NZTD News

The Light Traffic Index (LTI) fell 0.5% in May and is up 0.3% versus a year ago. The more volatile Heavy Traffic Index (HTI) fell 3.0%, and is up 1.7% year on year. 

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 mont...

After spending last week focused on port charges, this week I joined some of the NRC team in a port ride along, kindly hosted by Marlin Transport. The NRC team regularly take the opportunity to get up close and personal with the supply chain, and walk a mile in our members shoes. This is an invaluable way to experience first-hand what transport operators face.

We drove from Marlin Transport’s Auckland Airport depot into the port to collect two export containers and bring them back to the depot. Despite rain doing its b...

National road freight organisation Transporting New Zealand says this Saturday’s official opening of the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway is great news for the freight industry, and the region’s communities. 

Chief executive Dom Kalasih says the highway will deliver a safe, reliable and resilient connection between the Manawatū and Tararua districts. Traffic will be able to use the highway from next week.

The highway replaces the Manawatū Gorge route, closed in 2017 due to slips. 

The ne...

I was one of three New Zealanders at the Heavy Vehicle Transport and Technology  HVTT18 symposium at Laval University, Quebec, Canada last week. It was a grim time for us all.

As we talked about what we heard from the speakers, the main feelings we shared were frustration and a bit of depression.

In fact, one of my Kiwi colleagues who has had a long association in the transport area, described his feeling as “despair”!

Our feelings were a result of seeing what other countries are doing and lamenting wh...

As an official partner of the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC) 2025, IVECO is supporting the decarbonisation goals of the European Truck Racing Association (ETRA) with the world’s first fully electric “ePaceTruck”. 

For the first time in the history of the championship, a battery-electric truck will lead the grid: the IVECO S-eWay Pace Truck will serve as the official pace truck for the ETRC 2025. It will debut at the season opener in Misano, Italy, on May 17-18, joining the IVECO S-Way LNG p...

The Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (the Fund) has been refreshed to better support New Zealand’s businesses in transitioning to a more resilient and efficient supply chain, Energy Minister Simon Watts says.

“Heavy freight represents a high-impact opportunity to reduce emissions and enhance energy efficiency on our roads.

“Globally, clean heavy freight is reshaping modern, competitive supply chains. We want to keep working on getting the market going here, so New Zealand businesses have more choices.

“Sinc...