This week I was delighted to be invited to attend the NZTA “Super Hui” in Wellington, to talk about road freight and the supply chain.

The Super Hui is a big deal, where all of the senior managers and executive team gather to align the direction of what is one of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure investors and regulators. My slot followed the Minister of Transport Chris Bishop, and the Chairman Simon Bridges.

So it was a privilege to be able to talk to the hundred or so people in the room about how our great industry is performing, and what it needs to be successful. The theme of the day was preparing to adapt, which felt very prescient when the headlines are all about a choke point on 20% of the world’s oil supply in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The key message: Focus on Freight Task Productivity

So what were my key messages to this group, who are responsible for a critical and challenging task – building and maintaining our roading infrastructure, and keeping all users on it safe and productive?

Simple: focus on freight task productivity. Why? Because what gets measured gets done.

And right now, our freight task productivity is not being measured across the system, and it is declining.

Why productivity is falling — and what it means for your business

How can we tell? When I ask NRC members how their productivity is going, they often tell me about how detours and congestion are cutting into the number of turns — outbound and return runs for those not in the industry — that can be done in a day. Driver hours need to take regulated breaks, and these congestion delays and extra kilometres add up to fewer delivery runs over the week.

Measuring freight task productivity will deliver insights as to where the bulk of freight is travelling on the network, how long it is taking, whether it is getting faster or slower over time, and how predictable journey time is.

With that information, regulators like NZTA can target infrastructure and regulatory improvements that deliver both productivity and safety wins. For transport operators these wins show up as more turns completed over the week, more predictable journey times and safer drivers having fewer accidents. And that is a prize worth going after.

Coming up next week

I covered too much ground at the Super Hui to share in a single Transport Minute. Next week I will share what I said about the urgent need to provide a responsive regulatory pathway for innovation and new manufactured vehicles. Currently this is a roadblock in New Zealand which is hurting our productivity.

Join me for my new monthly member webinar

A number of members have asked for more direct access to me and with everything moving so fast in our industry, I think it’s the perfect time to make that happen. 

That’s why I’m launching a free monthly online webinar exclusively for NRC members. Each session, I’ll be sharing the latest industry updates, cutting through the noise on the issues that matter most to your business, and giving you a direct line to ask me anything.

Here’s what you can expect:

What’s happening — a clear, honest picture of the industry landscape

What NRC is doing — the actions we’re taking to support and protect your business

Your questions, answered — live Q&A so you get straight answers, not just updates

Keep an eye on your inbox for your personal invitation to the first session. I can’t wait to see you there.

Justin Tighe-Umbers, Chief Executive, National Road Carriers Assn