13 minute read
Transport Forum
Upgrade Programme a frustrating downgrade
The Auckland Harbour Bridge has reached its load-carrying capacity
by Nick Leggett Chief Executive
Road Transport Forum NZ
INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED IS THE ONLY
way to describe how I feel about the Government’s recent announcement on the fate of roading projects in the New Zealand Upgrade Programme.
Firstly, the good news is that the 24 kilometre highway from Otaki to north of Levin, costing around $817million, will be built as planned. Wellington’s Melling Interchange will also go ahead at a higher cost – now estimated at $420m, having been costed at $258m just a year ago.
The bad news from a road transport point of view is that the Mill Road project in Auckland will not go ahead – due to reprioritisation and concern over future transport emissions.
This again proves the Government has little confidence in its ability to decarbonise the private vehicle fleet and has no real understanding of how suburban NZers live their lives.
Like the rest of the country, I was also disappointed to see more than $700m tagged for a new walking and cycling bridge across Auckland Harbour. RTF believes such a huge spend should go towards a new harbour crossing, where buses, trains and trucks are prioritised, and that we should use lanes on the existing bridge for cycling and walking.
Many cycling campaigners are also unconvinced about the merits of the new bridge, with one suggesting using the westernmost lane of the existing bridge for walking and cycling as a trial before any money is committed.
This cycling bridge has resulted in a vigorous debate over what the Government is actually trying to achieve. Yes, climate change means we all need to change our behaviour and reduce our reliance on single-occupancy vehicle use.
However, driving a wedge between cyclists/walkers and motorists is not the way to do it. Our roads need to be improved so more efficient vehicles can transport greater volumes of goods in fewer movements, and more efficient transport routes need to be created, whether these involve road or rail, or a mix of both.
The logistics sector needs longterm assurances and a real plan for freight movement in NZ into the future. NZ’s road network is in serious decline: Go to any region and people will tell you how bad the roads are and that maintenance has been ignored for years. As the cost of road maintenance continues to increase, so does the bill for investment in new and better roads.
The way infrastructure policy making is treated in this country fundamentally needs to change. The Government needs to look long and hard at NZ’s roading network and properly understand its value to the economy and the everyday lives of NZers.
Project cost blowouts seem to be the norm, and projects promised one year are shelved the next. It was particularly interesting to see many of National’s proposed roading projects promised funding prior to the last election – an election that saw a number of traditionally blue seats turn red. Many of those projects have, now that the election has come and gone, fallen by the wayside. The NZ Upgrade Progamme has fast become a frustrating downgrade.
Staying on the subject of roads, I was horrified by recent dashcam footage of a car crashing into a turning milk tanker. The driver overtook a line of vehicles that had slowed to allow the tanker to turn, and in doing so, hit the truck cab at speed, sending
Livestock operators the meat in the sandwich
THE ROAD TRANSPORT FORUM IS CONCERNED
at the impact that tighter regulatory enforcement around work hours is having on livestock transport, a sector already under increasing pressure due to the unique nature of its work.
A targeted operation by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency in the Manawatu led to RTF engaging with the relevant regulators on a range of issues and pressures felt by operators in this sector.
“While the RTF remains committed to ensuring our industry is compliant, we are concerned that the approach of regulators could be too punitive – without a total picture of the chain of responsibility, and the expectations and conflicting rules of other customers and suppliers that cut across the work of livestock transporters,” says chief executive Nick Leggett.
“Transporting livestock is one of the most difficult transport tasks because it deals with live animals – whose welfare must be paramount. It is fair to say that at the moment livestock operators feel as though they are the meat in the sandwich – getting squeezed from both sides.”
The Transport Within NZ Code of Welfare sets minimum standards and recommends best practice for the care and management of animals. It states that there must be a contingency plan in place – allowing the needs of animals to be met in the event of any delays arising during the part of the journey for which the transport operator is responsible.
“We only have to think back to when Auckland went into COVID-19 level 3 in February, when some livestock operators were caught in traffic jams at police checkpoints for up to six hours in summer heat….which was unacceptable in anyone’s view,” says Leggett.
The welfare of animals during transportation often involves a chain of changing responsibility because different people may carry out different parts of the process. Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, both the owner and the person (or persons) in charge of animals have responsibilities for meeting the animals’ needs.
At an operational level, those responsible for carrying out particular tasks in the transport process are likely to be considered the person(s) in charge for the purposes of the Animal Welfare Act and are responsible for ensuring that applicable minimum standards in the Code of Welfare are met.
One Manawatu livestock operator said the biggest concern was looking after animal welfare. He said once livestock are on board a truck they have to be delivered – and cannot be left to the following day.
“If stock are at the saleyards they also need to be shifted, as there aren’t adequate facilities to hold them overnight. A day organised to meet delivery times and logbook requirements can quickly turn to custard because a farmer is not ready, or there’s a holdup at the meatworks. After that it’s hard to recover time, and there isn’t a surplus of trucks or drivers to cover the overrun.”
The operator said the other things they have to contend with include poor facilities that result in trucks getting stuck; some stock taking longer to load than others; accidents on highways holding up traffic – and H-permitted trucks being unable to take detours after accidents.
There’s also the extra time and distance they have to travel due to the permanent closure of the Manawatu Gorge. The Saddle Road, one of the two alternative routes to the Gorge, has also experienced a number of closures, and going via the Pahiatua Track takes a lot longer.
RTF previously had success arguing that farmers – not truck drivers – should be ultimately responsible for the transportation of correctly-tagged animals under the NAIT regime.
The industry has also made considerable progress in recent years working with the farming sector to minimise the risk of livestock being injured during transportation.
Leggett says discussions have begun about the key pressures in the chain of responsibility: “Our view is that the industry cannot be held to unfair account for problems and pressures that begin elsewhere in the chain of responsibility. With animal welfare rightfully being of utmost importance, livestock transporters being able to lawfully operate with good crossregulator and customer understanding is paramount.
“If a truck full of non-perishable freight gets stuck in traffic the delay may be frustrating, but for a stock truck loaded with cattle or sheep it becomes a huge problem.”
Leggett says that RTF and livestock transport operators have met with Waka Kotahi, WorkSafe NZ and the Ministry of Primary Industries to help these agencies get a better understanding of the issues….
And to find a solution that will result in a better-functioning chain of responsibility that doesn’t put undue stress on transport when moving live animals around NZ.
“At the end of the day, NZ’s reputation as a food exporter rests on our good treatment of both animals and people, so it is essential there are measures in place across the full chain of responsibility to ensure we meet that expectation,” he adds. T&D
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both vehicles off the road.
The scariest thing about that incident is just how unremarkable it is. Operators around the country tell me that their drivers put up with this kind of behaviour on an almost daily basis.
The RTF and other parts of our industry are doing all we can to stand up for industry safety measures that maximise safety for all road users. However, the driving standards of other motorists continue to leave our drivers exposed – and there is little doubt that this plays a part in our industry’s ongoing workforce struggles.
It is the industry’s desire to solve our workforce issues that have seen me appointed to a governance role on the new Manufacturing, Engineering, and Logistics Workforce Development Council. This has come about as industry training organisations (ITOs) and the polytechnic sector are rolled into one new organisation – Te Pūkenga, the NZ Institute of Skills and Technology – intended to provide greater nationwide consistency in vocational education.
I am very keen to see how this new institute responds to the unique challenges of our industry, because RTF has expressed some serious reservations about the replacement of the ITOs in the past. The strength of the ITO model has been that it was industry-led, industry-governed and, therefore, responsive to the needs of the economy.
I see it as my role on the new council to keep advocating for the needs of the transport sector and its businesses, making sure training remains responsive to the changing times and vocational education is closely-aligned to work and the needs of employers. T&D
Livestock operators the meat in the sandwich
Holdups on-farm or due to other unforeseen circumstances place pressure on transport operators when it comes to looking after the welfare of the animals they are transporting
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onehungapanelpaint.co.nz Ph. 09 634 4333
NZ Truck & Driver’s Trevor Woolston (left) presenting Rex Temm with the Castrol Truck Driver Hero Award at the 2019 RTF Conference
The Road Ahead – 2021 Transporting New Zealand Conference September 25 & 26, at Invercargill’s Ascot Park Hotel
THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY IS OFTEN
characterised by the vehicles that the public see out on the road, but the reality is that what makes this industry tick is the people.
We all know companies and employees who go the extra mile to provide great service to their customers and who are the first to step up when others need help.
“These companies are often the ones that never have to advertise for new staff because people are lining up to work there,” says Road Transport Forum chief executive Nick Leggett.
“Different staff at different levels tend to lead by example and this means great results for the whole organisation.
“Now is the time for these outstanding industry leaders to be recognised. The people who deserve the pat on the back and the handshake are often reluctant to put themselves forward for awards….so the rest of us need to step up and do it for them.
“This is where the 2021 NZ Road Transport Industry Awards come in,” Leggett says – adding: “The awards were set up a number of years ago to recognise best practice and achievement in the industry. They are a way of honouring individuals, organisations and companies that have gone above and beyond industry requirements in raising skills, safety practices, knowledge, training, industry awareness, innovation and expertise.
“Now, more than ever, it is important that the road transport industry shows NZ just how professional we are. In recent years we have been the ones to keep the country going, connecting communities cut off because of earthquakes or weather events, and ensuring that – even in the middle of a pandemic – the public could still walk into a supermarket and find the shelves full.
“We understand that truckies don’t like tooting their own horn, but it’s important to develop a culture where young drivers and staff have people they look up to.”
The NZ Road Transport Industry Award categories are: VTNZ Supreme Contribution to NZ Road Transport; EROAD Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety; Teletrac Navman Outstanding Contribution by a Woman in the Road Transport Industry; and the EROAD Young Driver of the Year (under 35). Go to the events section of the RTF website (www.rtf.nz), where the entry guidelines and the nomination form are available for download.
Entries are now open so if you know someone who has made a real difference in their field, please nominate them now.
In 2019 (there were no awards last year due to COVID-19) the awards celebrated diversity in the industry, with three of the awards going to women.
Carla Seymour Mansell from Seymours Transport Services in Gisborne took out the EROAD Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety Award; Ayna Shamim, from Angel Transport in Auckland, received the first ever Teletrac Navman Outstanding Contribution by a Woman in the Road Transport Industry Award; and Summer Ratima Thompson, from G J Sheldrake, in Tokoroa, was the EROAD Young Driver of the Year.
Jeff Mear, national sales director at Fruehauf New Zealand in Auckland, received the VTNZ Supreme Contribution to NZ Road Transport Award, while the Castrol Truck Driver Hero Award went to Rex Temm, from Riordan & West in Te Awamutu.
Nominations are also open for the Castrol Truck Driver Hero Award. If you know someone who has through their actions helped others to safety or in distress while out on the road, go to the RTF or NZ Truck & Driver magazine websites to get your nomination in.
This year, winners will be acknowledged and presented with a trophy at the gala dinner at The Road Ahead 2021 Transporting New Zealand Conference in Invercargill in September.
If you make your conference booking by July 31 you can take advantage of the discounted early bird registration price of $675 for both days. From August 1 the cost will be $750.
You can register and get more information about the conference on the dedicated website: https://www.rtfconference.co.nz T&D
Road Transport Forum was established in 1997 to represent the combined interests of all members as a single organisation at a national level. Members of Road Transport Forum’s regionally focused member associations are automatically affiliated to the Forum.
Road Transport Forum NZ PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 forum@rtf.nz www.rtfnz.co.nz Nick Leggett, Chief Executive 04 472 3877 021 248 2175 nick@rtf.nz National Road Carriers (NRC) PO Box 12-100, Penrose, Auckland 0800 686 777 09 622 2529 (Fax) enquiries@natroad.nz www.natroad.co.nz David Aitken, Chief Executive 09 636 2951 021 771 911 david.aitken@natroad.nz Paula Rogers, Commercial Transport Specialist 09 636 2957 021 771 951 paula.rogers@natroad.nz Jason Heather, Commercial Transport Specialist 09 636 2950 021 771 946 jason.heather@natroad.nz Steve Chapple, Commercial Transport Specialist – Lower NI. 027 244 9557 steve.chapple@natroad.nz Ian Roberts, Commercial Transport Specialist – Waikato/Bay of Plenty 021 193 3555 Ian.roberts@natroad.nz Road Transport Association of NZ (RTANZ) National Office, PO Box 7392, Christchurch 8240 03 366 9854 admin@rtanz.co.nz www.rtanz.co.nz Simon Carson, Chief Operating Officer 027 556 6099 scarson@rtanz.co.nz Northland/Auckland/Waikato/ Thames-Coromandel/Bay of Plenty/North Taupo/King Country Contact RTANZ Christchurch head office for assistance 03 3669854 South Taupo/Turangi/Gisborne/Taranaki/ Manawatu/Horowhenua/Wellington Sandy Walker, Senior Industry Advisor 027 485 6038 swalker@rtanz.co.nz Northern West Coast/Nelson/Marlborough/ North Canterbury/West Coast John Bond, Senior Industry Advisor 027 444 8136 jbond@rtanz.co.nz Otago Southland, South Canterbury , Mid Canterbury Contact RTANZ Christchurch head office for assistance 03 3669854 NZ Trucking Association (NZTA) PO Box 16905, Hornby, Christchurch 8441 0800 338 338 03 349 0135 (Fax) info@nztruckingassn.co.nz www.nztruckingassn.co.nz David Boyce, Chief Executive 03 344 6257 021 754 137 dave.boyce@nztruckingassn.co.nz Carol McGeady, Executive Officer 03 349 8070 021 252 7252 carol.mcgeady@nztruckingassn.co.nz
Women in Road Transport (WiRT) www.rtfnz.co.nz/womeninroadtransport wirtnz@gmail.com
