Thousands of heavy vehicles were signalled to stop at Commercial Vehicle Safety Centres (CVSCs) but did not pull in for a compliance check during recent months, according to information released under the Official Information Act.
Data provided by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi shows that between May and November 2025, 2855 vehicles were signalled but did not pull into the Paengaroa CVSC. Over the same period, 1084 vehicles were recorded at the Ohakea site and 950 at Glasnevin.
At the Rakaia southbound CVSC, 477 vehicles were signalled but did not pull in between May and November 2025. Seven vehicles were recorded at the Rakaia northbound site between October and November 2025.
The data also shows a figure of minus 53 vehicles at the Stanley Street CVSC. NZTA says this reflects drivers who were not signalled but still pulled into the centre.
NZTA says the figures represent the number of heavy vehicle sightings at each site and how many vehicles were signalled to stop through registration recognition and “All Trucks Stop” signage but did not enter the centre.
However, the agency says the difference between vehicles signalled and those that pulled in does not necessarily indicate deliberate evasion.
The agency says several factors may affect a vehicle’s ability to enter a CVSC, including road layout, traffic conditions and operational constraints, and that it is therefore unable to collect precise data on deliberate evasion.
NZTA says police follow-up processes vary by centre, but vehicle registrations can be flagged in the system so other sites are aware a vehicle may have failed to pull in previously. If the vehicle passes another centre, staff may signal it again, and police may also act on the information during patrols, operations or roadside inspections.
“As more centres come on line, NZT A will be able to utilise this data to identify trends, such as whether a particular operator consistently fails to pull in.
“By linking registrations to the operator’s Transport Service Licence (TSL), our compliance teams can determine whether the issue stems from a lack of understanding, requiring education, or if it may indicate intentional evasion, which could lead to investigation or audit,” the agency says.
“Alongside this, we regularly engage with industry to build awareness of the process and expectations. This includes working with industry-specific and local media to educate operators and drivers. As new sites become operational, some vehicles may not pull in simply because drivers are unfamiliar with the process or in the case of Stanley Street listed in the above table, some drivers who were not signalled may still pull in anyway,” it says.
Six CVSCs are currently operational, with a further seven centres at various stages of delivery.
Completed centres include Glasnevin, which became operational in January 2019, Paengaroa in July 2020, Stanley Street in February 2025, and Ohakea in May 2025. The Rakaia southbound site became operational in June 2024, while the Rakaia northbound site began operating in October 2025.
According to the response, the next centres to open are expected to be Bombay and Taupō in April 2026, followed by Mackays Crossing in June 2026. The Albany, Marsden, Napier and Tauranga centres are all projected to become operational in June 2027.
