As part of his brief to investigate future strategies of the vehicle inspection business, VINZ chief executive officer Gordon Shaw will head to Dubai in April to attend the bi-annual global conference which is being hosted by the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee, known as CITA.
“Our parent company Jevic is a member of CITA as it is a committee for the harmonisation of policy and standards, and delivery of vehicle inspections,” says Shaw.
“The Jevic Group have always been represented at past CITA conference but this is the first opportunity for VINZ to attend.”
Shaw says the main focus of the conference will be centred around enhancing the value of vehicle inspection, and the sub themes around achieving inspection integrity, and where the future of vehicle inspection lies.
The continuation of the business model of having multiple ‘tin sheds’ located around New Zealand is under threat, according to Shaw, because commercial customers are preferring to have an inspection service go to their premises. The ever changing face of vehicle technology is also bound to have an impact on the way inspections are carried out.
“What could the vehicle’s on board computer systems tell us that we don’t need to physically check? Will there be the opportunity, as an example to learn from plugging into a vehicle about the number of heavy braking incidents, as well as overspeed incidents, which would tell an inspector to look at tyres and brake pads,” he asks.
Shaw says the CITA conference will allow VINZ as an inspectorate to interact with other companies and to be able to share knowledge and brain storm ideas.
As part of the conference, delegates will be able to visit vehicle inspection organisations in Dubai to see the top of the line technology currently being used in the Middle Eastern city.
While in Dubai, Shaw says he will have the opportunity to meet current suppliers such as MAHA and BM to investigate new equipment to make inspections more efficient and thorough.
“We are interested in looking at the top of the raised bed load brake roller line machine which could potentially improve our heavy vehicle brake facilities.”
“We use the same standard of equipment and calibration across the network which gives us the best possible outcome for our customers, and we are always looking to improve it.” says Shaw.
He says as well as looking at local inspectorates in Dubai there will also be a visit to Muscat for a tour of an Omani Police inspection facility which is being hosted by MAHA.
Unlike it’s local competitors, Shaw says that VINZ will remain focussed on its core vertical market of providing entry certification – as well as COF A and COF B – and and it hopes to grow a higher market share through providing excellent customer service.
“We will not take our eye off the ball by diversifying into other services,” he says. “And we will continue to manage our volume of work by tightly managing the labour pool that we have.”
Shaw says the lack of qualified and experienced people means VINZ is constantly trying to find the right people at the right time, but the shortage is such, that he makes the suggestion that the inspectorate industry might want to consider banding together to recruit offshore, possibly even hold job expos in Europe.
“Its a concern that we simply don’t have enough young New Zealanders coming through the system to drive trucks, fix trucks, and work for the regulator – why aren’t we marketing the opportunity to our younger people? Why aren’t there components in the apprenticeship scheme for our part of the industry? There really ought to be, I think an opportunity has been missed here”, says Shaw
VTNZ sales and marketing manager Melissa Cheals echoes Shaw’s sentiments about the scarcity of qualified people in the industry.
“We are finding it difficult to recruit staff in some areas, particularly Christchurch. There is a shortage of heavy vehicle technicians across the country, so VTNZ is retraining WoF inspectors to become CoF inspectors and recruiting from off shore.
“VTNZ is using the DEKRA network to identify qualified staff who might like to move to New Zealand,” says Cheals.
Shaw says the new COF A and COF B regime has seen VINZ focus even more strongly on customer-focussed outcomes.
“We are only as good as our last contact with the customer and under the new rules the face of training has changed,” he says.
“We are the first key service delivery partner for the NZTA putting a batch of inspectors through the new COF B internal process for training; our trainers are now accredited assessors and there’s a lot of preparation work on tablets for people to do before they hit the classroom.
“Then once in the class room they spend time with a trainer going through specific parts of the process and then we carry out the practical application and assessment.
“We could be accused of over-training our staff – but our reputation is based on the inspections we undertake,” he says.
The increase in new and used heavy commercial vehicles on the road has meant an increase in CoF volumes by 2.5% in the last 12 months.
According to Cheals, VTNZ is partnering up with heavy vehicle repairers to provide COF inspections on their sites.
“Many repairers like the flexibility of having VTNZ vehicle inspectors provide inspection services on vehicles at their workshops at times that suit them.
“This means that repairers do not have to recruit or train technicians to become vehicle inspectors, provide ongoing training, or arrange cover when staff are on leave.
“They save costs on the site application process and the costs of setting up to become an inspecting organisation. They also save on costs of travelling to and from the testing stations,” she says.
“Many fleet operators still like to have an independent inspection on their vehicles to ensure that the process is transparent, is easily audited from a health and safety perspective, and it means that they will not be paying for repairs that are not necessary to get a COF.
“VTNZ is providing inspection services to meet their needs, including ‘Vehicle Condition Assessments’ between COFs,” she says.
