The Ministry of Transport is currently investigating potential changes to the transport laws regulating agricultural vehicles such as tractors, combine harvesters, and other agricultural transport.
The review is aimed at reducing unnecessary compliance costs, as well as enhancing economic growth and productivity without compromising the safety of operators, other road users and road infrastructure.
Potential changes relate to driver licensing and work times rules, as well as the inspection, licensing, registration and road user charges associated with ag-equipment.
Concerns have been raised in the past that the current law does not adequately take into account the needs of farmers and rural contractors, who are often affected by the seasonal nature of agriculture, and challenges imposed by the weather. There is also concern that the law is out of date, overly complex and inconsistent.
Agricultural industry representatives have said that current driver licence categories create difficulties for operators of agricultural vehicles, and can conflict with industry needs.
Federated Farmers of New Zealand commented that the 30 km/h limit for tractors driven on a Class 1 licence raises the risk of other vehicles crashing into slow moving agricultural vehicles.
An analysis of crashes supports this view. It showed that from 1997 to 2010, 51% of crashes involving agricultural vehicles involved another vehicle crashing into the rear of an agricultural vehicle. Federated Farmers has called for the speed limit to be raised.
Currently, New Zealand law does not recognise tractor licences from countries such as the United Kingdom and Ireland. Industry representatives say that recognising overseas tractor licences would improve their ability to recruit seasonal workers with tractor licences (and not Class 1 or higher licences).
The sector does not currently recruit these workers as it can take some time for seasonal workers to graduate to a full class 1 licence and often these workers are only in New Zealand for a year or less.
The vehicles included in proposed changes include Tractors used for agricultural purposes, agricultural trailers, soil cultivators, planters and seed drills, harvesters, bailers, hay rakes and produce sorters.
The following changes are currently under review:
– Increasing the speed restrictions for class 1 (car) licensed tractor drivers to 40km/h, currently 30km/h for tractors up to 18 tonnes, or 25 tonnes in combination.
– A new agricultural vehicle endorsement on the class 1 licence to permit holders to operate vehicles currently requiring a class 2 (heavy vehicle) licence. The agricultural vehicle endorsement would test applicants on key areas of the class 2 licence that are relevant to operating certain agricultural vehicles, and would require a theory test, supported by practical certification from an employer or training provider.
– Exemption from the work time rule on vehicles requiring a class 1 licence. This would benefit operators who often need to work long or irregular hours during harvest, and who also need to work around the weather. This new flexibility is balanced by the ongoing requirement for rural employers under the Health and Safety in Employment Act to effectively manage worker fatigue. This means that agricultural vehicle operators would not be able to work unlimited hours for extended periods of time.
– Agricultural vehicles licensed to operate at up to 40 km/h would be exempt from licence fees, periodic inspection and road user charges. These vehicles would still be required to be registered and in a road worthy condition and would have to display a “40” sign clearly visible to the rear to facilitate enforcement.
– Agricultural vehicles licensed to operate over 40 km/h would be required to display a Class G vehicle licence, pay road user charges and hold a simplified (tractor focussed) annual warrant of fitness
– Agricultural trailers and implements operated at speeds less than 40 km/h would continue to be exempt from registration, licensing and warrant of fitness. To address safety concerns, trailers operated at higher speeds would be subject to normal regulatory requirements.
– Agricultural vehicles would be required to display and operate an amber beacon. It is proposed that agricultural vehicles be required to display and operate an amber beacon. Crash statistics show that a lack of forward warning to other road users about the presence of a slow moving agricultural vehicle on narrow and winding rural roads is the leading cause of crashes involving agricultural vehicles.
– No change in the weight threshold for when operators must obtain an overweight permit.
– New hazard panel configuration. The review team is proposing to introduce an alternative hazard panel configuration to apply to all vehicles where it is more practicable or will give better visibility, which should provide some additional flexibility.
– Advertising strategy to promote road user awareness of agricultural vehicles. The review team is also proposing to develop an advertising strategy with industry to improve road user awareness of agricultural vehicles.
– Ability to exempt operators from travel time restrictions. Road controlling authorities would be permitted to issue permits for vehicles to travel during restricted travel times.
– Clarify that operators are not required to remove the forks or other equipment fitted to the front arms of agricultural vehicles.
The ministry has presented recommendations to Simon Bridges, associate minister of transport. An announcement of the government’s final decisions is not expected until after Bridges has considered the report and consulted with his cabinet colleagues.
