Fit and proper person

To make sure the public are safe while using passenger services in New Zealand, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency checks the background of all passenger service drivers. This background check includes:

• transport-related offences, especially relating to safety
• history of behavioural problems
• past complaints about a transport service they may have operated
• history of persistent failures to pay fines for transport-related offences
• criminal convictions (in New Zealand or overseas) including charges and convictions relating to violence or sexual offences, drugs or firearms offences, or offences involving organised criminal activities.

Waka Kotahi must be satisfied that the commercial driver is a fit and proper person. We’ll consider any information, from any source, that may be relevant to the driver's status as a fit and proper person, including (but not limited to) the above list.

Real-time monitoring

In our role as the lead regulator for the land transport system, Waka Kotahi regularly assesses commercial drivers to ensure they continue to meet our fit and proper criteria.  This means drivers must maintain good standards of behaviour, including demonstrating good safety practices on our roads. 

Waka Kotahi continuously monitors these commercial drivers using real time data. The real-time data includes but isn't limited to;

• any new traffic offending (including speed camera offending),
• any new information held by the New Zealand Police, and
• continued medical fitness since their last application.

As part of our ongoing commitment to road safety and improving driving standards on our roads, Waka Kotahi will be using this information to monitor commercial drivers and take action against unsafe drivers in real-time rather than at the renewal of their endorsement.

Fit and proper person checks