The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is currently offering Smart DL enrollment services at KICC. This, according to the transport regulator, is part of the Africa Mashariki Transport Award, which seeks to recognize key players in the transport sector.
The show started yesterday, 13 July, and will be closed tomorrow. It serves as one of the few ways that drivers can be enrolled in the smart DL platform and its associated services.
Interested drivers should carry their original identification documents. At KICC, NTSA will then help them with the booking, and the biometric capture process. The exercise and expo are free for all, so you do not need to worry about being turned away.
Previously, NTSA had taken part in the same exercise, but at Huduma Centres across different towns of the country. Drivers could book a visit to centres via the TIMS platform prior to making a visit to any of Huduma Centres near them.
The ordinary, and somewhat cumbersome process entails booking a ticket using the TIMs portal and then making a physical appearance at the NTSA Head Office in Upper Hill.
The three-day exercise is part of the agency’s plan to encourage as many drivers as possible to replace their driving licenses with smart ones. The digital replacements have a chip that stores a driver’s biometric information, alongside a points system that seeks to introduce some sanity on roads. In case of a traffic offense, for instance, some points are deducted from the system. The information can also be shared with insurance firms to calculate insurance premiums.
The government had also announced plans to phase out the old driving licenses in early 2020.
The TIMs portal, however, has received its share of criticism for not working as expected, frustrating thousands of drivers out there.
In the meantime, make a point to visit KICC in case you have issues before so your issues can be addressed for good.
