NZTD News

Volvo Trucks North America announced that integrated side curtain airbags will now be standard equipment on new Volvo truck models built for the North American market. This marks another industry first for Volvo Trucks. Volvo Trucks introduced the driver front airbag in 1996 with the launch of the VN model and made it standard equipment going forward.

Crash test simulation without (left) and with (right) Volvo Trucks’ integrated side curtain airbag deployed during a rollover. The industry-first technology is now standa...

You may have missed it, but this week the Government announced the biggest change in freight and supply chain policy in decades.

At first glance it may have looked like just another bland policy announcement about plans from the Government.

But it is far more than that.

What Minister Bishop has announced is a major step change in how government approaches freight and supply chain planning.

Firstly – the establishment of a new Freight Council will bring together senior experts from road, rail, maritime...

South Port New Zealand has announced a record-breaking net profit after tax (NPAT) of $13.3 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, marking a remarkable 81% surge from the previous year's $7.4 million. The port's robust performance was fueled by a historic boom in bulk cargo volumes, which successfully offset reduced activity at the Tiwai wharf and solidified the company's financial position for future growth. 

The company's total revenue climbed 13% to $63.3 million, up from $56.1 million in the prior c...

Building durable roads is something that we’ve been doing at least since Roman times, and possibly stretching back even before then. Turns out the Romans knew a thing or to about the science of building roads, 2000 years later and incredibly many are still in functional condition. What the Roman engineers didn’t know about sub-strata, base course and surfacing wasn’t worth knowing. They also knew how important their roads were – literally the arteries that allowed them to keep the Empire running.

At National Road Carri...

International connections

Over the last 25 years or so, I’ve been involved in the International Forum for Heavy Vehicle Transport and Technology (HVTT), presenting papers at several of its symposia. I’ve also been a Board member for much of that time – so long I can hardly recall.  

The Board is well-represented by members across the globe, who share the duty of providing the monthly newsletter. September was my turn, so this week, I’m sharing it here too (slightly edited for brevity). ...

National Road Freight Association Transporting New Zealand is urging members to get their applications in quickly, with just seven days left to apply for funding through their Endowment Committee’s 2025 Grant Round. Applications close on 30 September 2025, with the Committee having up to $27,000 to award in grants.

The Endowment Committee, a sub-committee of Transporting New Zealand, was established to manage and distribute funds previously held by former road transport association regions. It awards grants that protec...