New Zealand’s road freight industry needs to get more young people behind the wheel if it is going to meet the country’s future freight needs, says the sector's peak body. With the support of Teletrac Navman, Transporting New Zealand has launched Supporting New Drivers, a short report which looks at the barriers Kiwis face in getting driver licences and what can be done to help more people progress into a transport career.

Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says New Zealand cannot afford to overlook the next generation of drivers. 

"The age profile of our workforce makes the challenge pretty clear. Our 2025 Road Transport Workforce Report found there are almost twice as many truck drivers aged over 65 as there are aged 24 and under. 

"A lot of highly skilled drivers will retire over the next decade. At the same time, the freight task is projected to grow by 55 percent over the next 20 years. We need to make it easier for young New Zealanders to see road freight as a genuine career option and give them a practical pathway into the industry."

Supporting New Drivers explains the pathway from obtaining a Class 1 car licence through to heavy vehicle Classes 2 to 5, and highlights some of the practical and financial barriers that can prevent people progressing. 

The pathway to becoming a commercial driver starts well before someone considers driving a truck. Getting a car licence can depend on having access to a suitable vehicle, someone to teach you to drive, the ability to pay for professional lessons and the cost of sitting licence tests. 

"A car licence is about much more than being able to drive," Kalasih says.

"It can open the door to education, employment and greater independence. For our industry, it is also the first step in the pipeline towards becoming a professional driver."

The resource highlights existing driver licensing initiatives established in Budget 2022 and the results achieved by community-based, free driver training programmes.

It also features 24-year-old driver and fleet administrator Zivana, who entered the transport industry at 18, demonstrating the career opportunities available to young people who choose road freight.

Transporting New Zealand is calling for greater investment in driver licensing, including: A five-year, $5 million fund administered by MSD to subsidise Class 2 and higher licence training for commercial road freight operators upskilling employees. Doubling targeted financial support for low-income driver licence applicants from $20 million to $40 million annually. Establishing a school-based driver licensing pathway, connecting secondary school students with free accredited driver training, licensing and employment providers increasing funding for mobile and community-based licensing services to $20 million annually, particularly in rural and high-deprivation areas. Working with insurers to enable telematics data to help demonstrate the safety of younger heavy-vehicle drivers and potentially support lower insurance premiums and excesses.

Transporting New Zealand estimates that investing $1 million annually in subsidised commercial heavy-vehicle licence training alone could help generate an additional 2,000 to 3,000 heavy-vehicle drivers.

"New Zealand already has community programmes successfully helping people become safe, legal drivers, find jobs and increase their earning potential," Kalasih says. 

"The problem is that these programmes can only reach a fraction of the people who could benefit from them.

"Investing in driver licensing is an investment in employment, independence and New Zealand’s future workforce. For road freight, it also means building the skilled workforce we will need to keep the country moving."

Transporting New Zealand says it will continue working with its members to encourage work experience and employment opportunities for younger drivers and to promote road freight as a sector where people can build long, rewarding careers.

Supporting New Drivers continues Transporting New Zealand and Teletrac Navman’s multi-year Driving Change Diversity partnership, including the 2025 Road Transport Workforce Report.