9 May 2019 02:06 pm | NZ Transport Agency
Commercial heavy vehicle drivers who consistently compromise road safety and break the law will face tougher enforcement action from the NZ Transport Agency following implementation of a new proactive monitoring regime.
Regulatory General Manager Kane Patena says drivers who continue to incur large numbers of traffic offences, criminal offences or multiple demerit points suspensions will have their 2-5 licence revoked.
“We are talking about drivers who have repeatedly demonstrated that they are unwilling to change their behaviour, despite multiple run-ins with Police and the Courts,” Kane Patena says.
“These are people who clearly have little regard for the safety of other road users.”
“Our approach will be firm but fair and I want to make it clear that good drivers with the odd infringement have absolutely nothing to be concerned about.”
“We are focused on a very small group of repeat offenders amongst the 390,000 2 to 5 licence holders.”
“Previously, drivers would be checked when they came to our attention, for example via an audit, applying for endorsement or if they were involved in a serious incident. Our new monitoring regime will keep tabs on drivers who consistently offend at a level that would have previously flown under our radar.”
“The Transport Agency has previously acknowledged its regulatory compliance regime wasn’t strong enough, this work is about improving on that and making our roads safer for all New Zealanders.”
My hope is that transport companies will vet drivers before letting them get behind the wheel of a vehicle. A number of companies carryout these checks and constantly monitor the activities of their drivers, whether this be through the TORO, GPS in their vehicles or actively completing due diligence through reference checking. I would like to see these practical steps to become more widespread and industry standard.
As part of this new monitoring regime, the Transport Agency will be looking at factors such as repeated disqualifications, suspensions, offences, fines history and criminal convictions that demonstrate that drivers are not fit and proper to work in a transport service.
Unfit drivers will have their heavy vehicle licence disqualified, suspended or revoked under sections 87A and 87D of the Land Transport Act. The maximum term is ten years.
Each case will be considered on an individual basis and drivers will have the right to make submissions as well as appeal their case in a court of law.
