The electronic tag starts between lines, doubts, breakdowns and the closure of inspection centers

Among long lines, persistent doubts and failures in the vehicle inspection system, the first round of renewals of electronic tags began today, Friday.

Around noon, the director of the Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service (PRITS) Antonio Ramos Guardiolareported a failure in the CARTEK system, which provides services to establishments to carry out compulsory inspections for the renewal of the label.

“Although CARTEK is a system contracted directly by the inspection centers, we recognize that it is essential in the inspection process and, consequently, the renewal of tags. For this reason, the PRITS team is providing support in the major incident management process from our ‘war room’ at PRITS, which has expert technical personnel in all areas of the tag renewal process,” said Ramos. Guardiola in writing.

The government’s chief technology officer assured, however, that the tag renewal system continued to operate normally. to questions of The new dayexplained that they increased the capacity of the CESCO Digital system so that it could be sustained with the additional burden represented by the entire process being done virtually.

Faced with this situation, the Association of Inspection Centers chose to close the operations of the establishments so that people would not continue waiting for the system to return.

“If we don’t have an inspection system, we can’t sell tags. We had about three hours. We couldn’t keep waiting with customers”he explained Roberto Echevarriapresident of the organization.

Prior to the incident, the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP), Eileen Velez Vegaindicated to The new day that more than 2,400 inspections had already been processed. Likewise, there are 171,000 people eligible to renew their tag during September.

“The secretary is being asked for a moratorium. She had been requested previously because we had the idea that these things could happen because it is a new system. Employees are also adapting to what the digital tag is. The citizen is not completely aware of the changes it entails. Lack of more information to the citizen. We need more time to dedicate more time to each client,” said Echevarria.

El Nuevo Dia contacted DTOP press representatives to corroborate whether or not the moratorium had been granted for people whose license expired in August, but they did not immediately provide details.

They visit inspection centers

Both Ramos Guardiola and Velez Vega visited inspection centers to learn about the dynamics and implement changes according to the needs they identified.

“We know that everything that is new and is digitalization causes a little anxiety, and well, it is something new, it is something novel, but, at the moment, we are fine with what we are doing. The same inspection centers and banks are also serving for us, so that we can guide people, and well, the work team is, everything is on the street outside, providing guidance,” asserted the DTOP secretary from the Apolo Service Station, in Guaynabo, where there is an inspection center.

According to Ramos Guardiola, PRITS has maintained open lines of communication with suppliers – such as banks, cooperatives, inspection centers and collectors – to guide them on the process and to clarify citizens’ doubts.

However, El Nuevo Dia spoke with some of the people who were in the renovation process and they stated that they did not know how the process would take place.

Lizbeth Hernandez, a resident of San Juan, shared that it took about four hours between the line for the inspection and the process of purchasing the tag. In all that time, he had not been offered any information about the seal he should have or, otherwise, purchase.

“I don’t have good knowledge about electronics, what it’s going to be like, how it’s going to work. “I’m kind of lost in all this.”asserted the 30-year-old woman, who was loaded with the documents that she understood were necessary for the process.

On the other hand, Margarita Santana Perez He expressed his frustration because he was not able to renew his tag yesterday afternoon, Thursday, after being told at three different inspection centers that they could not do the process. Among the reasons were that they did not have the system for inspection and that they were close to closing time.

“I had to pay a fine, pay surcharges and a fine that they can’t tell me where it came from. And, well, this morning, from 8:00 in the morning in this line until now, which is 11:30 to be able to get a tag.”said the citizen, who also lives in San Juan.

He explained that, although he understood that he could access the digital tag, he later found out that he would not be able to have it until next year. “Because it expires in August, and apparently it’s (for) the people who are due from September onwards. The Secretary of Transportation came around, and the media, but they didn’t explain anything to us either, so we continued the same,” said the 52-year-old woman.

To questions from The new day Regarding how people can clarify their doubts, Secretary Velez Vega indicated that the telephone number 1-833-938-6777 would be available. “There, people can call to answer all their questions,” she pointed out.

Also, you can ask your questions by accessing cescodigital.pr.gov and smarttransportation.pr.gov.