Safety and compliance are minimum requirements for heavy vehicle permit holders. When an operator first applies for a heavy vehicle permit an ‘operator check’ is undertaken to consider the applicant’s compliance.
This operator check includes investigating whether there have been any vehicle safety issues, driver fatigue/distraction issues, road user charges (RUC) evasion and speeding offences. All factors will be considered when allowing entry to the permits’ system.
Permits will not be issued if non-compliance is considered a safety risk.
We expect heavy vehicle permit holders to always comply with safety and legal requirements.
Operators will be monitored for any critical permit breaches. Enforcement actions for critical permit breaches may include revoking permits subject to assessment by Waka Kotahi.
Permit revocations or enforcement actions will be proportionate and will reflect the severity of non-compliance.
All formal actions (including approvals) taken from 1 December 2018 is below and is accurate as at 31 May 2020.
| Outcomes | Numbers |
| 50MAX approved | 8,019 |
| Higher mass approved | 13,346 |
| Overdimension permits approved | 9,602 |
| HVP operators warned | 125 |
| HVP declined applications | 6 |
| HVP revoked permits | 32 |
Wider non-compliance factors that will be included in active monitoring include, but are not limited to: road user charges (RUC) and debt evasion, speed infringements, and roadside inspection failures.
CloseYes.
This is like the driver de-merit system, which sees accumulative infringements resulting in the loss of a licence for a period of time.
The sustainability of the permit is in the hands of the operator. If the permit conditions and legal requirements, particularly in respect of safety are adhered to, there will be no risk to the permit.
CloseYes. This is about ensuring operator safety and compliance on any of New Zealand’s roads travelled.
CloseIf Waka Kotahi removes a permit, the permit holder may request us to review our decision.
CloseWaka Kotahi monitors heavy vehicle permit compliance during weigh bridge checks at commercial vehicle safety centres (CVSCs, formerly weigh stations). It will also monitor compliance via other tools, including by using the vehicle screening technology (in road weight screening), as the Weigh Right Programme is rolled out.(external link)
CloseYes.
CloseAs Waka Kotahi takes a tougher approach on enforcement and as detection of non-compliant activity increases through initiatives like the Weigh Right Programme and on-going Commercial Vehicle Safety Team (CVST) monitoring, we will seek to remove from the industry operators who don’t have a permit and are operating illegally.
CloseIt is the operator’s responsibility as the permit holder to ensure the permits conditions are followed.
Close