Some vehicle owners have reportedly been unable to purchase fuel under the newly introduced QR code fuel sales system because the QR codes on their Wheel Tax documents do not match their vehicle registration numbers.
According to individuals who experienced the issue, the problem occurred when the QR codes on the Wheel Tax documents were scanned and the vehicle numbers displayed did not correspond with the actual vehicle registration numbers.
The QR-based fuel sales system has been introduced on a pilot basis starting March 12 in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay, and Taunggyi. The discrepancies were first reported on March 13.
“One morning when I reached the Myin Thar area, I saw many cars lining up at the Road Transport Administration Department. I asked if they were there to renew their licenses, but they said no. They said the vehicle numbers on their cars were different from the numbers shown in the barcode, so they came to correct them. There were quite a lot of vehicles there,” a witness said.
A fuel station sales staff member also said that when selling fuel, staff scan the QR code on the Wheel Tax document and verify the vehicle number, chassis number, and other details displayed.
“The main thing we check is whether the vehicle number matches. If all the information matches, we then check whether the vehicle has already purchased fuel that day. If it has not, we sell fuel,” the sales staff member said.
A vehicle license service provider said some vehicle owners had to visit the office where they originally renewed their vehicle licenses to correct the discrepancies.
“There are people who have to come and fix the issue because a different vehicle number appears in the system. They have to go to the office where they renewed their vehicle registration. It cannot be corrected at another office,” he said.
Vehicle owners can check whether their vehicle number matches the one shown in the Wheel Tax QR code by downloading a mobile application called “Barcode and QR Scanner” from the Google Play Store and scanning the QR code on their Wheel Tax document.
If the numbers match, they will be able to purchase fuel without any problem. However, if they do not match, they will not be able to buy fuel until the information is corrected at the relevant vehicle licensing offices, according to a vehicle owner.
“It’s similar to when our national registration cards were converted to U-ID. When people went to update them, some discovered spelling mistakes in their names or their father’s name. Now something similar is happening with vehicles. The information needs to be corrected; otherwise, you can’t buy fuel,” said a vehicle owner in Yangon.
He added that the QR scanner application available to the public is different from the system used by fuel stations.
“I checked mine using the app, and both the chassis number and the vehicle number matched, so I didn’t need to make any changes. But those with mismatched information will have to go and correct it,” he said.
