Road freight industry group, Transporting New Zealand, is welcoming proposed changes to driver licensing rules, saying they will help encourage more young people to become truck drivers.
The changes being proposed by the Government would remove the need for new drivers to take a second practical test to get their full licence. Other proposed changes include toughening up alcohol restrictions and reducing the number demerit points required before a driver can have their licence suspended.
Transporting New Zealand chief executive, Dom Kalasih says attracting more young drivers was critical for the future of the industry. Mr Kalasih said a large proportion of truck drivers are over 60 and as they retire that will lead to a driver shortage, which in turn will hurt the economy. Other countries are also facing this issue, he said.
In the recent 2025 National Road Freight Industry survey, conducted by Research New Zealand, 94% of industry respondents ranked workforce challenges as one of the top issues facing the industry, saying that the industry needed to attract more young people. There was also general agreement the current heavy vehicle driver licensing system makes it too difficult for new entrants to join the road freight industry.
Mr Kalasih says getting their class one licence is the essential first step for young drivers progressing on to more specialised heavy vehicle licences, but fewer young people have been getting their licences compared with recent decades. He supports any move that makes it easier for young people to get their licence.
He said he welcomes the road transport industry being involved in consultation before the changes are introduced in the middle of next year.
