Latest news with #BillyClemens
Scoop
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Road Rage And Abusive Behaviour Concerns Road Freight Operators
Press Release – Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Transporting New Zealand continues to advocate for roading improvements that reduce the risk of driver frustration and impatience, including additional passing lanes, widening narrow corners, and providing improved rest and parking facilities for trucks … The 2025 National Road Freight Survey has raised concerns about truck drivers facing road rage and abuse while doing their jobs. The survey of 194 industry participants across 128 road freight firms asked respondents to rank their three leading issues, ranging from health and wellbeing of drivers to the state of the roading network. Of the survey respondents who identified public perception and industry reputation as one of their leading issues, 50 per cent said their drivers regularly experienced abuse from members of the public while working. These findings were supported by results from a survey from AA Insurance earlier in the year, showing nearly half of respondents thought road rage had intensified over the past 12 months. Billy Clemens, head of Transporting New Zealand's Policy & Advocacy, says while most of the public view truck drivers positively, a small minority of road users were putting others at risk. 'Research NZ surveyed 1005 members of the public and found more than seven times as many people surveyed having a positive perception of road freight drivers compared to those taking a negative view (52 per cent to 7 per cent, the remainder being neutral). 'Transporting New Zealand's concerns about road rage and abuse are focussed on a very small proportion of road users.' 'What worries us and our road freight members are truck drivers being harassed and abused while going about their work. Truck driving is challenging enough without drivers having to ignore insults and abuse, de-escalate disputes, and refer threatening behaviour onto Police.' Clemens acknowledged that trucks could challenge people's patience on the road, but encouraged all road users to show patience and consideration, and report poor driving to Police at -555. 'Trucks are limited to a maximum of 90 km/h on all roads, need additional time to speed up and slow down, and need to take particular care on narrow roads and corners. 'Drivers also need to park up their trucks to take mandated rest breaks. These factors can all contribute to frustration from other road users, but we encourage everyone to be considerate.' Transporting New Zealand is also responding to these concerns by providing practical guidance to truck drivers on how to resolve incidents of road rage and abuse. This includes a session on practical de-escalation and conflict resolution skills at its South Island Road Freight Seminar in Christchurch on 28 June. The session will be presented by Protect Self Defence, with supporting resources and videos to be shared publicly afterwards, supported by the E. J. Brenan Memorial Trust. Transporting New Zealand also continues to advocate for roading improvements that reduce the risk of driver frustration and impatience, including additional passing lanes, widening narrow corners, and providing improved rest and parking facilities for trucks and other vehicles. 'With a combination of education, roading improvements, and considerate behaviour, we can make the roads safer for everyone.' About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country. Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
Scoop
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Road Rage And Abusive Behaviour Concerns Road Freight Operators
The 2025 National Road Freight Survey has raised concerns about truck drivers facing road rage and abuse while doing their jobs. The survey of 194 industry participants across 128 road freight firms asked respondents to rank their three leading issues, ranging from health and wellbeing of drivers to the state of the roading network. Of the survey respondents who identified public perception and industry reputation as one of their leading issues, 50 per cent said their drivers regularly experienced abuse from members of the public while working. These findings were supported by results from a survey from AA Insurance earlier in the year, showing nearly half of respondents thought road rage had intensified over the past 12 months. Billy Clemens, head of Transporting New Zealand's Policy & Advocacy, says while most of the public view truck drivers positively, a small minority of road users were putting others at risk. "Research NZ surveyed 1005 members of the public and found more than seven times as many people surveyed having a positive perception of road freight drivers compared to those taking a negative view (52 per cent to 7 per cent, the remainder being neutral). "Transporting New Zealand's concerns about road rage and abuse are focussed on a very small proportion of road users." "What worries us and our road freight members are truck drivers being harassed and abused while going about their work. Truck driving is challenging enough without drivers having to ignore insults and abuse, de-escalate disputes, and refer threatening behaviour onto Police." Clemens acknowledged that trucks could challenge people's patience on the road, but encouraged all road users to show patience and consideration, and report poor driving to Police at -555. "Trucks are limited to a maximum of 90 km/h on all roads, need additional time to speed up and slow down, and need to take particular care on narrow roads and corners. "Drivers also need to park up their trucks to take mandated rest breaks. These factors can all contribute to frustration from other road users, but we encourage everyone to be considerate." Transporting New Zealand is also responding to these concerns by providing practical guidance to truck drivers on how to resolve incidents of road rage and abuse. This includes a session on practical de-escalation and conflict resolution skills at its South Island Road Freight Seminar in Christchurch on 28 June. The session will be presented by Protect Self Defence, with supporting resources and videos to be shared publicly afterwards, supported by the E. J. Brenan Memorial Trust. Transporting New Zealand also continues to advocate for roading improvements that reduce the risk of driver frustration and impatience, including additional passing lanes, widening narrow corners, and providing improved rest and parking facilities for trucks and other vehicles. "With a combination of education, roading improvements, and considerate behaviour, we can make the roads safer for everyone." About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country. Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Port Of Auckland Fee Increases Cause Concern For Industry
Press Release – Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand National road freight association Transporting New Zealand is voicing strong concerns over the Port of Auckland's (POAL) announced increases to Vehicle Booking System (VBS) fees, warning these price hikes at the country's largest import port will have major repercussions for businesses and consumers. Trucks have been charged $130 per visit in access fees to the container terminal during peak hours since January 2025. This will increase to $180 in January 2026, $230 by July 2026 and $350 by January 2027. These fees are levied each time a truck accesses the terminal to deliver or collect a container. Billy Clemens, Head of Policy & Advocacy at Transporting New Zealand, is questioning the justification for these large increases, noting that POAL's productivity improvements have been minimal. 'Our road freight members and their customers haven't seen an associated increase in Port productivity,' he says. 'In fact, from financial year 2023 to 2024 POAL's average truck turnaround time improved by only 1.5 per cent, or 17 seconds. I don't know of any road freight companies who could hike their prices by 170 per cent over two years following that level of performance.' Clemens also challenges POAL's rationale that higher peak-time fees will incentivise off-peak deliveries. ' Traffic data confirms that our members already do their best to avoid peak traffic because it's a nightmare in Auckland as it is. If they could, they would.' 'A survey by one of our major North Island members revealed that only 12 per cent of their customers could accept night-time deliveries of containers.' Transporting New Zealand is warning that these increased costs will inevitably be passed on to consumers and exporters, making New Zealand goods less competitive on the international stage. All at a time when the Port is already comfortably surpassing its profit targets. Productive alternatives Clemens urges POAL and its owner, Auckland Council, to focus on enhancing productivity and performance rather than imposing higher fees on industry stakeholders. 'One practical option we've previously raised with POAL is to lower VBS charges for dual bookings, where a freighter both drops off and picks up containers on the same trip.' 'If POAL wants to improve productivity, it should also look to its 2024 Annual Report. POAL was comfortably meeting its peak vs off-peak truck target, but failing on crane rate, ship rate, and import dwell time, amongst others.' Cargo owners share concern at price increases Mike Knowles, chair of the New Zealand Cargo Owners Council, says the time-of-use approach is too simplistic to achieve significant behaviour change as the port is just one part of a complex supply chain. The Cargo Owners Council believes it is time for benchmarking of NZ port productivity against their charge structures. 'We think the time is long overdue for a closer look at arbitrary fee increases that do not result in measurable service or infrastructure improvement – as things stand the ultimate loser here is NZ Inc.' About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country. Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Port Of Auckland Fee Increases Cause Concern For Industry
National road freight association Transporting New Zealand is voicing strong concerns over the Port of Auckland's (POAL) announced increases to Vehicle Booking System (VBS) fees, warning these price hikes at the country's largest import port will have major repercussions for businesses and consumers. Trucks have been charged $130 per visit in access fees to the container terminal during peak hours since January 2025. This will increase to $180 in January 2026, $230 by July 2026 and $350 by January 2027. These fees are levied each time a truck accesses the terminal to deliver or collect a container. Billy Clemens, Head of Policy & Advocacy at Transporting New Zealand, is questioning the justification for these large increases, noting that POAL's productivity improvements have been minimal. "Our road freight members and their customers haven't seen an associated increase in Port productivity," he says. "In fact, from financial year 2023 to 2024 POAL's average truck turnaround time improved by only 1.5 per cent, or 17 seconds. I don't know of any road freight companies who could hike their prices by 170 per cent over two years following that level of performance." Clemens also challenges POAL's rationale that higher peak-time fees will incentivise off-peak deliveries. " Traffic data confirms that our members already do their best to avoid peak traffic because it's a nightmare in Auckland as it is. If they could, they would." "A survey by one of our major North Island members revealed that only 12 per cent of their customers could accept night-time deliveries of containers." Transporting New Zealand is warning that these increased costs will inevitably be passed on to consumers and exporters, making New Zealand goods less competitive on the international stage. All at a time when the Port is already comfortably surpassing its profit targets. Productive alternatives Clemens urges POAL and its owner, Auckland Council, to focus on enhancing productivity and performance rather than imposing higher fees on industry stakeholders. "One practical option we've previously raised with POAL is to lower VBS charges for dual bookings, where a freighter both drops off and picks up containers on the same trip." "If POAL wants to improve productivity, it should also look to its 2024 Annual Report. POAL was comfortably meeting its peak vs off-peak truck target, but failing on crane rate, ship rate, and import dwell time, amongst others." Cargo owners share concern at price increases Mike Knowles, chair of the New Zealand Cargo Owners Council, says the time-of-use approach is too simplistic to achieve significant behaviour change as the port is just one part of a complex supply chain. The Cargo Owners Council believes it is time for benchmarking of NZ port productivity against their charge structures. "We think the time is long overdue for a closer look at arbitrary fee increases that do not result in measurable service or infrastructure improvement - as things stand the ultimate loser here is NZ Inc." About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country. Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Poor Roads And Ferry Delays A Major Risk To Safety And The Economy
Press Release – Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand The 2025 National Road Freight Industry Survey of nearly 200 road freight businesses was conducted in March this year by Research NZ on behalf of advocacy group Transporting New Zealand. The survey was also supported by the New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association … The road freight industry is warning the poor state of New Zealand's roads are having a serious impact on the safety of road users. And there are major concerns delays over replacements for the Interislander Cook Strait ferries could have a big negative flow-on effect for the economy. Billy Clemens, the Policy and Advocacy Head at Transporting New Zealand, says the vast majority (93 per cent) of respondents in the 2025 National Road Freight Industry Survey agreed poor road maintenance is putting truck drivers and other road users at risk. As well, a significant number (84 per cent), believed that regional roads and bridges are neglected, and that delays in replacing the Cook Strait ferries pose a major risk (79 per cent). (The survey was done before the announcement that the Aratere is to be retired in August.) The 2025 National Road Freight Industry Survey of nearly 200 road freight businesses was conducted in March this year by Research NZ on behalf of advocacy group Transporting New Zealand. The survey was also supported by the New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association and Groundspread NZ. It represents the most extensive industry snapshot in over a decade. 'The survey painted a gloomy financial picture for business – only 34 per cent of those surveyed expected their financial situation to improve over the next 12 months, and only one in four respondents reported having sustainable operating margins,' Clemens says. Health, safety and wellbeing are big concerns for the industry, with 78 per cent of respondents calling for more purpose-designed rest stops for drivers, and 72 per cent saying it was important for drivers to have a good work-life balance. About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country. Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
