Currently heavy vehicles are randomly pulled off the road at weigh stations and inspected by NZ Police. These stations cover a wide range of the network, including areas with low levels of heavy vehicle traffic.
This approach does not give us enough data to detect non-compliant vehicles. This has impacted heavy vehicle overloading, with a significant impact on road damage, maintenance, and unrecovered RUC.
We’re changing the way we regulate, moving toward a more targeted approach to education and enforcement.
We want to make sure that everyone is paying their fair share of road maintenance costs, this will level the playing field for industry, by ensuring that everyone is paying their fair share of RUC.
Using data collected from weigh-in-motion scales, we can identify RUC non-compliance 24/7. The data we collect enables us to target non-compliant operators – those whose trucks are repeatedly overloaded.
From 30 September 2024 we'll start using the data collected from weigh in motion scales at our Glasnevin commercial vehicle safety centre to assess heavy vehicles for RUC noncompliance.
This includes weight noncompliance, and incorrect RUC type.
From 18 November we’ll start using the assessments to issue invoices where we find non-compliance.
We’ll let you know in advance when we intent to start invoicing from data collected at other CVSCs.
Ensure you’ve paid the right amount of RUC for every vehicle in your fleet.
Invoices will be issued against kilometres purchased for that RUC licence.
We’ll issue the invoice to the person the vehicle is registered to. If a third party was responsible for non-compliance, it’s the responsibility of the registered person to organise payment.
Unpaid RUC may become a factor in permit applications and renewals during the operator check.
The invoice will look similar to existing ones. We’ll attach a calculation sheet showing how the invoice was reached. This’ll include travel details for example, date, time, and direction of travel.
There are RUC Rates that are higher than those available to the general public. These are only available for assessment purposes when there are extreme cases of non-compliance.
If a vehicle or combination was captured at a weight that’s higher than the special assessment rate, an invoice will not be issued by default. We will manually verify if the weight is correct and is the vehicle/combination is likely operating on a high over dimension permit.
You should check the type of RUC Rates available to you: H type and Additional.
If you’re on a weight that exceeds everything we have, and we have verified that the weight is correct, we would use the highest rate available when issuing an assessment.
You’ll still be able to apply for a review of our invoicing through the same process of current RUC assessments.
You’ll need to be able to provide evidence our data is incorrect, such as your own vehicle records from the time we assessed your vehicle weight.
If you have a verified weight for that particular trip, we’ll include that in the RUC review process. If you have satisfactory evidence, claims that we've made will be waived.
You’ll only need to provide information on the instance that is captured on the WIM and is relevant to the WIM data. You won’t have to provide all weight information of the RUC licence period. However, we may request additional information to support the review process.
If you intend to, you must challenge our findings within 20 days of the invoice being issued. If you cannot meet this deadline contact us as soon as you can.
Make sure you buy any appropriate additional licence ahead of your trip, these will then not be picked up in our assessments.
Weigh-in-motion scales are placed at each of the 12 commercial vehicle safety centres.
These centres will monitor 10 million truck trips and cover 46% of heavy vehicle kilometres travelled each year in New Zealand.
We anticipate that when all 12 safety centres are operating, we’ll increase the RUC revenue we collect by about $10 million a year: money that goes into the Land Transport Fund to build and maintain roads and roading infrastructure.
We're installing 2 weigh-in-motion scales in the road at each safety centre to make sure our data is accurate.
We're also:
We’re confident the data model we’ll be using is fit for purpose. We’ll be continually monitoring and reviewing our data methodology to make sure that we uphold the accuracy of the data that we use.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition will identify the truck. The combination is confirmed by the speed and axle count before the comparison is made to RUC payment and licencing.
Vehicle RUC type is determined by factors such as weight, axle grouping, and total number of axles in contact with the road. For vehicles fitted with a retractable axle, the axle won’t be counted by the on-road sensor when lifted. However, axles must be lowered when laden.
If a vehicle is unladen, falls into a known vehicle type that has retractable axles, and has paid sufficient RUC for the vehicle as if the axle had been counted, then no invoice will be issued.
If an invoice is issued for an unladen vehicle that you believe is incorrect due to a retractable axle, it can be disputed through the review process. The outcome will be used for continuous improvement.
If operators have any concerns about a vehicle fitted with a retractable axle they should contact us.
A B-Train broken being down to a smaller combination won’t impact you unless you’re on a discounted RUC Rate, cheaper than standard.
Cheaper RUC Rates require the operator to use specific combinations.
If the combination (B-Train or other types) is regularly broken down, you should stick to the standard RUC rates and use our RUC Type Change process to ensure they are on the correct RUC Type at all times
