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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Residents of remote communities in the NWT face many roadblocks when trying to obtain drivers licences. Una Chinna should know.

Chinna helps students through the book portion of the learners' permit tests at the community college in Paulatuk.

Residents in remote communities face difficulties getting their drivers' licences. The GNWT hopes a new mobile issuing station will make the process easier. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

She understands better than most the barriers to getting that document in the isolated communities.

It is costly to leave the community to take the road test or to get the actual document issued, she said.

"When you think it would cost people $950 to get into Inuvik and also have to find a place to stay, it is a very difficult and expensive move to get a licence here," she said.

She said she thinks the inconvenience is discouraging people from getting their licences and is evident by the shrinking attendance of her classes.

"It would discourage me," she said.

Al Kaylo, director and registrar of licensing and road safety, said the department recognizes the difficulties in providing licencing services to residents in remote, off-the-road communities.

"We need to be creative to provide that higher level of service out there," said Kaylo.

He said highway officers visit some communities to administer road tests, although the specifics of which communities and the frequency of the visits he could not provide.

"I know they do in certain communities now," he said.

Kaylo said these visits would be based on the volume of residents who needed to take tests. A highway officer would not fly into a community to give one road test, he said.

"They would go in based on the demand," said Kaylo.

He said the regional offices would collect names and work out details of fly-in visits.

As far as issuing licences, Kaylo said there are 14 issuing offices in the NWT.

The department recently tested a mobile issuing station, which Kaylo described as "basically a full issuing service in a suitcase," in Fort Liard and Paulatuk.

"Both tests went really well," he said.

"Everything worked."

The mobile unit is basically a laptop, which establishes a secure connection with government computer systems and can issue a temporary licence on the spot. The unit contains a camera, licence plates and temporary drivers' licence forms.

The permanent documents would still arrive by mail, at a later date.

Kaylo said the stations are ready to go into use, but are awaiting some back-up cameras. Additional cameras are needed in case something breaks while in a remote community.

The mobile issuing services will also be managed from regional offices and based upon demand.

"When there is enough volume, we can go in and provide those services to those communities that are not on the road system," he said.

As well, recent upgrades to the department's information system will give officials more flexibility in issuing or renewing licences.

Kaylo pointed to the example of a postal code typo.

"Before, we couldn't change it. They system wouldn't allow us to change it. With the upgrades, we can do that through a secure process," he said.

This means residents would not have to make extra trips back to the office to show documentation of the correct postal code.

Kaylo said the department is aiming for a combined approach - with officials going into communities to administer road tests and also issue licences through the mobile station.

Chinna said she thought the mobile licence issuing station would benefit the people in Paulatuk and help them get their licences.

"I do think it would be a good idea," she said.