Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Just before Christmas, Associate Transport Minister Julie-Ann Genter announced a $1.4billion, three-year programme of investment in safety improvements to existing roads.
The funding will provide 900 kilometres of existing state highways with safety improvement infrastructure such as median and side barriers, rumble strips and shoulder widening, as well as contributing to an expanded investment in local road safety improvements.
Of course, such an investment in safety is welcome and I truly hope that it contributes to making significant parts of our roading network safer. However, the funding is also reflective of a broader change in direction from this government w...

Transport companies will be among many businesses wondering how they'll be affected by the proposed capital gains tax.
Some important details raised by the Tax Working Group are yet to be worked through – for example, it's not clear yet whether, or by how much, capital losses would be able to be offset against other income.
The Government has said it would indicate its views on the Tax Working Group's recommendations by the start of this month.
So, at the time of writing there is no confirmed position that would allow transport companies to start planning for a new tax regime. However, the basic direction of the Tax Working Group's proposals is well-known: A br...

News that the Government is looking at a total overhaul of vocational training in New Zealand could turn out to be a double-edged sword for the road transport industry.
It's no secret that polytechnics around NZ have been struggling. Enrolment across the sector has plummeted by around 20% over the last eight years. Consequently, many of our polytechnics are in some sort of financial difficulty, which is why Education Minister Chris Hipkins' proposal to merge them into a single entity, the NZ Institute of Skills and Technology, has the potential to be positive for our industry.
As well as giving greater certainty and stability to the sector, the new institute will mean that ...

The term "substance-impaired driving" naturally makes most people think about illegal drugs, or legal drugs such as alcohol.
But when I talk about substance-impaired driving, what I'm most focused on is the effect of medication on your body. This is medication that may have been given by a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Or maybe you just bought some meds over the counter.
These substances can include medications for pain, heart conditions, allergies, diabetes and mental health conditions.
Impairment refers to situations where your physical functions or emotional ability are affected in a way that makes you unsafe to drive.
An example would be if you have a cold, a...

Anyone who attended the gala Road Transport Industry Awards Dinner at the 2018 Road Transport Forum Conference will recall just what an extraordinary night it was…
And how special it was to celebrate the community spirit, innovation and can-do attitude of the outstanding achievers in our industry.
Whether it was the emotional reception that VTNZ Outstanding Contribution to Road Transport winner Greg Inch received for his work running Special Rigs for Special Kids….
Or the warm recognition of the years of effort put in by TIL Freight's Derek Nees to improve training across the industry, there is no doubt that last year's awards were a real showcase of what ...