Potential worktime breach added to CVSC real-time screening

Members with vehicles that travel across multiple WIM sites in a trip need to take note:

From Tuesday 27 January 2026 NZTA will be adding potential worktime breach assessments to the commercial vehicle safety centre (CVSC) automatic screening.

This means that when a vehicle passes one or more CVSCs in a certain period, NZTA will receive an indication of a potential work time breach and signal them into a CVSC in real-time.

From this date, you can expect drivers who may have breached work-time rules to be directed into a CVSC where Police can check driver logbooks and carry out other compliance checks.

NZTA will be screening for if a driver:

• may have worked more than 5.5 hours without a 30-minute break,
• may have worked more than 13 hours before taking a 10-hour break,
• may not have started their ten-hour break in time for it to complete within the 24-hour work period, and
• may have worked more than 70 hours without a 24-hour break.
  
  

Certain vehicles will not be pulled in for potential worktime breaches if there are known driver change overs, or if they are part of an approved Alternative Fatigue Management Scheme. They may still be directed into a CVSC for other potential compliance issues.

NZTA have already been using this data to inform their compliance work through investigations and audits. The addition of worktime breach assessments to real-time screening will mean NZTA and Police are able to act as soon as possible.
This kind of assessment will be available at all CVSCs as they become operational. This means NZTA will have a broader picture of potential worktime breaches as vehicles travel across the country.

If you have any concerns or further questions please contact one of the NRC team ASAP.  

 

Update on NZTA’s commercial licence suspensions 

To confirm whether any of your drivers have been affected by the recent NZTA driver licence suspension, you can use the Transport Organisation Register Online (TORO) to identify individuals with Condition 23.

This condition indicates that a driver is disqualified from transport service driving. Although Condition 23 is seldom applied, it acts as an additional safeguard where there are concerns about a driver operating without a valid licence.

 For more information on using TORO click here

Letters to all those who are being offered the opportunity to re-sit the relevant tests (the ‘accelerated pathway’ option) have been sent.  

They need to do this by 23 January. NZTA are working closely with VTNZ to ensure drivers can take these tests by 23 January, so are confident that they have the right resources in place.  

Drivers are to contact VTNZ directly to set up a time to do their tests, which need to be done over 1-2 days.  

VTNZ have set up specific sites to do these tests, which are:  

• VTNZ North Shore,  

• VTNZ Wiri,  

• VTNZ Mount Maunganui,  

• VTNZ Rangitikei Line (Palmerston North),  

• VTNZ Jipcho Road (Christchurch).  

NZTA have also prepared a one-pager for drivers so they understand the possible outcomes, which may be helpful for you – I’ve attached this. 

Download Information re-sitting tests 

 

DG Endorsements 

If your driver has a Dangerous Goods (D) endorsement and would like to keep this, they will need to complete an approved course and pass the required test by 23 January 2026. This includes if they have already sat this course previously.  

Approved course providers can be found here 

The course provider, and their participation in this course (including their test and test results), may be audited by NZTA. If the course and their participation do not meet the required standards, their Dangerous Goods endorsement will be revoked. 

 

If they do not pass the test in the Dangerous Goods course, or choose not to undertake the course  

If they do not take the course and pass the test and then provide NZTA with the required course completion certificate by 23 January 2026 NZTA will revoke your Dangerous Goods endorsement (if they currently hold one).