DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND TASK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN A CAMPUS

1.1 Introduction

Commercial vehicle registration is the registration of a motor vehicle with a government authority, either compulsory or otherwise. The purpose of motor vehicle registration is to establish a link between a vehicle and an owner or user of the vehicle. This link might be used for taxation or crime detection purposes. While almost all motor vehicles are uniquely identified by a vehicle identification number, only registered vehicles display a vehicle registration plate and carry a vehicle registration certificate. Motor vehicle registration is different from motor vehicle licensing and roadworthiness certification. Motor vehicles may also be registered with property owners or managers to gain benefits. For example, organizations with parking facilities may require registration of a vehicle with them to allow authorized users to park there (Wikipedia, 2021).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

The emergence of e-data processing system is an answer to the dire need of man for tools and alternative ways to improve his well-being and activities as a whole. It has relieved workers of the stressful routine of collecting, organizing and management of data. Campus commercial vehicle registration in Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun (FUPRE) involves the use of pen and paper in the recording of commercial vehicles information and generation of unique personal identification number (PIN) for each vehicle. This process is laden with inaccuracy caused by assigning a unique identification number to more than one vehicle and tracking other related information such as change of ownership and renewal of license. This is done for any vehicle used for commercial purpose within and outside the school campus. This process is extremely inefficient and the recovery of the information is not possible once registration papers are damaged or lost as it frequently occurs coupled with the bulk of papers that makes information retrieval very difficult.

The vehicle registration system is the repository that contains vehicle’s data and information which several stakeholders require and need to access, for the efficient functioning in their respective domains and further, in an envisaged integrated environment. The secretary of Directorate of Transport Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun (FUPRE) said that the traditional system of using pen and paper registration and accreditation has been laden with stress and a proposal to automate these processes will be worthwhile.

Taxation is the source by which a government generates their revenue and caters for their expenditures. This is applicable in the Directorate of Transport (DOT) under the Student Union Government (SUG), Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun (FUPRE), where it imposes a certain tax on the commercial vehicles operating within the campus.

These commercial vehicles pay a daily tax categorized under different names such as “welfare”, “DOT dues”, “chairman” and so on. A ticketing system is used to ensure that drivers comply. However, the directorate of transport may find it difficult to keep record of the total amount collected on a daily basis. Integrating a tax management module to the proposed system will enable the necessary authorities to have accurate information on the amount collected on a daily basis.

1.3 Statement of Problem

Commercial vehicle registration is a job that requires accuracy of data and this exercise is required for every new registration. Therefore, going by this method a lot of problems are encountered which includes:

1. Conflicting multiple registrations; caused by assigning a unique identification number to more than one vehicle.
2. Difficulty in information retrieval; because of the bulk of registration papers consuming a large space.
3. Loss of revenue due to fake registration papers generated and issued to naïve drivers by some fake DOT officials.
4. Waste of time caused by manually verifying the validity of a commercial vehicle.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to design and implement a commercial vehicle registration and task management system for Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun (FUPRE) campus. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to design and develop an application software that will:

1. Provide a bug free system that will allow for the generation and assignment of an infinite unique identification number to vehicles.
2. Provide a better, easier and more efficient method of vehicle registration.
3. Provide an accurate and reliable database of commercial vehicle and ownership, for new and existing vehicle registration.
4. Equip the field DOT officials with an on-the-spot ease in verifying authenticity of any commercial vehicle plying in the campus
5. Provide an information system for managing daily tax of commercial vehicles

1.5 Significance of Study

A campus commercial vehicle registration integrated with a ticketing system for effective task management will be implemented for the directorate of transport FUPRE campus will:

1. Provide confidentiality by detecting double registration, and provide useful information to track every completed registration.
2. Provide integrity as data cannot be modified undetectably from unauthorized users.
3. Provide a basis for accurate auditing of tax account, because the system will generate a periodic report on the taxes/tickets paid for.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study covers commercial vehicle registration and daily taxing or ticketing as it is obtainable in the Directorate of Transport (DOT) Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun (FUPRE) Delta State. This work will automate the process of registration and daily tax payment by this commercial vehicle owner.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).

1.8 Definitions of Terms

Campus: This is any Nigerian University environment both inside and outside.

Chart: This is a paper document that acts as a license to operate a commercial vehicle on Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun (FUPRE) campus.

Commercial vehicle: This is any vehicle used within the campus for commercial purposes.

De-registration: This is the process of cancelling all registration pertaining to a vehicle

Directorate of transport: This is a department in every campus mostly controlled by the student’s union government that oversees the activities of commercial vehicles.

Drivers permit: This is the permission given to vehicle owners and drivers to do business with their vehicle on the campus

Ledger: This is a principal book or computer file used for recording monetary transactions generated each day at various parks in the campus.

Multiple registrations: This is a term used to refer to problems caused by assigning a registered unique identification number to more than one vehicle.

Registration: This is a one-off process of collecting a detailed data about a vehicle and its owner for identification.

Renewal of license: Annual activity involving renewal of driver permit for operations

Re-registration: In the context of this study this is a process of automating the registration process of vehicles by registering all the vehicles again using the proposed system.

Transfer of ownership: This is the process of transferring the rights of a vehicle owner to another person maybe in the case of car sale.

Vehicle data: This is unique information collected from a specific vehicle.

Vehicle Identification number: It is a unique strings of numeral used for identifying all the vehicles. It is used by the department of transport of any university institution as a means of identifying cabs, tricycles and buses. It is a numeric password shared between the vehicle owners and a system that can be used to authenticate the user to the system.

Verification: This process of checking the validity of any commercial vehicle plying within the school environment.

Revalidation: This is validating once again the authenticity of individual vehicle in the school campus.