Thousands of drivers sign up for email vehicle renewal notices
No noticeable change in number of convictions since reminder notices by mail discontinued
Since the Motor Registration Division (MRD) discontinued sending renewal reminder notices by mail as of April 30, more than 87,000 MRD customers have registered to receive their renewal reminders by email, according to a statement sent to The Telegram.
Also, web-based vehicle renewals have been upwardly trending for the past two years, the statement notes. In June, 68.7 per cent of all vehicle renewals were completed on the internet as compared to 60.85 per cent in June 2017 and 56.06 per cent in June 2016.
Discontinuing sending the reminders by mail is expected to save approximately $460,000 annually in printing and mailing costs, and eliminate about 10,000 pounds of waste annually.
There’s been chatter on social media driving the issue of drivers forgetting to renew their vehicle registration after MRD discontinued sending renewal reminder notices by mail. It became a sticky issue for some who claim to have been issued tickets or warnings for being pulled over for having expired stickers on their vehicle, simply because they have been accustomed to receiving the renewal notices by mail.
Service NL says, however, it has taken a number of actions to make people aware of the change. These included notices sent to 50,000 clients during the last mail-out in March; posters
sent to Government Service Centres and municipal offices throughout the province; news releases; social media shars and regular reminders on Twitter (@Servicenl_); hotlink on Service NL homepage; notices to all government employees on the government network to sign up and inform family and friends; and notices to government members.
Stakeholders such as seniors’ organizations, Wedgewood Insurance and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador have also helped get the message out to motorists via retweets, emails and other social media channels.
And the RCMP and RNC have been actively sharing MRD tweets.
“Ultimately it is the vehicle owners’ responsibility to ensure it is appropriately registered and legal to drive,” the statement reads. “The date of expiry is printed on the registration sticker and licence. However, as a way to help members of the public remember their renewal date, MRD now offers the option for individuals to align their vehicle’s registration expiry date to their month of birth. This can be completed at any MRD or Government Service Centre office throughout the province at the time of renewal.
The fines for driving an unregistered passenger vehicle or light truck range from $200 to $500. Fines increase as high as $1,800 when driving other types of vehicles without valid registration. The fines for driving with an expired or invalid licence range from $300 to $600.
According to MRD statistics, the number of convictions posted in April, May and June 2018 does not demonstrate a measurable increase over the same period in 2017 — less than one per cent.