LTSA work creation scheme - please assist they need meaningful employment now.

[Tony]

I have discovered a work creation scheme for the LTSA that no longer makes any sense or serves any practical purpose, and seems ridiculous to all concerned. Even senior LTSA staff don't seem to understand the whys of it, and understandably get very frustrated trying to understand/explain it.

Here's how it works

I have had a car drivers license for over 25 years.

I recently obtained a motorcyle learners licence.

As part of this process I had to undergo a basic handling competency test, sit a drivers license theory test, do a sight test, provide updated contact details and pay several fees to the parties concerned. Upon completion of this I was issued with a new drivers license last month on the 18th of July. It has a
nice (in the eye of the beholder sought of way) up to date photo of me on it and has 'New Zealand Driver License' written across the top of it.

And now I am happily puttering around out there on my bike, saving money, gasoline, fossil fuels and the world.

So far ...so good.



However Imagine my surprise when I received an application for a drivers license renewal in the mail just one month later?

So knowing that administration errors can occur, I phoned up LTSA to find out what's happening. They were able to confirm that they had issued me with a new license on the 18th of July 08. But however that since it was 10 years since I had last been issued a previous car license, I now had to obtain another new combined car and bike license just one month later.

The reason I was given was for the need to renew the license is that they needed to:

* update my contact records and my photo - which of course I have just done as part of obtaining a motorcycle learners license.
* comply with the legislation.

To obtain a renewal of my one month old license I now have to go through all the hassle of filling in forms, providing an account statement isued in the previous 12 months from a bank building society, credit union or credit card company, etc, and visit a participating NZ driver licensing application.

...and given that I did this all just a month ago none of this provides any practical value for the LSTA or me... and is just a little absurd and frustrating.

Commonsense suggests that my newly issued license should be valid for 10 years.

One further absurdity is that if I had never had a car license then my newly acquired bike license would be valid for 10 years instead of just one month.

I feel ripped off

I have written to Annette King the Minister of Transport and will be interested in the response.

[Irontusk]

I'd be pretty pissed off and refuse to pay!
USELESS government we have..

[CookMySock]

Tell them you already comply with the act. New license doesn't expire until blahblahblah date. kthx, bye!

Steve

[R6_kid:Me]

Dont do anything more.

If it gets so bad that they want to fine you etc, then take it to court, you'll (quite hopefully) win, then you should be applying for reparation for lost time, and of course for your court fees to be paid by the other party.

Maybe it would be just enough to get some change happening.

[slofox]

They're a bunch or dorks, Tony....

Last time I renewed my licence they tried to talk me into surrendering my Motorcycle licence......."WTF for?" I asked.......Told the girl to sod off if she expected me to give it up.....asked her if she thought I was too old to hold one? "Oh no, of course not"......."So I'll keep it then!!!!! (and you can shove your head up your arse thanks)"....snortrantraveoink!!!

[Fatjim]

Its nobody else's fault but your own.

[Fatjim]

Dont do anything more.

If it gets so bad that they want to fine you etc, then take it to court, you'll (quite hopefully) win, then you should be applying for reparation for lost time, and of course for your court fees to be paid by the other party.

Maybe it would be just enough to get some change happening.

You'd make a great leader. You could send us to war!

[Tony]

Tell them you already comply with the act. New license doesn't expire until blahblahblah date. kthx, bye!

Steve

No I don't comply with the act. I thought initially that the LTSA was mis-understanding the act but I checked and it is very clear.

"(3) The period of validity of a driver licence is not affected by the holder obtaining a driver licence or endorsement of any other class or type."

Reference: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regul...html#DLM281575

[scracha]

Shh...it's a government department. They're all like that.

Shh..you're in New Zealand. Now shut up and move along quietly sir.

[Mom]

No I don't comply with the act. I thought initially that the LTSA was mis-understanding the act but I checked and it is very clear.

"(3) The period of validity of a driver licence is not affected by the holder obtaining a driver licence or endorsement of any other class or type."

Reference: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regul...html#DLM281575

And isn't that the real kicker here. Surely the cutie behind the desk when you did your whole add a class to your license could have pointed that out to you at the time. Common sense must prevail here, you have a new photo (well a month old) you have just updated all your details and passed the ttheory test again (you dont have to do that to renew) Write a letter to them stating the facts and offer a sensible suggestion, renew using last months updated details. Bound to happen TUI anyone?

What a crock!

[Tony]

And isn't that the real kicker here. Surely the cutie behind the desk when you did your whole add a class to your license could have pointed that out to you at the time.

Yes but that would be an attempt at customer service and as they only have applicants not customers you are pusing the boundaries. Applicants service anyone? - nup just doesn't sound right.

Actually all joking aside it's not fair to blame front desk LTSA staff members just for following the rules. They are not paid to make decisions and if they did we would probably complain about them.

Legislation is the problem. Someone just wasn't thinking about cost efficency, and productivity when they created this bit of nonsense legislation.

[Mom]

Someone just wasn't thinking about cost efficency, and productivity when they created this bit of nonsense legislation.

See I disagree, they were thinking, and the thinking was all about taking a few more $$ from Tony and his ilk.

They never consider the bigger picture when they make these rules. Mind you I suppose if they did we would complain about the slowness of the process.

[Drum]

Similar story here, but to further complicate things I can't pass their eye exams so I had to get an optometrists certificate for my 6L. Then another for my 6R (six months later). Then another for my 6F (six months later), then another to renew my Class 1 (4 months later).

Yep, that's four eye exams in 16 months!

[Gremlin]

Be very interested to hear what happens with this, as I will probably be in the same boat when I get around to doing more on my car license (only an L so far), but hopoefully not as ridiculous as a 1 month thing...

[nodrog:Me]

what is the expiry date on your new licence obtained 1 month ago? and i assume that your new license has both classes on it, ie learner motorcycle and full car (well thats what happened with mine)?