Trucking industry leaders say NZ Transport Agency’s admission of failure is a step in the right direction for restoring faith in its compliance system.
Simon Carson of the Road Transport Association’s South Canterbury and West Coast region says an independent review of 850 NZTA compliance files is “welcomed by the industry”.
Carson says the recalls of faulty truck drawbeams, drawbars and towbars has had a huge impact on trucking operators especially in the Nelson, Buller and Marlborough regions.
This followed the recall of more than 800 faulty towing connections certified by Nelson-based Peter Wastney Engineering and a later recall of work carried out by Wellington-based certifier Dick Joyce.
Transport companies were left scrambling due to a shortage of certified engineers available to respond to the crisis and re-certify the non-compliant vehicles.
Carson says the agency had been notified of concerns years earlier and “discussions had been had” but “NZTA didn’t initiate the correct procedure to have these issues rectified”.
“The communication we’ve had with NZTA has been reactive rather than proactive unfortunately,” Carson says.
However, with NZTA hiring law firm Meredith Connell to lead its regulatory work, some faith in the compliance system is being “restored”.
“The agency has admitted its failings,’ Carson says.
Meanwhile, Carr & Haslam director Chris Carr says the industry has “long been concerned with some aspects of NZTA performance”.
“My concern is that industry may be held to account or made a scapegoat for deficiencies in the compliance process. We are all guided by the engineers and certifiers who serve our industry.
“If there are shortcomings then operators who have relied on approved certifiers for compliance should not be penalised for NZTA’s errors,” Carr says.
“The vast majority of operators are compliant and rely on approved and skilled certifiers to ensure that our equipment is safe. In turn we rely on NZTA to make sure that our certifiers allow only safe equipment to be certified.
“If NZTA have failed, we have every right to be disappointed in their performance, and they, and they alone, should be accountable for their shortcomings,” Carr says.
Vehicle Inspection NZ chief executive Gordon Shaw has also welcomed the review.
“We as an organisation commend that there is the chance of resource being given to the appropriate areas of the NZTA to manage safety outcomes, regulate and manage the inspection industry.”
Shaw notes NZTA has long focussed its efforts on the three main transport service delivery agents – VINZ, VTNZ and the AA – while leaving smaller operators relatively unchecked.
“We have seen more scrutiny of third party sites of late, and that is great.”
Shaw believes what may come up in the review is the ability to both inspect and repair – an ability long held in the light vehicle space, while only allowed since the Vehicle Licensing Review for heavy vehicles.
AA motoring affairs manager Mike Noon says it’s “absolutely necessary some pretty strong action is taken”.
“There are some serious faults in the way NZTA has been operating. It’s a core function of NZTA’s role.
“It hasn’t been followed up with any enforcement or any review.”
Noon says it appears NZTA doesn’t have the capacity or the capability to do the work needed.
Some of the issues the AA are aware of include trucks being tested on the wrong braking machines.
“It’s not good enough and needs to be fixed fast.”
Noon says the AA takes its responsibilities in the vehicle testing sector “extremely seriously”.
