Tidd Ross Todd Ltd (TRT) recently welcomed industry leaders to its Hamilton head office for an exclusive three-day House Movers customer event. The gathering served as a high-octane showcase of manufacturing excellence, cutting-edge technology, and industry collaboration.

The event provided a deep dive into TRT’s 33,000m² manufacturing facility, offering attendees a firsthand look at the scale and precision behind New Zealand’s leading heavy transport solutions.

Innovation in Action: The Gen 4 ESS House Trailer

The highlight of the week was the live demonstration of CR Taylor’s brand-new TRT 3 Axle ESS House Trailer. This latest build features TRT’s Gen 4 operating advancements, setting a new benchmark for the industry.

"Seeing the Gen 4 technology in action is about more than just showing off a new trailer; it’s about demonstrating how we are solving real-world challenges for movers," says the TRT team. "The Electronic Steering System (ESS) continues to evolve, making the transport of oversized structures safer and more efficient than ever."

A Blend of Heritage and Hospitality

Beyond the technical demonstrations, the event fostered community and celebrated the industry's roots:

Knowledge Sharing: An interactive Q&A session allowed customers to engage directly with TRT’s engineering and technical experts.

Industry Heritage: Guests enjoyed a private visit to the C&R Developments Museum, exploring the history of heavy machinery and development.

Networking: The event concluded on a high note with a trip to Waiheke Island, providing a relaxed environment for guests to connect over world-class food and hospitality.

Celebrating Our Partners

TRT would like to extend a sincere thank you to the industry stalwarts who joined us. The event was made special by the presence of:

Experience the Highlights

For those who couldn't make it, or for attendees wanting to relive the week, TRT has released an official event wrap-up video. Visit Facebook to see the Gen 4 technology in action and catch all the highlights from the island.

About TRT: TRT (Tidd Ross Todd Ltd) is a privately owned family business with over 50 years of experience in the heavy transport and manufacturing industry. Based in Hamilton, NZ, with branches across Australia, TRT is committed to innovation, engineering excellence, and providing "Made Possible" solutions for its customers.

Media Contact: TRT Marketing Department

Phone: +64 7 849 4839

Website: www.trt.co.nz

As Auckland continues to grow and intensify, the demands placed on its transport network are increasing rapidly. From residential developments and commercial projects to infrastructure upgrades and construction activity, managing traffic safely and efficiently has become a critical part of successful project delivery.

Traffic Planning Consultants, a specialist traffic engineering and transport planning firm based in Auckland, is playing a key role in supporting projects across the region. With decades of experience, the firm provides independent advice to developers, businesses, councils, and infrastructure providers navigating Auckland’s complex transport environment.

Supporting Safe and Efficient Development

Every new development impacts the surrounding road network. Whether it is additional vehicle movements, changes to access layouts, or temporary disruptions during construction, transport considerations can significantly influence approvals and timelines.

Traffic Planning Consultants works with clients from the earliest planning stages to assess potential impacts and identify practical solutions. Their services include traffic impact assessments, transport planning advice, road safety audits, travel demand management strategies, and traffic modelling.

Early engagement, the firm says, is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk and avoid costly redesign later in the process.

Managing Traffic in a Busy Urban Environment

Auckland’s transport environment presents unique challenges. Dense city locations, constrained suburban streets, and heavily used arterial corridors require carefully considered traffic management strategies.

Traffic Planning Consultants prepares traffic management documentation that supports safe construction activity while minimising disruption to surrounding communities. Their experience across central Auckland, the North Shore, and wider metropolitan areas allows them to tailor solutions to local conditions.

By coordinating closely with project teams and approval authorities, the firm helps ensure that construction-related traffic impacts are managed safely and efficiently.

A Focus on Road Safety

Road safety remains a priority in Auckland’s growing urban landscape. Independent road safety audits form an important part of the firm’s work, identifying potential risks at key stages of project development.

Through structured review processes, safety risks can be identified and addressed before roads are opened or modified. This proactive approach supports safer outcomes for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users alike.

Local Knowledge Makes the Difference

Understanding how Auckland’s transport network operates in practice is essential for delivering effective outcomes. Traffic Planning Consultants’ team brings strong regional knowledge, including familiarity with Auckland Transport processes and expectations.

This local insight allows potential issues to be identified early and addressed in a way that aligns with regulatory requirements, helping projects move forward with greater certainty.

As Auckland continues to evolve, specialist traffic expertise will remain a vital component of sustainable growth. Firms such as Traffic Planning Consultants are helping to ensure that development and infrastructure projects not only meet planning requirements, but also contribute to safer and more efficient transport networks for the wider community.

Road freight association Transporting New Zealand is urging the Government to remove provisions in the Land Transport (Revenue) Amendment Bill that would allow existing roads to be tolled and enable heavy vehicles to be forced onto toll roads. Submissions on the Bill closed this week.

Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says that they support tolling when it helps deliver new infrastructure sooner, but the Bill's proposed expansion into "corridor tolling" of existing roads risks being seen as double charging.

"Road users have already paid for existing roads through fuel taxes, road user charges, registration fees and general taxation. Tolling existing roads will be seen as double dipping," Kalasih says.

Transporting New Zealand told the Transport and Infrastructure Committee in its written submission that tolling should be reserved for new roads, where users can see a clear benefit from paying a toll, such as improved travel times, safety and resilience.

"Tolling has an important role to play in delivering safe, modern roading infrastructure. In the past 18 months we have submitted in support of tolling Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass, Ōtaki to North of Levin State Highway Project, Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and Takitimu North Link."

"However, the current Bill would allow existing roads that have their 'efficiency enhanced' by a construction of a new road to be included in a tolling scheme. The drafting is deliberately broad, and leaves Transporting New Zealand with serious concerns about what existing roads we could see proposed for tolling."

The submission also opposes proposals that would allow the Minister to prohibit heavy vehicles from using alternative routes in favour of tolled roads.

"Freight companies are already highly motivated to use faster, safer routes because time is money. Existing toll roads show that heavy vehicles largely use toll roads without any need for a mandate," Kalasih says.

"Operators and drivers are in the best position to decide what route to take. There are legitimate reasons why an alternative route may be the better fit for a particular job, including fuel use, gradient, rest and refreshment facilities, and route efficiency."

The Bill allows for freight deliveries and trucks travelling to premises located on alternative routes to occur. However, Transporting New Zealand says the proposal would create a significant compliance burden and it will be difficult for Police to identify trucks not travelling on those routes for bona fide reasons.

Transporting New Zealand has recommended corridor tolling and the power to restrict heavy vehicles from using alternative routes be removed from the Bill. If the Bill proceeds with route restrictions, Transporting New Zealand says heavy vehicle toll rates should be capped at no more than three times the light vehicle rate, to limit unreasonable fee setting.

While opposing the Bill's tolling reforms, Transporting New Zealand supports the Bill's Road User Charges modernisation package, including changes that will enable greater use of technology, more flexible payment options, and the removal of the requirement to display a RUC label.

"These RUC changes will reduce unnecessary administration and compliance costs for transport operators and motorists, and support the transition toward a universal RUC system over time," Kalasih says.

Transporting New Zealand has asked officials to clarify how the Bill will apply to in-vehicle telematics and whether intermediary service providers are captured within the RUC provider framework.

The Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee will consider submissions ahead of the Bill's second reading.

National road freight association Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is welcoming an announcement from the Transport Minister confirming SH50's Fernhill Bridge will be strengthened.

The deteriorating state of the 76-year old bridge over Ngaruroro River meant speed and weight limits were introduced in 2022. This limited access to vehicles of a maximum 31 tonnes over eight axles, at a maximum speed of 30km/h.

In August, Transporting New Zealand called attention to the costly inconvenience these limits have imposed. To avoid the bridge, heavy vehicles must take a 40km detour to make deliveries. Some local transport operators are travelling this detour route six or more times a day.

A survey of six transport companies in the region found that the detour was costing them and their customers an estimated $2.36 million a year and producing an additional 500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

"This is a huge win for those in the Hawke's Bay region who have been waiting for the bridge to be strengthened for three years now," said Transporting New Zealand's Membership Manager for the Lower North Island, Lindsay Calvi-Freeman.

"Transporting New Zealand are pleased that Minister Bishop, along with local MPs Katie Nimon and Catherine Wedd have pushed for this crucial freight corridor to be restored. The region produces a significant amount of primary products - including 60 per cent of the country's apples and 12 per cent of our beef.

"These strengthening works will therefore be essential to unlocking the region's full economic potential."

The Government's announcement also confirmed that, once strengthened, Fernhill Bridge will be able to accommodate High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs) and 50MAX configurations. The works are expected to begin in 2026 and take 11 months to complete.

The news comes just one day after Minister Bishop announced the one-lane Pekatahi Bridge on SH2 will be replaced by a new two-lane bridge.

Taranaki Regional Council is making it easier for people to get their last‑minute Christmas shopping done with free bus travel across all services on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 December.

With the busiest shopping days of the year approaching, carparks filling up, and traffic increasing, the initiative aims to reduce Christmas stress and give the community an affordable, convenient way to get around.

No Bee Card or cash is needed – all services will be completely free.

Council Transport Engagement Manager, Cheryl Gazley, says the free travel is designed to give people a simple alternative to driving during the festive rush.

"We know the days leading up to Christmas can be hectic. Offering free buses means people can get into town without worrying about parking or extra costs, especially when budgets are tight at this time of year."

"It's also a great opportunity for those who rarely or never use public transport to give it a go – if your shopping is all done, why not relax and go for a ride somewhere new."

All Citylink, Connector and Southlink routes will be included.

Key details:

• Free bus travel on 23 & 24 December 2025
• All bus routes included
• No Bee Card or cash required
• Perfect for shopping, visiting whānau, errands and Christmas travel

For bus timetables and route information, visit: https://www.trc.govt.nz/buses-transport

National Road Freight Association Transporting New Zealand is welcoming Transport Minister Chris Bishop's announcement that a new two-lane bridge will be built on State Highway 2 (SH2) near Tāneatua in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, replacing the existing one-lane Pekatahi Bridge.

Construction of the new two-lane bridge is likely to begin in mid-2027, taking around 18 months to complete. The total estimated cost to deliver the new bridge is expected to be between $64 and $69 million.

Transporting New Zealand and local road freight operators have been advocating for a replacement throughout the year, noting that up to 2,300 vehicles use the bridge daily, 900 of which are trucks. Surfacing issues were causing a bone-juddering ride that damaged vehicles and freight.

Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says that it was unacceptable to have the main State Highway 2 route between the Port of Tauranga and the East Coast and Gisborne falling to bits.

"Transporting New Zealand estimates that bridge closures caused by surfacing issues and repair work cost operators and freight customers approximately $100,000 a day in detour costs. This bridge replacement will be a big boost to the East Coast economy and community."

"We'd like to thank local MP Dana Kirkpatrick for her strong advocacy for the bridge replacement, and the Minister of Transport Chris Bishop for his commitment to supporting a resilient and fit for purpose roading network."

"This is a good news story about the community and local businesses speaking up on a local transport issue and getting results, and Transporting New Zealand are happy we could provide support through our national membership team and advocacy in Wellington."

Northland Regional Council's BusLink team are celebrating Christmas again this year, with free travel on all BusLink bus services running on Friday 19 December 2025.

CityLink Whangārei and Far North Link buses will be free all day, so passengers can go Christmas shopping, visit friends and whānau and spread some Christmas cheer.

BusLink services do not operate on public holidays, so passengers need to be aware there will be no BusLink or CityLink buses on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025 and Thursday 01 and Friday 02 January 2026. Rose Street bus hub in Whangārei will also be closed on those dates.

CityLink buses will be running as usual on Saturday 27 December and Saturday 03 January. All regional BusLink services will operate according to their standard timetables, outside the public holidays.

More information at buslink.co.nz or on CityLink's Facebook page.

As the mercury rises and the summer holidays are approaching, thousands of New Zealanders will be clocking up more kilometres on the road as they head to beaches, baches and barbecues. But with more vehicles on the move comes more risk.

In the Driver's Seat with Greg Murphy, a podcast series hosted by motorsport legend Greg Murphy (Murph), is encouraging people to think differently about how they drive - from daily habits to long‑haul decisions. Across ten episodes, Murph interviews some of New Zealand's most recognisable names about their driving quirks, cautionary tales, and the lessons that have stuck with them over the years.

Guests include Rocket Lab's Sir Peter Beck, Dame Susan Devoy, Sir Peter Leitch aka The Mad Butcher, wellness advocate Art Green, comedian Paul Ego, fishing expert Matt Watson, parenting expert Nathan Wallis, sports presenter Laura McGoldrick, radio hosts Jay Reeve and Duncan Heyde, former Silver Fern Jenny‑May Clarkson.

Produced by driver safety experts AutoSense, the series blends entertainment with impact and has become a surprising source of practical wisdom and behind‑the‑scenes stories.

Each episode begins with a drive around Auckland's city fringe in the guest's own car and then moves into a studio for deep conversations ranging from childhood memories to serious crash stories.

One of the most powerful moments in the series is when Murph recounts to Laura McGoldrick the late‑night crash that changed his life — tired, with alcohol still in his system, on a road he'd driven "heaps of times before." He lost control, spinning 180 degrees and sliding down a bank into trees, his Datsun 1200 colliding with a tree just inches behind the passenger seat.

"I thought the passenger was dead. I thought I'd killed her," he says, recalling the pitch‑black silence, no streetlights, no mobile phones, and the sheer luck of a passing car finding them and raising the alarm.

"It was a significant moment...a wake‑up call in a big way...fate just gave me a second chance," he said.

Murph's guests all share their own stories and advice, while sometimes light‑hearted, they have a serious edge for anyone planning a road trip this summer.

Here are ten of their driving tips from the In the Driver's Seat with Greg Murphy series:

Laura McGoldrick – "It's a limit, not a target," underscores her Dad's philosophy about speed restrictions, and how she still regards speed limits. These days Laura treats drive time as meaningful connection time with her kids. "Some of my favourite moments happen in the car."

Jay Reeve and Duncan Heyde – Stay alert by staying curious. Jay changes his school run routes just to mix it up: "I'm an inquisitive driver." He pre‑sets his playlist before each trip - but his kids often hijack the aux cord from the back seat. Still, he uses the steering wheel skip button to regain control.

Jenny‑May Clarkson – Stay mentally engaged. Jenny‑May uses podcasts to stay focused, especially on long drives. A former police officer who attended her first fatal crash at just 20, she's now raising four children - including two daughters who have recently learnt to drive. "I'm always saying to them: don't be a dick... make the right decisions... think about how you protect yourself."

Sir Peter Beck – Take young drivers to a racetrack to learn car control. "Everybody needs to go to the racetrack to see what a car is capable of, even just to understand what happens if you get into a drift or a slide."

Matt Watson – Assume someone will be on the wrong side of the road. "Always expect someone to be on the wrong side of the road, especially around blind corners".

Nathan Wallis – Parents lead by example. "Adults set the emotional tone in the car. Stay calm - they're learning from you, even before they start driving."

Dame Susan Devoy – Remove phone temptation. "I lock it in the console so I can't use it."

Sir Peter Leitch – Block out distractions early on. "When you first get your licence, don't even have the radio on. Just focus."

Art Green – Prioritise sleep — don't let yourself get drowsy. "I would never let myself get to that point... sleep is my number one thing."

Paul Ego – Short naps and fresh air work. "Windows down, cold air in the face... five‑minute nap. Bam. It works."

AutoSense CEO, Charles Dawson says the podcast was designed to spark honest conversations about how we drive, especially over the busy summer season. "New Zealanders will travel thousands of kilometres this summer, often on unfamiliar roads, with passengers in the car, and with a lot on their minds. These stories remind us that even experienced drivers can lose focus. But they also show that making small changes like putting away your phone out of reach or staying calm with your kids, can make a big difference."

All episodes of In the Driver's Seat with Greg Murphy are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major platforms or watch on YouTube. Highlights and bonus content are available via AutoSenseNZ on Instagram and Facebook.

Road freight association Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is recommending transport operators prepare for random roadside drug testing, which is being gradually being rolled out across New Zealand from mid-December.

A recent amendment to the Land Transport Act gives Police similar powers to random breath tests, by requiring drivers to undergo a saliva test to check for the presence of four illicit drugs.

If two saliva test are positive (a fail), the driver is prohibited from driving for 12 hours and a sample is sent to a lab for analysis. If those results show an impairing level of drugs, then the driver will receive a minimum of a $200 fine and 50 demerits. Refusal to undertake the test incurs a $400 fine and 75 demerits, as does the presence of two or more drugs.

The four drugs being screened in the roadside saliva test are THC (cannabis), methamphetamine (meth), MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaine.

"Transporting New Zealand supports the introduction of roadside drug, which has been running in other countries including Australia," says Policy & Advocacy Advisor Mark Stockdale.

"Crash data shows that around 30 percent of all road deaths in New Zealand involve the consumption of an impairing drug, which is on a par with drink driving. Evidence from Victoria, Australia shows their roadside drug testing regime saves more than 30 lives and almost 80 serious injuries every year."

Transporting New Zealand says the Police expect about 12 percent of all roadside drug tests to be a positive result (fail).

Stockdale advises transport operators to ensure they have up-to-date drug and alcohol policies, including random workplace substance testing, and to have honest conversations with any staff that may have a substance problem.

"We want road freight businesses to be proactive, rather than risk a driver being stood down at the roadside and putting other road users at risk."

Stockdale also recommends that transport operators update their employment agreements and policies, to require drivers to disclose any private offending (drug driving infringements occurring in personal vehicles outside of work hours).

"If you employ a truck driver who has failed or refused a random roadside drug test, in their own time and vehicle, it's important to be notified of that."

• A recording of a webinar covering this topic, hosted by Transporting New Zealand and the Bus & Coach Association, can be viewed on our website.

National Road Freight Association Transporting New Zealand has welcomed the certainty provided by Minister Peter’s announcement on the Cook Strait ferry project, saying it will allow the Government to focus on the timely delivery of the supporting port infrastructure by 2029.

Transporting New Zealand Head of Policy and Advocacy Billy Clemens said that it was essential the landside infrastructure, including modifications to the existing Aratere berth in Wellington and a new dual-level linkspan in Picton are delivered before the new vessels arrived.

"Our road freight members want to see the party politics get parked, and a bipartisan focus on delivery".

"The Cook Strait is an extension of SH1, so having a competitive connection with adequate capacity is essential to our road freight members and the national supply chain. Approximately $30 billion of freight crosses that Cook Strait each year, with Interislander capturing roughly 45% market share and Bluebridge on 55% (according to 2024 MoT estimates)."

"The Government’s focus needs to be avoiding the delays and cost blowouts that have plagued Project iReX and many other major transport and infrastructure developments around the country."

"The Government’s decision to procure rail-enabled vessels, against the advice of the Government’s Ministerial Advisory Group, presents an additional risk of cost escalations, as the Ministry of Transport noted back in 2023. This risk will have to be closely monitored."

"Ferry Holdings Limited, and the shareholding Ministers of Transport, Rail and Finance all need to be focussed on prompt delivery of the Cook Strait Ferry Replacement Work Programme. We are reassured to see Ferry Holdings has a clear statement of intent and performance indicators, and look forward to meeting with their CEO shortly."

Clemens says that freight companies want to see Interislander and Bluebridge taking steps to ensure adequate freight capacity over the next four years, including prioritising time-sensitive freight over passenger transport where necessary.

"With only four ferries currently operating, Interislander and Bluebridge are going to have to carefully manage freight capacity, or we will see price hikes and costly delivery delays for businesses and consumers." 
 

The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming today’s announcement of a new Cook Strait ferry plan that finally brings the project back under control. Rail Minister Rt Hon. Winston Peters has confirmed an overall cost of $1.86 billion for two new rail-enabled ferries, $2.3 billion lower than the previous $4 billion mega-project.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Rhys Hurley said:

“This is a much more sensible and affordable plan than the multi billion-dollar blowout under the previous iReX scheme. Credit where it’s due, cutting out the gold-plating, resetting the scope, and forcing a return to basic value-for-money has saved taxpayers from a catastrophe.”

“Today’s announcement shows what happens when officials, ports, and ministers stop dreaming and start delivering. A fixed-price ship contract, maximum reuse of existing infrastructure, and a focus on getting the basics right is exactly what taxpayers expect.”

“However the core issue remains untouched: even a well-managed $1.86 billion programme is still enormous. The long-term answer isn’t for governments to buy new ferries every 30 years, with Bluebridge already demonstrating tjhat the private sector can run the Cook Strait perfectly well.”

“Today’s announcement is a big improvement, but the real win for taxpayers will be when the ferries are no longer a political project at all.”

National road freight association Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is cautiously supporting the Land Transport (Revenue) Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament today, which makes changes to the Road User Charges Act 2012 to modernise the system in preparation for transitioning all vehicles to universal RUC.

However, Transporting New Zealand is concerned about other proposals in the Bill which will enable existing roads to be tolled, and the ability to prohibit heavy vehicles from using certain roads and force them onto toll roads or face a penalty.

Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says the organisation supports moves to facilitate universal RUC. "These changes will enable greater use of technology and more flexible payment options, and also do away with the requirement to display a RUC label. This will help get our RUC system match-fit to enable tech businesses to offer low-cost products that could be rolled out to the petrol vehicle fleet in the future."

No date has yet been set for the transition to universal RUC which Kalasih says is a significant undertaking, but essential to ensuring the transport system is sustainably funded.

Kalasih says Transporting New Zealand thinks we need to be much more cautious about other clauses in the Bill relating to tolling, particularly tolling existing roads.

"I accept that can bring forward raising the revenue to construct a new road but we’d like to see some constraints around that. Existing roads have already been paid for by road users through petrol tax and diesel Road User Charges for example, so if this approach was to progress we’d like to see that other options, like PPPs, have first been fully explored before tolling existing roads. We’d also need to have certainty that all the money that’s collected from roads is spent on roads."

"Worse though, is a clause that could prohibit heavy vehicles from using alternative free routes, and force them onto tolled roads or else face a fine. That is fundamentally denying transport operators and drivers freedom of choice." Kalasih said.

Kalasih says that while Transporting New Zealand will be fully supporting the clauses in the Bill relating to RUC, it will be making sure that the risk of unintended and perverse outcomes from the changes to road tolling are well thought through.