Road tests can now
be scheduled online

Residents can avoid the long lines
and uncertainty at road-test sites

Landing a coveted driver's license road test appointment probably ranks as one of the more frustrating interactions between citizens and government on Oahu.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann said yesterday that the city is making some of that pain go away. He officially launched online road-testing registration to combat long lines at Oahu's test sites.

"We obviously feel the frustration of residents," Hannemann said at a press conference at City Square.

To underscore his point, about 100 people snaked around City Square's Driver's License Branch at 1199 Dillingham Blvd. before doors opened at 7:45 a.m. Within 10 minutes, walk-in appointments for road tests were already booked, with several residents out of luck.

Some parents took the day off to bring their children in for road tests. Some came as early as 3:30 a.m., hoping to get their road test done today.

Kaneohe resident Adam Myers took his 20-year-old daughter Sheena to City Square yesterday morning, only to find out that road tests were already booked.

"You don't really know when you can come again. ... You take time off of work to come here," Myers said. "Look at this line," he added. "It's crazy."

He noted that Kalihi was the closest road-test site, since the driver's license facility at the Kaneohe Police Station did not reopen after the building was renovated last year. Kaneohe road-test staff have moved to City Square, the main driver's license site.

"We were seriously considering driving to Wahiawa," Myers said. "That's pretty ludicrous to consider that."

Online road-testing registration, which started yesterday, can be accessed through the City and County of Honolulu Web site (www.honolulu.gov) under "On-Line Services." Residents can then go to the box "Just a Click Away," click on "I would like to ... " and go to "Schedule a Driver's License Road Test Online."

A Web page of the road-test schedule for Oahu's test sites at City Square, Kapolei, Pearl City, Waianae and Wahiawa is available.

About 250 road tests are administered daily at all test sites combined, said assistant licensing administrator David Mau.

Most residents take road tests during spring break, summer and Christmas, Mau said.

Among the test sites on Oahu, City Square is the busiest. Some residents taking their tests today scheduled them four months ago.

Hannemann also unveiled a new format for driver's licenses, which Oahu started issuing on March 11.

The new driver's license format is designed to deter identity theft and duplication. The Big Island and Maui are due to start issuing the new licenses this week. Eventually, other counties will also start issuing the new licenses, Hannemann said.

Some of the new features include a pink strip across the top part of the card, with the licensee's signature in green. Hannemann said the pink and green are difficult to duplicate.

The new driver's license also includes the state flag near the top right corner.

Also, drivers under age 21 will be issued a driver's license in a vertical format to help law enforcement officials quickly identify drivers under 21.

To help thwart duplication, the city put a two-dimensional bar-code containing personal data on the front of the license.