INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
• RTF Conference
almost here
• 2018 RUC Rates
• NZ Truck Driving
Championship rolls on
• Safety alert
notification: Dick
Joyce Towing
Connections
• Traffic Control
Devices Consultation
• Govt to build the
SkyPath
• Auckland Regional
Fuel Tax doing what
was predicated
• Regional Fuel Tax
rebates unlikely
• Downer to build new
Blenheim bridge
• New Auckland transport alliance
• New online tool for health and safety policy
• New book on Kiwi trucking
• New KiwiRail Chair
• RTF submission
• ‘Ministry of Works’ is
back
• Rebuild of SH1 in
Oamaru
• Industry swings in
behind Mt Messenger
Bypass
• Waimak Bridge work
begins
• Next Trucking Brief
September 2018 No 8 Vol 37
RTF CONFERENCE ALMOST HERE This year’s Road Transport Forum Conference is only a few weeks away. It promises to be a fun couple of days so, if you haven’t already, hurry up and register! The full programme, speaker bios, registration, accommodation options and sponsorship packages are available at www.rtfconference.co.nz.
2018 RUC RATES The regulations enabling increases in RUC rates have been published in the Gazette and are available to association members here. Instead of the single fixed increase across the board, the rates that have increased have been adjusted on the basis of pavement impact or ESAs of mainly the powered vehicles. This approach has led to smoothing out some of the historical unevenness across the combination rates which means some combinations might only have a minimal RUC adjustment. A copy of the 6-page RUC rates legislation is attached to the circular through the link above. MOT have also released the Regulatory Impact Statement (IS) and background advice and analysis to the regulatory amendments of the rates. Interestingly the average RUC increase is 5.9% based on the FED increase which is in line, though at the upper bound, of the RTF estimated increase based on the FED change covered in the draft Government Policy Statement. The RIS is available here. The same page also provides information on the regulatory impact of the recently introduced Auckland regional fuel tax The RUC calculator which has now been updated to cover the RUC 2018 rates and is available here.
NZ TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP ROLLS ON
The Auckland regional heat of the NZ Truck Driving Championship was held recently at the TR Group premises in Mt Wellington. 35 entries made for a really strong competition, reflected in extremely high and tight scoring. The class winners were:
Class 4 Andrew Crandon McFall Fuels
Tractor-Semi Brent Compton CV Compton Ltd
Truck & Trailer John Baillie Baillie Transport Ltd
Young Driver of the Year Brian Compton CV Compton Ltd
Congratulations to all those that competed. The winners and last year’s champions go on to the national final at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on 25 and 26 September. This year’s final will feature a couple of new events – a practical on road course around urban Dunedin assessing on driving competence, fuel efficient driving techniques and other components, and an emergency response competition where the drivers will at some point have to demonstrate the ability to deal with an emergency situation. These events will contribute to the decision on the 2018 overall Champion Truck Driver of the Year. The final regional heat is being held at North Tec’s Dyer Street Campus in Whangarei this Saturday. Please contact Keith McGuire ([email protected]) for further event and entry details.
SAFETY ALERT NOTIFICATION: DICK JOYCE TOWING CONNECTIONS NZTA has released a ‘Safety Alert’ in respect of towing connections undertaken by Richard ‘Dick’ Joyce. The alert follows the identification of issues during audits of towing connections certified by Joyce of Tasman SV Consulting Ltd, Dick Joyce Consultants Ltd and Seaview Engineering Ltd. The safety alert, Q and As and media release from the Agency are available to association members here. Meanwhile, documents released to Radio NZ under the Official Information Act show Joyce was investigated, and suspended for three months, after a truck trailer snapped off and rolled backwards near Taupo in 2007. At the time, NZTA said Mr Joyce knew about his flawed trailer designs in 2005, and modified them from that point on - but told no one so nothing was done about at least 10 trucks that had the design. The agency said he failed to stake steps to safeguard the 'health and safety of the public'. The engineers institute IPENZ ruled against him as well.
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES CONSULTATION NZTA is consulting on the Traffic Control Devices Manual part 5 (traffic control devices for general use – between intersections). The manual provides guidance and best practice for road controlling authorities and traffic management on the use of traffic control devices, such as signs and road marking between intersections. The discussion document can be viewed here. RTF intends to submit on this. Feedback can be sent to RTF no later than 12 September.
GOVT TO BUILD SKYPATH The Government has announced that it intends to fund SkyPath, a walking and cycling link across Auckland Harbour Bridge, as part of a $390 million investment in walking and cycling projects over the next three years. NZTA has confirmed $67 million of National Land Transport Fund investment to progress SkyPath as part of a larger $390 million walking and cycling investment package in the 2018/21 National Land Transport Programme.
The National Land Transport Fund is funded through fuel excise duty, RUCs and vehicle registration. The full 2018/21 NLTP, including details on specific transport projects, will be announced on Friday 31 August.
AUCKLAND REGIONAL FUEL TAX DOING WHAT WAS PREDICTED The Auckland Fuel Tax is having a negative impact on low income and Maori households according to the Independent Maori Statutory Board. The Board released a report that showed that low-income Aucklanders spend more of their income on fuel compared with higher earners. The report claimed that the tax means an extra $4.88 to $7.32 per week in petrol costs for the lowest-income people. In a recent news item Z Energy also admitted that it could not rule out the possibility of price spreading, saying through a spokesperson that, “over time the fuel tax could get competed away in Auckland. Whether or not this becomes the case in future is not something we can predict.” RTF Chief Executive Ken Shirley said in imposing the levy the council and government showed “absolutely zero understanding of the retail fuel market” or how prices were “manipulated and massaged” around the regions. Ken appeared on TVNZ’s Breakfast’s on 29 August for further commentary on fuel prices and the fuel tax. That clip is available here.
REGIONAL FUEL TAX REBATES UNLIKELY Unfortunately, the chance of any commercial vehicle user being able to claim an RFT rebate is unlikely. Advice on NZTA’s website at https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/regional-fuel-tax/rft-rebate-claim/ makes it clear beyond doubt that commercial transport vehicles (trucks and vans etc) cannot claim RFT rebates on diesel or petrol consumed by these vehicles. Fuel use in some RUC vehicles may be eligible for an RFT rebate – but only if that vehicle type and use is listed in the Schedule to the FED Regulations, which can be found here.
DOWNER TO BUILD NEW BLENHEIM BRIDGE NZTA has appointed Downer NZ Ltd to carry out the construction of the new bridge over the Opawa River in Blenheim. The existing bridge over what is a key freight route leading to and from the inter-island ferry has long been unsuitable for modern transport, particularly freight. The $21 million project is expected to kick off in early September and will be completed by mid-2020. The existing bridge will be retained for cycling and walking due to its heritage status.
NEW AUCKLAND TRANSPORT ALLIANCE The Supporting Growth Alliance, Te Tupu Nga Tahi, is a collaboration between NZTA, and Auckland Transport as well as AECOM and BECA, Buddle Findlay and Bell Gully to plan and support the transport networks vital to Auckland’s urban growth over the next 30 years. The Alliance is to be responsible for identifying and protecting routes and providing efficiency in the planning process. It is also partnering with mana whenua, KiwiRail and Auckland Council’s land use planning and infrastructure teams to provide an integrated response to future growth. Estimates of the cost of transport improvements over the next 30 years are between $8 billion and $10 billion Information on the Supporting Growth programme, including dates for consultation are available at www.supportinggrowth.govt.nz.
NEW ONLINE TOOL FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
A new online resource will enable small businesses to create health and wellbeing policies quickly and easily, through the business.govt.nz website. “The online Workplace Policy Builder makes it easy for small businesses to tailor policies to the individual circumstances of their workplaces,” says Small Business Minister Stuart Nash. “Small businesses who lack in-house expertise can avoid the hassle of drawing up a policy from scratch by using this new online tool. It offers them the assurance that their policies will comply with current law.” The Workplace Policy Builder is available here.
NEW BOOK ON KIWI TRUCKING Deals on Wheels Editor and industry enthusiast Randolph Covich has recently published a book, Life on the Road: Kiwi Trucking Stories. The book, which is available here, is about the unsung driving heroes who keep the country running. It is full of anecdotes and nostalgic stories capturing the humour, tragedy and extremes of the road transport industry. Would a perfect father’s day present!
NEW KIWIRAIL CHAIR Greg Miller has been announced to replace Trevor Janes as KiwiRail board chairman. Millar has been the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Toll NZ since 2008 and was previously a senior executive at Tranz Rail and Mainfreight. The appointment means that Millar will chair the NZ Railways Corporation Board. It has also been recently announced that Millar has been appointed to a new government working group to look into a new upper North Island supply chain strategy to better integrate port, rail and road infrastructure planning.
RTF SUBMISSION RTF has submitted to the Heavy Vehicle Entry Certification Review’s proposed recommendations. The submission can be found here and NZTA’s discussion document here. The purpose of NZTA’s review was to identify opportunities throughout the system, which would assist improvements in the entry certification system and provide increased assurance in the standard of heavy vehicles entering New Zealand with a robust, risk-based approach, which treats all providers fairly.
‘MINISTRY OF WORKS’ IS BACK Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has announced the Government’s intention to establish a National Infrastructure Commission to prioritise key infrastructure projects and to find ways to fund them. It would pull together a long-term pipeline of infrastructure by working with central and local government to determine where it was needed. Minister Jones emphasised the importance of the Commission’s independence from the rest of the bu-reaucracy.
REBUILD OF SH1 IN OAMARU
From early next month, Oamaru road users are urged to plan for delays when SH1 between Ribble Street and Orana Park is rebuilt. Work will start on Monday, 3 September and run through to around the end of the month, weather dependent. Construction crews will be on site from 6am to 8pm Monday to Saturday. Delays of up to five minutes can be expected along with road closures to Ribble, Dee, Usk, Nen, Trent, Ouse, and Or-well Streets to the west of SH1.
INDUSTRY SWINGS IN BEHIND MT MESSENGER BYPASS
New route provides a far less arduous journey NRC’s Tom Cloke has delivered a forceful advocacy of the Mt Messenger Bypass on behalf of the road transport industry to New Plymouth District Council. Cloke told the hearing that the current route is not fit for purpose as it has tight corners, steep gradi-ents and shadowed pavements, however there is no suitable alternative for heavy vehicles. David Rogers of Transport Investment Group Ltd and John Hickman of JD Hickman Ltd also submitted and told the hearing that there would be major benefits through reduced CO2 emissions and for busi-nesses relying on road transport of goods in and out of Taranaki.
WAIMAK BRIDGE WORK BEGINS The Waimakariri Bridge north of Christchurch is being widened and strengthened to accommodate two extra lanes of traffic and a clip-on cycleway. The Bridge, which is actually two bridges, will gain an extra lane on the inside of each bridge. The project was due to start by the end of August with most of the work being done in off-peak times to reduce the impact on traffic. It is expected to take 16 months.
NEXT TRUCKING BRIEF Due to the timing of the RTF Conference in the last week of September the October Trucking Brief will come out a wee bit early. Expect it around 21 September.
ROAD TRANSPORT FORUM WEBSITE Go to www.rtfnz.co.nz for access to the full range of Forum comment, advice and analysis.
Trucking Brief is compiled by the Road Transport Forum New Zealand Incorporated as a membership service.
© 2002 Copyright – No part may be reproduced by any process to non members without prior written permission of Road Transport Forum.
Printed and published by Road Transport Forum New Zealand Incorporated at the society’s registered office, 93 Boulcott Street (PO Box 1778)
Wellington. Ph: 04 472 3877, Fax: 04 471 2649, E-mail: [email protected].
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