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AUGUSTA, Maine -- With the old licensing mainframe computer due to be retired after 25 years of service, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in conjunction with its license sales agents is designing a new computerized licensing system, the Maine Online Sportsman^s Electronic System, or MOSES, to be in place when sportsmen and women buy their licenses for 2002.
For the past two years, a focus group comprised of license sales agents, computer graphic designers, license buyers and IFW employees have worked to design a model of the system. In the past weeks, those meetings have intensified and broadened as a growing number of employees and license agents have begun to work with World Com to finalize MOSES.
By next fall, with just an internet connection on a personal computer, license buyers or license agents can connect with a server at World Com and purchase a license that is printed on an everyday printer.
MOSES will simplify the process of buying a license. Buyers will now have one stop shopping for all their licenses, and can purchase permits and stamps at the same time they purchase their licenses. Special permits and trapping licenses can also be purchased simultaneously, eliminating trips to IFW headquarters in Augusta. All licenses will be on one piece of paper, and lost or destroyed licenses can be replaced by any agent. You can also register recreational vehicles such as boats, snowmobiles and ATV^s through MOSES. With MOSES, temporary registrations are not necessary.
Advantages are not limited to consumers either. MOSES will eliminate reams of paperwork and storage for both license agents and the department. Currently, agents are sent multiple copies of various licenses so they will have them available for customers. With an internet connection, agents will now have access to all IFW licenses and permits, eliminating storage problems and costly mailings.
Agents will never have to turn away customers because they are missing a form, nor will they have to ship back unused licenses. Agents no longer will have to fill out forms by hand. Moses will allow each agent to access that person^s previous license. Instead of completely filling out a new form, updates can be made to such things as addresses or type of license purchased, cutting down the time for issuing a license from 10 minutes to three minutes or less.
The department will also save in storage space in preprinted forms, and significantly reduce mailing costs. After selling a license, the department will also have access to the revenue from the license within ten days, as opposed to the 30 to 60 days that it now currently takes. Moses will also allow for better communications between the department and its agents. Whenever an agent goes online to issue a license, agents will be notified of any pertinent news regarding licenses.
The system implementation process will include agent training sessions throughout the state. Sales agents will also have access to a toll-free help line. Testing on Moses will begin this fall, and the system should be in place by December of 2001.
Uploaded: 12/15/2000
Uploaded: 12/15/2000