Trucking Lobby Group Outraged After Transport Minister Rejects Bid To Allow Heavier Loads

The trucking lobby has expressed outrage after Transport Minister Chris Bishop rejected its wish to carry heavier loads, accusing him of not understanding the problem.

Bishop on Friday told Transporting New Zealand's conference he would not ease truck weight restrictions, saying it would wreck roads and cost too much to fix.

While the organisation has long called for the move, pressure has amped up during the fuel crisis, with the industry arguing it would mean they took fewer trips and used less fuel.

Speech notes provided to media suggested Bishop had intended to lay down a hard line.

"I want to be very clear about the Government's position: we are not in the business of subsidising the freight sector," the notes said.

However the minister softened the message in the room.

"I want to make clear, the government's position is: we want to make sure we get the policy right," Bishop said.

"Any changes we make will need to ensure the effects on infrastructure are properly accounted for and managed through the system."

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RNZ put the original wording to Transporting New Zealand chief executive Dom Kalasih.

"That's just a gross misunderstanding of how bloody productivity works," he exclaimed.

"That's a shocking position to take."

Kalasih said consumers would benefit from more productive transport, because it would reduce the cost of the goods being carried.

Transport boss doesn't believe official advice

Bishop told the conference allowing trucks to carry more weight would cause $150 million in infrastructure damage over six months and only save 1.5 days' worth of diesel.

Kalasih questioned that.

"We would like to see the officials' analysis, because I don't believe they're correct in saying the benefit cost doesn't stack up," he said.

"Frankly, we're pretty disappointed."

He batted away Bishop's point that long-term planning was needed for a rule change, because the Transport Agency needed time to ensure roads could handle heavier vehicles.

"I actually disagree with that completely, because those trucks are paying road user charges, so if they're heavier, they pay a higher charge, right?" Kalasih said.

"I just don't get the logic of holding off till further down the track."

Kalasih believed the Transport Agency needed to shift its mindset.

"The road is there to connect communities and get freight between it, the road is a consumable asset.

"They shouldn't be so worried about trying to just keep it forever."

In his speech, Bishop pointed to a range of other changes in the country's fuel response plan that would come into effect if things worsened, like lifting route restrictions on bigger vehicles so they could use key Auckland motorways.

He and Regulation Minister David Seymour also confirmed on Friday other previously announced fuel crisis response measures would take effect from 6 August.

Those included allowing more drivers to drive heavier electric vehicles, and removing permit requirements for '50MAX' trucks which are higher capacity.

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