Changes to New Zealand’s warrant of fitness system, which will see annual inspections for cars registered after 2000, are expected to be in place by July 2013 if not earlier.
The key changes to the warrant of fitness system (WoF) include:
· An initial inspection for new cars, followed by annual inspections once vehicles are three-years-old.
· Annual inspections for vehicles three years and older and first registered on or after January 1 2000.
· Six-monthly inspections for vehicles first registered before January 1 2000.
The Government says the new inspection frequency regime recognises concerns about older vehicles by making sure vehicles registered before January 1 2000 remain on six-monthly inspections.
Ministry of Transport research shows that the package of changes will benefit motorists and businesses by $159-million a year, and by at least $1.8-billion over 30 years. This includes savings in inspection and compliance costs, justice and enforcement costs, and time spent by motorists getting their WoF. Associate transport minister Simon Bridges says these savings will have a flow-on benefit for the wider economy.
“We took these concerns into account in designing a WoF package that backs up the changed inspection frequency over time with other measures, such as information and education campaigns and more funding for police enforcement.” Changes to the WoF system will be made through the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002, and are expected to be in place by July 2014 or earlier.
Changes to the certificate of fitness (CoF) system
Currently, light vehicles operated as a transport service (such as taxis and rental cars) and heavy vehicles are inspected for a CoF. The current six-monthly CoF default inspection frequency will be retained, with the NZTA able to apply a different frequency between three and 12 months depending on the operator’s safety record.
Much of the cost of getting a CoF comes from the time a vehicle is out of service. Extending the variable frequency range for CoF gives the ability to reward operators with good safety records through longer periods between inspections, while still closely managing operators with poor safety records.
Changes to the CoF system will be made through the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002 and are expected to be in place by July 2014 or earlier.
Kiwis sold short
“The Government seems obsessed with the principle that, because New Zealand’s inspection regime is unique, it needs to be changed, says MTA spokesperson Ian Stronach. “That’s a very narrow view which they don’t apply consistently. Ultimately, this decision sells all New Zealanders short.
“While providing the appearance of savings, the changes may in fact increase costs and the risks to motorists, while at the same time lead to the loss of more than 2,000 jobs from within the automotive industry according to the MTA. “The opportunity for any substantial changes to the licensing system has been deferred – instead we have a piecemeal deconstruction of the vehicle inspection regime that has served and protected motorists well for many years. “Many drivers rely on this as their primary safety and operational assurance. In an automotive environment like ours, that is too long and too far. Minor repairs will turn into major work, negating any theoretical savings. “Surely the onus must be on improving safety levels, not eroding them. Even recently released researchby the Monash University Injury Research Institute which was co-sponsored by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) casts doubt on the likely outcome and cost of the changes being proposed; if the so called experts aren’t sure of what might happen, why are we pushing ahead?.
“Government could have streamlined our cumbersome annual licensing process, made individual motorists more accountable for the risks they represent and improved the integrity of the existing inspection process. Instead they are selling this reform to New Zealanders on the back of the potential that they can save themselves around $50 a year.” According to the MTA carrying out fewer inspections will mean some providers will simply opt out of the business, meaning some motorists will have to travel further and take more time to have an inspection carried out, as well as adding to the jobless total, while pushing more skilled people out of the industry.
Missed opportunity
The Motor Industry Association says it was always in support of extending the time period between vehicle inspections. “We saw this issue as being relevant to vehicle owners, and not one about job protection for the corner garage. The current system may have been suited to vehicles built in the 1950s and 1960s, but was no longer appropriate for the modern motor car”, says CEO Perry Kerr. “Our research shows that new vehicles are regularly serviced during their first three-year period and we know the franchise dealer will, while servicing the vehicle, ensure that it is safe to operate on our roads. Likewise the MIA said it believed yearly inspections were also appropriate for vehicles more than three-years-old.
“The one area of the Government’s overall review, which we see as a missed opportunity, was to restructure the annual vehicle licensing fee and to remove the ACC component (which makes up the majority of the annual licensing fee) and to transfer this component into the price of fuel (petrol and diesel) at the pump.
“This would therefore ensure those people driving the most kilometres were paying the highest ACC fee. Without addressing the ACC component of the registration levy not a lot has changed,” says Kerr.
