NZTA to pay for dodgy truck towbars and certifiers, class action possible

Tuesday, 8 May 2018

Wastney Engineering at Wakapuaka, Nelson.

The New Zealand Transport Agency will pay to repair dodgy truck drawbars and re-certify them - hopefully over the next fortnight.

NZTA has ordered owners of more than 800 trucks to stop using towbars certified by Wastney Engineering in Nelson, meaning they cannot tow trailers behind them.

Ken Shirley of the Road Transport Forum says a class action is being investigated over the certification of truck towbars.

Road Transport Association NZ chief executive Dennis Robertson said it was a great relief that NZTA was putting together a programme for certification and repair as quickly as it had.

'They've written to all the affected truck owners or phoned them and arranged for a time for inspection when it will be decided what repairs may be needed,' Robertson said.

* Nearly 2000 truck trailer owners to be contacted by NZTA over tow connections

* Engineer suspended by NZTA was disciplined in 2013**

Most of the trucks were in the South Island, in the Nelson/Marlborough area and on the West Coast.

The cost of certification was usually about $500 and the cost of repairs could be considerably more.

'It's a great relief for some operators. Some of them are in rural areas and it happens to be a peak time for them with gypsy day coming up when dairy farmers move a lot of stock. Without being able to use their trailers there have been delays for some customers,' Robertson said.

Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley lashed out at NZTA for failing to keep on top of the problem and said his group was also considering a class legal action against Peter Wastney Engineering, 'but I suspect the well will be dry', he said.

Some businesses would have absorbed the costs of delays, he said.

The Transport Agency was working closely with the Heavy Vehicle Engineers group at Engineering New Zealand to provide support to ensure that inspections, re-certifications and repairs can be completed as quickly as possible.

'This will include temporarily relocating additional engineers qualified certifiers at temporary sites in Blenheim, Nelson, Greymouth and Westport to fast-track inspections and re-certifications in order to minimise disruption for industry.

'We'll be working together with Engineering New Zealand's HVE group, the Road Transport Forum and the Truck-Trailer Manufacturers Federation to help meet demand and get these vehicles safely back on the road as soon as possible,' NZTA said.

'While there is no legal liability to do so, in order to minimise interruption the Transport Agency will cover the cost of the re-certification and, where necessary, repair or replacement of towing connections.'

NZTA also recommended that owners stop using any vehicles with parts certified by Peter Wastney Engineering, and also gave definitions of the main towing components.

A towbar is fitted to a heavy vehicle (truck, bus, campervan etc) and is used to tow a light vehicle, usually a trailer or another light vehicle no greater than 3500 kilogrammes.

A drawbeam is fitted to a heavy vehicle or truck and is used to tow a heavy trailer with a gross vehicle mass exceeding 3500kg.

A drawbar is fitted to a heavy trailer with a mass exceeding 3500kg

NZTA recommended removal of towbars or drawbeams by unbolting them unless welded, or welding a plate over the mounting hole so another towball cannot be bolted on.

'Removing the towball or tow coupling only is not an acceptable method of rendering a towbar or drawbeam inoperable.'