March 15, 2004 – Motorists on St. Thomas who have been waiting to complete their registration for the last four months can now come in and finish the process and pick up their inspection stickers, the director of the Motor Vehicle Bureau said on Monday.
The bureau's computers are back up and running, and registrations are being processed at the rate of up to 350 a day, Lawrence Olive said.
Vehicle registrations have been in limbo since November, when heavy rains flooded the inspection lane and the bureau's one-story administrative offices in Sub Base. Until now, motorists who took their vehicles in for inspection have had their prior year's registration forms stamped or signed as proof that they had complied with the annual inspection requirements.
Now, Olive said, "Whoever's in the line until 12 noon we're processing."
He said he anticipates some 6,000 drivers will be coming in to finish renewing their registrations.
Up to 15 people at a time are allowed into the bureau waiting area, with the others required to wait outside. It has to be done that way, Olive said, because of the fire code.
Although he could use another half-dozen workers, Olive said, the staff at the St. Thomas offices are doing a "yeoman's job" processing the backlog of registrations.
Motorists whose old stickers expired in November, December, January and February can complete the registration process by going to the bureau offices, presenting their stamped or signed registration papers and having their traffic records checked for any unpaid fines.
Drivers whose registration comes due in March can come in anytime through the end of the month and be processed in the usual manner, Olive said.
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