NDLS - National Driver Licence Service centres (Qs, waiting times, etc)

Mars Bar

Does anyone know what the story is with the National Drivers Licence Service? Does the change with the photography come in to effect tomorrow or later in the month and where is the location for this?

I went in to the motor tax office this morning to apply for my licence but the queue was up past the Western!

EDIT: The queue was because it's the last day to declare your vehicle off the road.

galwaytt

Mars Bar wrote: »

Does anyone know what the story is with the National Drivers Licence Service? Does the change with the photography come in to effect tomorrow or later in the month and where is the location for this?

I went in to the motor tax office this morning to apply for my licence but the queue was up past the Western!

EDIT: The queue was because it's the last day to declare your vehicle off the road.

....ahem: you were in the wrong queue then ! There is a separate one for licences

Mars Bar

I didn't join any queue!

Should have gone in the door to see anyway...I might get back in before closing time.

biko

It might still be busy tomorrow. If you have time, give it a day or two.

Mars Bar

I got in earlier. Silently pitying those who were waiting in that ridiculous queue!

D Trent

Anyone intending to renew/apply for either a learner permit or driving licence is required bring their forms to their local motor tax office or driving licence centre at their local authority. This will change as of October 29th 2013 whereby motorists/prospective motorists will be required to travel to the NDLS centre in their county in order to have their photograph taken and have it scanned onto their new licence/learner permit. Motorists will no longer be able to use 'passport photos' taken in various pharmacy stores for their licence.

Dord

Ehh thanks?

bazz26

This was already mentioned in another thread recently.

D Trent

A motorist residing in the county of Galway for example has a choice of two NDLS centres to attend in order to have their photograph taken and driving licence processed;

A part-time clinic or kiosk will be located at the Station House Hotel in Clifden, Co. Galway

A full-time office will be located at Block 1, Cityeast Business Park, Ballybrit, Galway city.

These are the only two locations motorists residing in Galway MUST attend when renewing/applying for a driving licence as of October 29th 2013

wonski

How many offices are opened at this moment, where you can apply for the licence / permit in Galway?

CiniO

Yes.
I heard about it, and now I'm waiting for 29th to apply for my driving permit.

wonski

CiniO wrote: »

Yes.
I heard about it, and now I'm waiting for 29th to apply for my driving permit.

Is it now going to be closer to you? What is the reason?

I don't feel affected by this change at all to be honest, but interested to see if this is improvent or not...

CiniO

wonski wrote: »

Is it now going to be closer to you? What is the reason?

I don't feel affected by this change at all to be honest, but interested to see if this is improvent or not...

When it comes to Mayo motor tax office, the way they operate is unacceptable.
Every time I'm there, I go out agitated.

So the less I have to go there - the better.

alexlyons

Here in the one in leopardstown. Absolute nightmare.

No ticketing system and the camera system is on the blink...

So everyone is rushing around and no one knows who's next, people try to make a list of order and the centre are struggling to keep up with it.

They seemed to have opened way to early

price690

i've been to 2 of these centres in the last 2 days in relation to getting my licence renewed and the systems have been down both times.

Does anyone know if they are up and running yet? Don't want to be going all the way into Ennis again only to be told i'm wasting my time.

Don't even think theres a phone number to ring the particular office to check

brady73

I went to Ballyogan this evening to find it closed with notice in window - "We have experienced a very high level of demand for our services today. We regret we are not in a position to accept further applications today..." There was nobody inside, staff or customers?!?!

I also love their claim of more convenient opening hours, namely 9 to 5, Mon to Fri. Oh and 9 to 2 on Sat... Any guesses how busy Saturdays are going to be?? Why roll out a service that clearly is not ready?

CiniO

I was planning going tomorrow to Castlebar to apply for provisional.
Looks like I should go early in the morning to make it before they fill their daily applications quota.

brady73

For sure! Guess I'll be up early Sat morning, the joys

rovoagho

Walked into the Cork centre yesterday, queue was out the door; walked back out again. Guess I'll have to wait a week or two to lose my licence.

ted1

How did the post office not get the contract?

mad m

brady73 wrote: »

I went to Ballyogan this evening to find it closed with notice in window - "We have experienced a very high level of demand for our services today. We regret we are not in a position to accept further applications today..." There was nobody inside, staff or customers?!?!

I also love their claim of more convenient opening hours, namely 9 to 5, Mon to Fri. Oh and 9 to 2 on Sat... Any guesses how busy Saturdays are going to be?? Why roll out a service that clearly is not ready?

What time were you there at? I was up there with my wife and daughter, queued for over an hour but got sorted. About 20 behind my wife and daughter and this was at half two.

brady73

Got there about 4:40pm. Knew I was pushing it but they are supposed to be open till 5pm? Not looking forward to queue on Sat morning but no choice I guess. Otherwise it'll be time off work

ABajaninCork

Is anybody surprised?

Truckermal

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Is anybody surprised?

 

Sounds about right. Mayhem it promised. Mayhem it delivered.

Lol at that comment..

Bellview

this service is a disgrace in form it is currently set up.

i went this am to Limerick and what i have observed in my visit is that these centers are a 'riot' waiting to happen. I arrived in Parkway Sc at 8am so I could be early as I had a commitmemt at 10am (I have an optimistic gene). On arriving there were already 6 in the queue. the center did not open until 9.15am which by that time there were 40/50 in the queue. on opening the center only one lady manned a desk while the other lady was trying to arrange an electrician for a blown bulb and forming a queue. It was well after 9.30am before both desks were operating.

While in the queue we were all chatting and there was a guy who spent 5 hours there yesterday and had to return today as he was missing some piece of paper yesterday, another lady was her third effort to get in. The queueing time is unacceptable as there is no water, toilets or even enough seats in place when people are queuing.. there are elderly people, those with young children etc queueing for far too long

Also I downloaded my form online to only discover this is no use as there is no bar code... so no advantage in getting prepared using online material

the issue for me is
1. not enough desks
2. not manning the desks that they already have - hire people!
3. RSA need to come out and fix their supplier ie penalty clauses/ threaten termination and start the steps, I'm sure someone else will take this on
4. need tpo look if there is an online option where customers can fill in data online and then present themselves for photo and payment to help sped the admin side

bazz26

There is already a big thread about that here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057056410

MarkR

Place was wedged. Premises was full, and line going out the door. I don't know is it just the first week, or a lunch hour rush.

Anyone else been to one yet?

galwaygirl2

The form printed off the net is fine. They print a baracode in the centre. Heard there may be a booking system coming into place.

duckling10

I've been thinking about that too, maybe a booking system will have to be brought in.
I went to Limerick office too, office clearly too small for even the seating needs of the people attending it, but more mportantly, Not enough booths provided, only 3 provided! and yesterday, only 1 open, today 2 open, but Good Lord, anyone can see those cameras are expensive pieces of stuff, they should be being used to the full all day, and none of this nonsense: "Waiting for staff to come in", as we were told yesterday in Limerick. Helloooo? Staff means the people who work there, not people who may or may not turn up for work on any given day.......!!!!!
Now that the office is in a shoppping centre which is open late till 9pm on Fridays, maybe the NDLS office should also stay open till 9pm on Fridays, mmm, there;s a point, I'll put that in my next email to NDLS (sent 2 already).

MrDerp

ted1 wrote: »

How did the post office not get the contract?

I'm glad they didn't. Nothing worse than needing to post a parcel and the queue is out the door with people doing anything but posting

copperhead

i applied to add a category to my licence on the 29th of oct
the first day these new modern more streamline centers opened
as of today still no sign of my new licence, so i rang them only
to be told that my application is in the que system
when i explained that i applied the very first day these centers
opened she told me there still working on the first days applications :mad:
so in effect after being opened for two and a half weeks, theyre is allready a two and a half week backlog. this bloody country would make your blood boil:mad:

Chris_Heilong

Thats crazy, I cant imagine what they are doing.

advertsfox

Don't worry, just drive with your proof of application / payment for your license and no guard will bat an eye, they all know about the backlogs.

talboy73

My husband and I both applied in the first week and have now received emails requesting we send information that was already collected at the centre (PPS, proof of address...).
I phoned the number given in the email and was told that they are "only a call centre" for giving out information. Completely hopeless.
Someone just actually phoned my husband and says that our information has been lost.

Anyone else with similar stories?

Can't believe we're paying so much for this 'service'.

Toyotafanboi

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Thats crazy, I cant imagine what they are doing.

nothing, clearly :pac: :pac: :pac:

CianRyan

I was up there on Saturday and was told I'll get my licence in the post in 3 weeks. THREE ****ING WEEKS?!
My girlfriend's mam got hers in 8 days. :eek:

Foxhole Norman

CianRyan wrote: »

I was up there on Saturday and was told I'll get my licence in the post in 3 weeks. THREE ****ING WEEKS?!
My girlfriend's mam got hers in 8 days. :eek:

We used to get new licences on the spot in the Tax Office in Cork, not sure what the story is with them now though.

JohnBoy26

Nothing surprises me when it comes to those idi*ts in the rsa. They seem to rush things through with out a second thought. This time it's come back to bite them.

Truckermal

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

We used to get new licences on the spot in the Tax Office in Cork, not sure what the story is with them now though.

You must go to Copley street in the city, I went up there today and seen the que of about 70 people in front of me so I fcuked off again. Its a fair joke of a place with no parking or signs to point you to the building. .

kevin65

Different organisation, same old sh*it it looks like. My licence took 6 weeks to process in Galway County Council. Looks like these new centres won't be too far behind.

If you have to take the trouble to physically call into these centres to renew your licence, why can't they process it on the spot. I mean, how long would it take?

The queues and delays for practically every service in this country. As Mick the Bull said 'if they brought in abortion into this country there would be 9 month waiting list'

BuffyBot

I was up there on Saturday and was told I'll get my licence in the post in 3 weeks. THREE ****ING WEEKS?!
My girlfriend's mam got hers in 8 days.

To be fair, they're probably giving out "worst case scenario" times with the hope of getting them out sooner.

Liam90

When I went to the NDLS centre in Wicklow it was an absolute shambles and waited about 2 hours, however my license arrived in one week.

visual

BuffyBot wrote: »

To be fair, they're probably giving out "worst scenario" times with the hope of getting them out sooner.

There is nothing fair about another government quango soaking up taxpayers cash and providing a bad service.

There is absolutely no reason licences can't be produced there and then.

2 to 3 hours typical waiting time is just ridiculous then be told it will take weeks to be posted out.

BuffyBot

I didn't say it was right

However, the old Customer Service adage applies: underpromise and over-deliver.

JohnBoy26

BuffyBot wrote: »

I didn't say it was right

However, the old Customer Service adage applies: underpromise and over-deliver.

If it's broke don't make it worse.
That's exactly what they done, they made the process worse.

copperhead

advertsfox wrote: »

Don't worry, just drive with your proof of application / payment for your license and no guard will bat an eye, they all know about the backlogs.

im waiting to get my hgv licence back. i had a job lined up but it looks like thats gone now thanks to NDLS :mad:

Truckermal

copperhead wrote: »

im waiting to get my hgv licence back. i had a job lined up but it looks like thats gone now thanks to NDLS :mad:

Im in the same boat albeit the coach licence, its fcukin ridiculous. .:mad:

abrushka

I went to the Leopardstown centre first thing Monday morning. I arrived at 08:30 and was the first person there. About 10 people were in the Q by the time it opened at 9am. I was in and out within 10 minutes.

I called the helpline today and they have said that due to the backlog it will take between 8 and 15 days working days to process. I am hoping that this is the extent of the delay as I badly need the license before the new year as I will be driving abroad with work.

It is an improvement on the previous service, in that an applicant can at least track the progress of their application. Hopefully, an application can be expeditied also if it becomes urgent.

I went to Santry at 12pm last Satuday and it was chaos. My advice would be to get to a centre first thing on a weekday, if possible, to avoid the Q's.

Old diesel

copperhead wrote: »

im waiting to get my hgv licence back. i had a job lined up but it looks like thats gone now thanks to NDLS :mad:

Truckermal wrote: »

Im in the same boat albeit the coach licence, its fcukin ridiculous. .:mad:

Complete joke lads - unacceptable.

Btw - has anyone successfully used NDLS to change licence in a centre outside of the county they reside in.

Father needs a new licence - and there is a centre in another county that's the same distance as the nearest centre in our own county - but the centre in the other county is far more convienient to us

BuffyBot

AFAIK you can use any centre you like.

Old diesel

BuffyBot wrote: »

AFAIK you can use any centre you like.

Had heard this - and in fact was told this by an NDLS person yesterday - but it just seemed too good to be true .

For us the option is to go somewhere in the middle of the city - or go to a much more convienient location just outside a town in a shopping centre type location (no issues with parking or traffic).

Although mileage is the same or not much difference anyway - I reckon the more convienient option would save the best part of 40 minutes to an hour in traveling time with city traffic and parking taken into account.

And theres somewhere to eat etc not too far away in the shopping centre.

Think I know what option we will go with -