While you were busy keeping New Zealand’s supply chain humming, a number of important and positive announcements may have slipped below your radar. 

Sharper teeth for Director of Land Transport for TSLs 

It may have gone unnoticed by many, but quietly this week one of the most significant changes for holders of Transport Service Licenses (TSL) in decades came into effect.

The Director of Land Transport has been given a bigger stick designed to tighten up management of TSLs. These changes are an essential step closer to ensuring that the TSL system only grants fit and proper operators who are compliant the privilege to operate a commercial transport business and access our roading network.

As of 18th May, the Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill came into effect, giving the Director stronger powers for managing TSLs:

·  the Director can immediately suspend a TSL for significant Health & Safety Concerns,

·  the Director must approve new persons in control of a TLS

·  Fines for transferring, leasing or assigning a TSL have gone up to $30,000 for an individual / $100,000 for companies

·  NZTA can audit operators they believe are running a transport service without a TSL

Compliant operators have nothing to worry about.

But these changes are sending a warning shot to the complacent and the negligent – you are on notice. Had the Director had these powers earlier, tragic deaths like those of Jonathan Walters in Remuera in 2024 could have been avoided.

National Road Carriers has consistently called for stronger powers for the regulator when it comes to TSLs, we are delighted to see this law come into effect.

A win for transport operators in the paper wars

For those operating 50MAX trucks a welcome reprieve on paperwork was announced by  Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. Permits are not longer required for 50MAX trucks, or for relocating unladen rental High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs).  NRC’s Jame’s Smith has long called for removing these permits which don’t provide safety or infrastructure benefits. This change removes a compliance paper-trail for transport operators, simplifying operations and reducing admin cost.

While not in effect just yet, we expect these to come into play in the coming months – watch this space.

Two major government moves signal better management of our road assets is on the horizon

When I meet with our members up and down the country it doesn’t take long for conversation to turn to the quality of our roads, and specifically how many road controlling authorities have not looked after maintaining their networks. How Road User Charges (RUC) are spent across the 44,000kms or so of our roading network is far from consistent.

The government has heard this cry, and not just for roading but all infrastructure, and two major changes are underway that are going to deliver a seismic shock to public infrastructure asset managers.

Outlining the first, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop have put the 78 local authorities in New Zealand on notice: come up with amalgamation plans in three months, or the government will do it for them. 

Too many councils has long been the root of many ills. For a country of five million to have 78 local authorities is just plain stupid. It means on average for every 65,000 people we duplicate all of the management and administrative cost overhead local bureaucracy brings.

For roading specifically, many of the 78 local authorities struggle to pay for the engineering and asset management expertise they need to manage their patch. And let’s not talk about the lack of a nationwide roading design template, leaving the local authorities to do it their own way.

Done right, for asset management like roads and water, amalgamating authorities into a smaller number with larger districts will bring benefits of scale and better asset management.

Coupled with this change is Phase 2 of Minister Bishop’s Asset Management and Work Programme. In a speech this week to the Apōpō Congress 2026 (which means tomorrow or future) the Minster outlined the next phase for ensuring New Zealand can have more reliable infrastructure services.

The bar is going to be raised with what is expected from agencies and asset managers, which spells good news for road users. In his speech, the Minister outlined the Infrastructure Commission’s recommendations for improving asset management performance:

·  Develop proper long-term investment and asset management plans

·  Strengthening reporting requirements to improve transparency on asset spend

·  Establishing oversight, including audits, and independent review of asset plans

·  Explicitly folding infrastructure management and renewals into fiscal strategies

·  Strengthening incentives for better asset management practice

Imagine these requirements being put on road controlling authorities in an amalgamated council landscape - the wiggle room of spending RUC on pet projects would disappear.

While we have to wait until next month for the Government’s formal response to the National Infrastructure Plan, it is a good sign the minister is highlighting these recommendations.

NRC Member P&S Hornell LTD win Foodstuffs NI Carrier of the Year

To finish with more good news, a huge congratulations to NRC members Peter and Shelley Hornell who were awarded Foodstuffs North Island’s prestigious Carrier of the Year. Achieving this award takes the hard work of delivering great service day in and day out. Fantastic to see NRC members flying high and leading the way.

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