As of today, the Department has 133 applications in hand for new route licences and amendments to existing route licences from private operators throughout the State. Of these, 69 have been duly processed and are awaiting further documentation or clarification from the operators. Some 39 offers have been made to the operators and 25 applications, representing those most recently received, are awaiting processing. Staff in the route licensing section of the Department are working overtime to expedite the processing of the applications and amendments in hand.