Insights into the future of road transport and a renewed call for a single voice to represent the industry were among the themes of The Road Ahead: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand conference in Invercargill at the end of September.

More than 250 delegates gained valuable insights across a broad range of transport industry-related topics.

Over two days at the Ascot Park venue, presentations ranged from roading issues, new powertrains, driver health and well-being, training and recruitment, staff engagement, employment legislation and other topics in a future-focused conference that looked at the challenges and opportunities for the industry.

A year on from the split which saw the National Road Carriers Association and NZ Trucking Association exit the Road Transport Forum (now Transporting New Zealand) there remains a strong desire to have a single voice represent the industry.

In his opening address to the conference, Transporting NZ chairman Warwick Wilshier said it had been a year of change for the organisation.

“In September last year, OCANZ (Owner Carriers Association of New Zealand), decided that it no longer wanted to continue as a member of the RTF due to the Road Transport Association (RTANZ) request that we form one management structure for the industry, leading eventually to one organisation.

“While it was sad that this occurred, further muddling our industry voice to Government and the public, it has meant that the board has been on a single focus to modernise the membership experience over the last year.

“We have successfully combined the operations of the Road Transport Association and Road Transport Forum, and rationalised resources. 

“There is now a much more direct connection of information and intelligence from members to the organisation and back again. We have lifted our profile significantly and have begun a change to widening our community across road transport and related industries.

“Change is not yet over for the road transport industry. The ultimate aim is for us to have one strong and powerful organisation and that remains our goal in the medium term,” Wilshier said. 

Mainstream politics also featured at the conference.

Southland MP Penny Simmonds welcomed delegates to the conference and described the transport sector as: “the oil that keeps the machinery of regional economies like Southland moving, and New Zealand’s economy as a whole functioning.

“It is therefore absolutely essential that we keep our oil topped up, that we keep the transport sector informed, prepared and future focused.

“With the right support, and a Government that values and gets out of the way of, rather than hinders, the transport industry, this is a sector that can continue to perform at a world-class level and continue to go from strength to strength, enabling our economy to grow,” Simmonds said.

National’s transport spokesman Simeon Brown challenged the government and said it needed to keep costs under control.

He said roading funding was being diluted as activities such as coastal shipping and rail were being funded from the National Land Transport Programme.

“We have to be realistic, 93% of freight moves by trucks and that isn’t going to change any time soon regardless of how much money the government spends on rail,” he said.

Transport Minister Michael Wood didn’t attend the conference but delivered a Zoom presentation to outline the Government’s key priorities, including the Road to Zero strategy that aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads by 40 per cent by 2050. 

“Based on international evidence, we can do the right things and save many lives – safer vehicles, safer drivers, safer roads, and safer speeds,” he said.

Minister Wood said the government remains committed to spending money on improving roads, as well as the need for new technologies and acting on climate change. His presentation also hinted that something like the Clean Car Rebate system introduced earlier this year could be a tool to accelerate the uptake of alternative powered heavy commercial vehicles.

A panel comprising Liz Yeaman (Retyna Group) Ryan McDonald (Hiringa Energy), Nic Williams (Z Energy) and Anthony Jones (HWR Group) gave updates on the latest electric vehicle technologies, energy policies and  hydrogen projects.

While these technologies were still emerging, transport operators should try to gain early experience of the new energy alternatives to prepare for the future. 

A highlight of the conference was an economic review by economist Cameron Bagrie, who said the world has entered a new era that is going to require a different approach. 

“You have to take risks because doing things the same old, same old is not going to work. As well as dealing with disruption, the laws of economics are back in play.”

He said “economic reality” had sunk in over the last week after the UK announced a big spending package and tax cuts.

“The pound got absolutely smashed and interest rates increased. The market was telling the politicians the days of the bottomless pit in terms of money is over. We need substance to decision-making, not politicians spreading money or tax cuts about like confetti.”

US Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell got it right by warning about the dangers of inflation and saying it needed to be fixed.

There was also some other good news. “House prices are not going to keep going up. Perhaps New Zealanders need to invest in real productive assets and banks need to change their culture and invest into the real productive part of New Zealand.”

Bagrie also stressed the need to invest more in education, health and in infrastructure.

“Will a change of government support infrastructure spending and address education or simply put money in people’s pocket to appease voters? We do not need tax cuts. Witness what happened in the UK. We need policies with real substance,” Bagrie said.