Wait and See Approach to ERUC Recommended
June 2009 - Hurry up and wait.
That's the only sensible position for fleet managers to take regarding the move to a system of electronic road user charges (ERUC) in New Zealand. While the findings of the RUC Review presented to the Minister of Transport, Steven Joyce this year recommend a move to technology-facilitated direct road charging, the reality is that any ERUC system is still just a glint in a software developer's eye, and is likely to remain that way for some time to come.
The review's authors found that technology might improve RUC administration for the industry, but that any transition would take some time. Moreover before any legislation is drafted, let alone passed, we should monitor international developments, undertake a period of trialling and carefully plan any rollout.
Hurry up and wait.
The findings were presented on 31 March this year, but the Minister hasn't yet made a call. Given the speed with which he has moved in other areas - the Waterview tunnel, cellphone use in vehicles - this suggests that he may not consider this matter to be of the utmost urgency.
Hurry up and wait.
With the lion's share of New Zealand's vehicle tracking and fleet management market, an estimated 34 percent, Navman Wireless is well placed to comment on the impact of any changes on transport operators and their existing systems. Ian Daniel, Vice President Asia Pacific, says Navman Wireless has many customers using their current RUC offering.
"We have been helping businesses track and manage fleets of vehicles for a long time and have continued to develop and refine our solution to meet the changing needs of the transport market. We believe that changes to the current legislation to allow ERUC in New Zealand is the most likely outcome and we would welcome any legislative changes that support this.
"Navman Wireless is in a very good position to provide simple and effective solutions to meet any proposed changes. But before we offer these to our customers it is up to government to define and establish standards and up to NZTA to communicate and enforce these.
"Now is not the time to be investing in technology that may not meet either the requirements of legislation that is yet to be written, or the future undefined needs of road users," said Mr Daniel.
This view is shared by the Road Transport Forum, whose CEO, Tony Friedlander, says that while electronic charging systems may work in theory, in reality they are likely to be many years away from implementation. The application of electronic charging systems in Europe have found them to be very expensive in terms of administration, compliance and enforcement.
The Road Transport Forum doesn't want New Zealand to be guinea pigs for ERUC.
"The technology may have some applications but until it is proven to bring lower costs and improved efficiencies a move to ERUC would be a switch to technology just for the sake of it," says Mr Friedlander.
Navman Wireless has strong working relationships with many in the transport industry and is already engaged with the NZTA to link its Off-Road Tracker technology into the NZTA LANDATA system. Navman Wireless's Off-Road Tracker currently tracks thousands of vehicles and has tens of millions of kilometres tracked in New Zealand.
"No RUC rebate claim calculated using our Off-Road Tracker has ever been rejected by NZTA," says Mr Daniel.
"The accuracy of technology is not the issue for the New Zealand transport industry. It is simply too soon to be making technology purchasing decisions when we don't yet know what the new law may look like."
Contacts
Rachael Joel, Botica Butler Raudon Partners, (09) 303 3862, 021 403 504
