New Zealand’s road freight industry is painting a gloomy picture for business, with only a minority expecting their financial situation to improve over the coming year.
The results are contained in the 2025 National Road Freight Industry Survey, a major survey of 194 respondents across 128 road freight businesses, conducted in March this year by Research NZ on behalf of advocacy group Transporting New Zealand.
The survey was also promoted by the New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association and Groundspread NZ and represents the most extensive industry snapshot in over a decade.
Transporting New Zealand says the survey offers sobering insights into business conditions, the deteriorating road network, and challenges around driver safety and wellbeing.
Only 34 per cent of those surveyed expected their financial situation to improve over the next 12 months, and only one in four respondents reported having sustainable operating margins. Just under half (47 per cent) believed the government was on the right economic track, while 25 per cent disagreed and 27 per cent were unsure.
Transporting New Zealand says the findings echo the concerns it has heard from members and align with wider economic indicators.
“Company liquidations in the transport sector were up by 79 per cent last year, and the ANZ Truckometer Heavy Traffic Index for June 2024 recorded its biggest monthly drop on record, excluding Covid-19 lockdowns.” says Billy Clemens, Transporting New Zealand’s Head of Policy and Advocacy.
“The survey results, combined with the tough economic data, really highlight the need for infrastructure investment from the Government to support growth, as well as resource management reform that helps support new jobs and overseas investment”.
Health, safety, and wellbeing and workforce challenges were also priorities. A total of 78 per cent of respondents called for more purpose-designed rest stops for drivers, and 72 per cent said it was important for drivers to have a good work-life balance.
Finding new drivers was also a big issue. Almost one-half of industry respondents (47 per cent) indicated that “up to 25 per cent” or more would retire or leave the industry in the next five years. This highlighted the ageing workforce.
Concerns about the state of New Zealand’s roads were nearly universal. The vast majority (93 per cent) agreed that poor road maintenance is putting truck drivers and other road users at risk. A significant number (84 per cent), believed that regional roads and bridges are neglected, and that delays in replacing the Cook Strait ferries pose a major risk (79 per cent).
One bright spot in the survey for truck drivers was that while the those in the industry believe the public have a negative perception of professional drivers, that is not the case.
Nearly half of industry respondents (49 per cent) believed the public holds a negative view of professional drivers, while only 20 per cent believed the public viewed them positively.
However, a poll of 1000 New Zealanders conducted by Research NZ painted a more favourable picture, with 52 per cent saying they view professional road freight drivers positively; and only 7 per cent expressing a negative view.
“It’s encouraging to see such widespread public support for truck drivers, and Transporting New Zealand will be highlighting this in our advocacy – especially as we push for better public facilities for drivers and policies that support the long-term sustainability of freight businesses,” says Clemens.
[Note: A full copy of the 2025 Road Freight Survey is available for media on request]
