WILKES-BARRE — REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and photo ID cards have now been available to Pennsylvanians who want them for a full year, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reports that it is well on its way to meeting the projected demand for the federally approved form of identification.
Based on data from other states offering an optional REAL ID program, PennDOT projected that 1.3 million of its customers would get a REAL ID prior to the federal deadline of Oct. 1.
Since March 1,2019, PennDOT has processed about 2.7 million customers, with more than 826,000 individuals choosing to opt in to the REAL ID program. The remaining 1.8 million have chosen not to participate or use an alternative federally acceptable form of ID come the October deadline.
“Although October may seem far away right now, we encourage our customers who want a REAL ID to get one as soon as possible,” said PennDOT Acting Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We continue to focus on providing the best possible customer service to all of our customers as the federal deadline approaches.”
A federally acceptable form of identification (whether it’s a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must be used as identification to board a commercial flight or visit a secure federal building that requires a federally acceptable form of identification ID for access on and after Oct. 1.
REAL ID is optional in Pennsylvania, there is no requirement that any resident obtain a REAL ID; PennDOT will continue to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs.
Federal REAL ID regulations require that PennDOT verify a customer’s identity, social security number, Pennsylvania residency, and name changes (if applicable), even if a customer already has a PA driver’s license or ID card. More info about document requirements, including a printable document checklist, can be found on the Document Check page of the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website.
Customers have three options for obtaining a REAL ID product: customers may order their REAL ID online if they have been preverified; they can visit any PennDOT Driver’s License Center, have their documents verified and imaged, and their REAL ID product will be mailed to them within 15 business days; or they can visit one of twelve REAL ID Centers and receive their REAL ID product over-the-counter at the time of service.
When a customer gets their first REAL ID product, they will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year noncommercial driver’s license or a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that the customer won’t “lose” time that they’ve already paid for.
After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product.
REAL ID-compliant products are marked with a gold star in the upper right corner, standard-issue (non-compliant) products include the phrase “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES,” per federal regulations. Sample images can be viewed on PennDOT’s website.
Airport adding more service
to Washington-Dulles
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport announced last week that United Express will offer Northeastern Pennsylvania travelers additional daily service between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and United’s hub at Washington-Dulles International Airport, beginning Aug. 18.
United Express will offer up to three non-stop, round-trip flights daily between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Washington-Dulles using a 50-seat regional jet aircraft. United, together with United Express, operates approximately 247 daily flights out of Dulles.
“United continues to show support for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport and Northeastern Pennsylvania travelers,” said Lackawanna County Commissioner Debi Domenick, chairwoman of the Bi-County Airport Board. “This serves as an excellent route to reach our nation’s capital, as well as the connectivity both domestically and internationally.”
United operates 217 daily flights to 85 airports across the United States from Washington-Dulles, including frequent daily service to top business travel markets in Newark/New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles. United also operates 30 daily nonstop flights to 34 international destinations from IAD, including Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada.
Carl Beardsley, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton executive director, said that discussions with United, and many other airlines, about expanded air service from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton have been ongoing. “We are really excited to have United Express provide additional service to our area business and leisure air travelers,” he noted. “The additional Washington-Dulles service will complement United’s existing service at AVP as customer demand continues to grow.”
In addition to the Washington-Dulles service, United Express currently has up to two daily flights between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Come August, United Express will offer up to five nonstop round-trips daily from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Rep. Cartwright presses
to help military families
During a hearing of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee last week, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, pressed executives from companies that manage private military housing on what they are doing to protect the rights of U.S. military personnel and their families who live in housing units they oversee and manage.
Cartwright’s concerns stem from reporting over the past year highlighting poor housing conditions that pose serious health risks to service members and their families.
Cartwright asked the executives whether they would honor an expanded “Tenants’ Bill of Rights” even after U.S. defense officials signed an agreement more limited in scope. While the executives expressed support for the intent of the additional tenant protections, Cartwright stressed the need for the subcommittee to continue monitoring the companies’ progress.
“Know that this subcommittee, through its continued oversight, will for every remaining year of your fifty-year management contracts hold you to these commitments,” Cartwright said.
Cartwright also expressed concern with reports of companies using nondisclosure agreements in cases of landlord-tenant disputes that relate to health and safety issues in base housing or other routine maintenance and repair requests.
“Here’s my concern: we need transparency, we have to have transparency. If a little extra compensation is given so you can get an NDA, that’s not protecting both parties, that’s protecting the privatized housing company. And it’s going to hurt the people who need to know about the mold, or the infestation, or the paint chips, or whatever is wrong that led to the complaint in the first place,” Cartwright said later in the hearing.
Robocalls likely to rise
during election year
People in Pennsylvania are being warned that robocalls are likely to increase as the country gears up for the 2020 elections.
The 2020 elections, which will be held in November, will see all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate, and the office of the president contested. And 13 state and territorial governorships, as well as numerous other state and local elections, will also be contested.
CPR Call Blocker, makers of the bestselling call blocking device in the US, is warning that people in Pennsylvania are likely to get deluged with robocalls in the coming months and that they should know their rights when it comes to “these irritating calls.”
Chelsea Davies, CPR Call Blocker business development manager, said, “People throughout Pennsylvania receive these types of annoying calls every day. Some of these robocalls, which are more informative in nature, such as those from political parties or charities, can be extremely irritating but they are perfectly legal. Unfortunately, people in Pennsylvania can expect to see a significant rise in these types of calls in the coming months.”
Typical scam callers may claim to be from the IRS or other law enforcement agencies. Hang up if you ever have any doubts about someone who has called you.
