NZTD News

NZI is set to host the next NZI Truckie Rest Zone at Paengaroa on the 21st of May, offering a vital opportunity for heavy vehicle drivers in the region to take a well-deserved break. Drivers are encouraged to stop by for complimentary refreshments, receive a health check, and engage with NZI Fleet Fit experts about driver fatigue and best practices for staying safe and well on the road.

The initiative is part of NZI’s ongoing commitment to improving safety within the road transport industry. The NZI Truckie Rest Zones ...

The Government’s crackdown on drunk drivers is delivering real results with newly released 2024 statistics showing the number of alcohol-related road deaths reducing by nearly 40%, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.

“Our Government is focused on improving road safety through road policing and enforcement, investment in new and safe roading infrastructure, and targeting the leading contributors to fatal crashes such as drugs and alcohol impairment. That plan – the Road Policing Invest...

A 1-day closure of Pekatahi Bridge is scheduled to take place next Monday 19 May, between 8.30am and 4.30pm, enabling essential deck repairs to take place.  

Pekatahi Bridge, located north of Tāneatua on State Highway 2 (SH2), will close for the day so contractors can safely repair and replace decking planks, address broken and protruding screws and undertake chipseal surface patching (weather dependent).

Tuesday 20 May is the contingency day should the weather be unsuitable on Monday.

SH2 is a key con...

The Light Traffic Index (LTI) lifted 0.6% in April and is unchanged versus a year ago. The more volatile Heavy Traffic Index (HTI) rose 2.7%, and is up 1.7% y/y.

Light traffic (motorbikes, cars and vans) is generally a good indicator of the state of demand, as opposed to production. It typically provides a six-month lead on momentum in the economy, with variation reflecting discretionary spending on outings, movement of couriers and tradespeople etc. The trend in light traffic is mildly upward over recent months. In pe...

Since KiwiRail announced the retirement of the Aratere last week, I’ve heard from many frustrated members. They’re concerned about reduced capacity across the Cook Strait, rising freight costs, and the disruption this will cause to their businesses.

This frustration is completely justified. In June last year, the Government-appointed Ministerial Advisory Group recommended procuring two rail-compatible vessels, to be delivered by December 2027. Instead, the country will now wait until 2029 for rail-enabled ves...

Without doubt one of the most enjoyable parts of running National Road Carriers is meeting our members. I’m privileged to meet all types of people up and down the country, across all the transport sectors. Each business is unique. 

One of the first questions I ask is – how’s business, and are you starting to see any green shoots of recovering customer demand? 

The answers are as broad as our member base, but this year a consistent theme is noticeable. The green shoots are slow in coming. 

The...