Why cant State Government Live up to the standards they set for others...

[RED_EL_XR8]

Shane3's driving whilst disqualified thread promped me to pen this little rant on government standards.

All the government departments love to kid themselves they are up there in the internet age! They aren't! And for the most part their sites should be withdrawn and a full refund offered to the taxpayer as the product is clearly unfit for its intended purpose.

The use of SMS, e-mail etc, direct debit etc should not be allowed by these departments if they cannot offer an efficient logged system with reference receipts. And just like the banks (Keatings legacy) any error will always be treated in their favour.

my last encounter was with NSW registration renewal. Received my notice in the mail complete with the usual propaganda leaflets justifying speed cameras, and telling me what a great job the RTA thinks they are doing.
My papers are stamped in bold letters Elligible for Internet Payment Inspection Not Required. That's handy I think, it'll saves queueing at the RTA, I read on and the only date mentioned is that my current Rego expires at midnight on the due day.
So the date is noted and entered into my internet banking 3 days before the due date. I also set myself a reminder to ring round for a green slip a week before the due date. And when the first date arrived I phoned for quotes and paid online with no problems, noting the time date and receipt number.

Now stick with me here, these are large fast computer systems all interlinked via banking software and protocols. At least one would think they are, heaven only know what poor implementations are used. Last I remember electrons even in government departments travels at the speed of light.

On the second reminder date I set myself, I attempt to pay the RTA for my registration. Duh-Uh. The system refuses to process my details stating green slip payment not confirmed. I ring 3rd party insurer (one of the big ones) to confirm payment quoting recipt number, and am assured payment has been recieved and all is well.

Bugger this I think, I'll have to phone the RTA, so I reserve an ice age of my time to sit through their call waiting system with the hope of speaking to a human, and with much perserverence and lots of cheezy organ music now impregnated into my cranium, I am able to speak to a person. Well I believe it to be a person, it was certainly more authentic than a Telstra Cyboid.

She checks my record and tells me there is no record of 3rd party payment, (well dur, thats what I just phoned you about.) and that I will have to go to my nearest RTA office. I ask for her name and a referece of the call, and am told they cannot provide that.

Oh joy I get to play queues at the RTA there goes at least half of another working day. So armed with my chequebook, my papers and a printed receipt of 3rd party payment I head to the RTA. I take a numbered ticket for registration and sit in a room filled will the strangest people many clutching dented and twisted number plates.
When my number comes up, I present the documents expecting to be able to finally pay my rego.
"Sir we cannot accept this, counter payments require a stamped certificate from the 3rd party insurer".
"Why? You have all the details, have a receipt, you can cancel my rego instantly if something is found not in order".
"No sir its policy and as your rego expires tomorrow evening you cannot drive the vehicle after this date until paid in full".
"I am trying to pay it, see there is my chequebook".
At this point I want to leap the counter and rip out someones heart, but these counter drones are probably not the ones responsible. So I stand my ground and ask to see a superior. I am not taking NO for an answer.
Another wait and I called by the supervisor and start explaining the whole incident again and by this point I am still rational but extremely ****ed off, I'm not going to leave without a my registration paid.
"Oh you made an internet payment Sir, you can't trust those and if you do you need to do it all at least 1 week before the due date for processing and you'll need at least another week before that for the green slip to come through".
No way!! I not leaving there without an seige or a stamped rego slip whichever comes first. Fearing a stand-off the supervisor is now able to offer me an internal number for my insurer and whatever internal RTA department handles payment transfers.
After two lengthy mobile phone calls I have arranged for the insurer to fax a duplicate receipt to the RTA internals and they will then fax an approval to the branch where I am standing firm. this will take about an hour the RTA assures me. (can send a 2 faxes manually in an hour why does direct deposit take so long.)
A little over a hour after my phone calls, my name is called and at last I can finally pay my rego.

I can make a payment into a Danish bank account and have goods dispatched within the hour, so I find it entirely reasonble to expect RTA to have green slip payment notification within 24hrs. If in business I offered services like RTA's I'd be prosecuted.

RTA this is not good enough, why didn't my rego papers state that RTA is incapable of running any form of electronic payment or database and you will need to begin the payment proces 21 days before the due date. To RTA's credit they have evolved from "rude and incompetent" to "polite and incompetent".

The whole easy payment exercise involved an hour plus on the net plus phone calls. Several dollars woth of mobile calls and almost 5 hours in a Motor registry. big time saver that was!!!

My advice.
Dont trust RTA with anything!
Dont take NO for an answer with the RTA! Be polite but dont take NO!
Dont use RTA electronic payments until they can make it work! :jab:










Just like everything else to do with state Government we are short changed with an inferior service at an inflated price.

[XA-Coupe]

Quite a story.... but as with all those government departments... Red tape is their God. Satisy that god and they are happy natives... **** off the Red Tape God and all comes crumbling down.

[fairmont1998]

I'm glad it not just Transport SA that treat the public like lepers.

[XA-Coupe]

they all do, it's part of their reason for existance.

[rob_o]

Interesting read there. My dad runs his own mechanic business and recently the RTA allowed him to do those "e services" or something, which allows you to pay your rego by the phone. Dad just does the inspection and types the details into the computer. Prints off a receipt with a code on it so the customer can pay it over the phone. So far everything seems to be goin fine with that one.

But yes, Im sure that the RTA does have some problems with it that have to be ironed out.

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by rob_o

Interesting read there. My dad runs his own mechanic business and recently the RTA allowed him to do those "e services" or something, which allows you to pay your rego by the phone. Dad just does the inspection and types the details into the computer. Prints off a receipt with a code on it so the customer can pay it over the phone. So far everything seems to be goin fine with that one.

But yes, Im sure that the RTA does have some problems with it that have to be ironed out.

thats my point! if you offer phone or internet services they should be instant or worst case within an hour or so. Everyone else can manage it, if RTA cant, they shouldn't advertise the service until they can actually provide it! :

[brenx]

I had a similar incident with Vicroads and Vic police trying to tell me my car needs pollution gear. Police officer canaried me. They didn't know what they were on about as my car is a 5th or 6th month 74 XB. Pollution didn't start until Jul 1975! I had to fight with them. I got sent to "FORD" to clear up the debate. The service manager @ Ford laughed and said it's all legal take it back. I also provided pivtures from factory (original) XB GT's 74 and 75 models to assist with pollution gear varification.

48hours later and all sorted. I've kept all the paperwork in the car. So the next brain dead, know it all police officer, that tries the same trick will be proven wrong on the spot and **** off and leave me alone. Nothing worse than being pulled over just because you own a modified car.

My car went through a r/w and the pits @ Dandenong, Vicroads 3mths earlier to this predicament. So it was 100% legal ppollution wise.

Brenden

[deesun]

There is always some of these stories going around but in October I had my rego check done by e-rego and I paid my greenslip over the phone with them saying it should only be 1/2 an hour for RTA to recognise payment,off to RTA I go and whalah its there no probs in and out pretty quick-15mins or so all done one happy camper.

[pepsimax]

i went to renew my licence 5 years ago and found out i was 132 years old,had to sit a drivers knowledge test and was still obtaining my provisional riders licence. i had my MR licence for 6 years and my normal licence for 10 and had my riders licence for two full years..

mate after the shock wore off i ****ed meself laughing while they tried to fix the computer..idiots

[loxxr6]

She checks my record and tells me there is no record of 3rd party payment, (well dur, thats what I just phoned you about.) and that I will have to go to my nearest RTA office. I ask for her name and a referece of the call, and am told they cannot provide that.

As i work for an insurer I get this all the time. If anything the prob would have more likely been the insurers prob not the RTA. They palmed you off to the RTA. As the call centre staff know little about the internet ctp payments I'm not suprised.

Here are a few scenarios where the egreen link doesn't work

1. The insurer's link to the rta is down
2. the rta's link to the insurer is down
3. the information on the green slip/or rta records is not matching with the green slip therefore the receipt info doesn't go thru coz the rta system can't recognise it.
4. the vehicle is unregistered so the info won't match with the rta therefor no transmission of ur receipt.

All of these **** up the egreen process and when u go into the rta you get this trouble. Normally if its within 24hrs we can resend the receipt link. After that ur screwed and need to go into an office to get a hard copy OR argue at the RTA office if ur rego is due ASAP.

The area i work in gets the rta calls and normally updates the info and sends thru the verification. Its a pain in the ***.

[loxxr6]

There is always some of these stories going around but in October I had my rego check done by e-rego and I paid my greenslip over the phone with them saying it should only be 1/2 an hour for RTA to recognise payment,off to RTA I go and whalah its there no probs in and out pretty quick-15mins or so all done one happy camper.

Thats right it should only take half an hour tops.