19 August 2021 – 11am

New Zealand is in Alert Level 4 – freight services are allowed (with conditions)

The RTF is the central point of communication to and from Government and the national media for the road freight transport industry. We keep our Covid-19 webpage updated with information needed by road freight operators.

We are in ongoing discussions with the government officials putting all the measures in place during New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 virus.

Today’s updates

Please keep checking our Covid-19 dedicated webpage as we update information throughout the day.

As we enter day two of lockdown, please continue to keep your staff safe and well, including making then aware of the growing list of locations of interest regarding exposure to the Delta variant of Covid-19, which is highly contagious.

Below please find some information about safety and security for drivers on the road, and at drop-offs and pick-ups.

We are conscious the road is a lonely place at the moment and once again will endeavour to provide information about where drivers can access public toilets and possibly, food. It may pay to encourage drivers to take all the food and drink they might need with them before they set out on their journey.

In the next couple of days we will be working to find out from Government what the processes will be if parts of New Zealand are in different alert levels. We are conscious of the chaos road blocks can cause for transport operators, particularly those with perishable goods or carrying livestock, and we will be doing our best to prevent that happening again.

We are also seeking information from Government around CoFs, licensing and other essential documentation.

Safety and security

It is important to consider safety and security on the road at all times, but especially during Covid-19 lockdowns when there are less people around. The RTF has prepared a refresher on Driver security awareness for operators.

Access to conveniences

The RTF, with the help of the associations, is compiling and updating a list of where there are public toilets that are open during the Covid-19 lockdown. We are endeavouring to ensure the list is as accurate as possible, but we are relying on information from third parties. We will update it daily, so please keep checking.

Critical information

Please keep up-to-date with locations of interest (where Covid positive cases have known to have been) and encourage staff who have been at any of these locations to follow the public health advice. The list is updated regularly and can be found here.

To find out more about Level 4, go to the Government’s Covid-19 web page here.

Rules for businesses at Alert Level 4, including what businesses can open.

The Public Health Order covering the Level 4 lockdown (COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 9) 2021) can be found here.

Advice from the Ministry of Health can be found here.

For COVID-19 health advice and information, contact the Healthline team (for free) on 0800 358 5453 or +64 9 358 5453 for international SIMS.

Message from Nick Leggett

The week ahead, and possibly beyond, is going to be challenging for all road freight transport businesses and their customers. The Road Transport Forum and the association you are a member of are here to help you so please contact us if you need anything.