Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand launched its updated Green Compact at Linfox’s Auckland head office on Friday. The Green Compact sets out the industry’s roadmap to a net-zero road freight sector by 2050.
Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says the industry needs to decouple emissions from New Zealand’s growing freight task.
“Road freight carries 93 percent of New Zealand’s freight by tonnage. Our challenge is to move more freight while using less fuel and producing fewer emissions for every tonne delivered.
“Rising fuel prices are shifting the dial. Fuel-efficient and lower-emission vehicles are becoming more commercially attractive, not just environmentally desirable.”
Kalasih noted that the low and zero-emission heavy vehicle fleet grew from 568 vehicles to 1,867 vehicles between March 2023 and September 2026, an increase of 1,299 vehicles or approximately 229%.
“Modelling by MTA and NZIER predicts that by 2045, 69 percent of our heavy truck fleet will still be diesel. High upfront costs and limited charging and refuelling infrastructure remain significant barriers. Industry action needs to be supported by policy settings that make investment commercially sensible,” Kalasih says.
The update highlights immediate ways operators can reduce fuel use, costs and emissions, including combining loads, backloading, route optimisation, fuel-efficient driver training and greater use of high-productivity vehicles.
“Decarbonisation is not just about replacing every diesel truck. A fuller truck, a better-planned route and a well-trained driver can reduce costs and emissions today,” says Kalasih.
Transporting New Zealand is calling on the next Government to make the transition commercially viable through full capital expensing for high-productivity and low-emission trucks, stronger roads and bridges, updated vehicle dimension and mass rules, and a nationwide public fast-charging network for heavy vehicles.
The Green Compact Update can be found here.
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 93% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75% 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.