it offers far outweighs the cost of it.

"I can tell you, just by using these buses in the yard for the last three to four months, the revenue derived from it would have already paid off for the buses.

"Not everything can be calculated in dollars and cents, because if you look at the time people would now save to get their permits renewed, the cost of this bus and to operate it is significantly less than having a static office built in the area.'

Sinanan hopes the new service will reduce the stress on people living in rural areas.

"Once we find the areas that need the service, they will go. So the idea is for them to take services as wide as possible in Trinidad and Tobago. One of the buses will also be going to Tobago and this will be rolled out soon."

Next, the division will be launching a new-look driver's permit. Transport Commissioner Clive Clarke said there will also be a new and easier process to get the permits.

The first phase of this project includes a validation exercise where the division will authenticate records and update the driver's information before the new permit is issued.

The division is working to have this process, among other transactions, fully online.

The new permits were supposed to be launched in December.

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