Operator safety ratings

Offences and infringements

Print version: Offences and infringements (PDF, 83 KB, 2 pages)

Operator safety ratings will provide a fair and accurate indication of both the safety of an operator’s fleet and the operator’s compliance with land transport safety legislation. This infocard outlines the impact of certificate of fitness (CoF) inspections on an operator’s safety rating. It is one of a series aimed at encouraging excellence in the Operator Rating System (ORS).

Safety ratings are based on data collected on an operator and the operator’s vehicles and drivers. The data is generated from three types of safety related events that can occur during a rating period. The safety related events are:

• Certificate of fitness (CoF) inspections
• Roadside inspections
• Offences - driver and operator convictions and infringements

Crashes involving an operator’s vehicle are also recorded as an event in the operator’s Operator Rating System (ORS) history but will not form part of the calculation of the safety rating.

The first rating period will initially be six months, but will increase to 24 months over time.

The transport service licence (TSL) number of the operator is recorded against driver and vehicle offences and infringements at the time of these events. When fault for the offences and infringements is confirmed (by fine payment or court determination), the offence or infringement is included in the calculation of the safety rating.

Offences may be picked up at any time: during a crash investigation, roadside inspection or any other police or enforcement officer contact, such as highway patrol.

Speed camera offences are not currently included in the calculation of operator safety ratings, as technology does not allow collection of the TSL number at the time of the event.

To achieve an excellent safety rating there needs to be a proactive and consistent commitment to vehicle and driver safety all year round.

To avoid committing offences during day to day operation:

• choose the most appropriate vehicle for the job
• implement a comprehensive maintenance programme to ensure vehicles are safe and legal at all times
• drivers should inspect vehicles before every trip (refer to Roadside inspection guidelines for heavy vehicles)
• have a system in place to report vehicle faults and action repairs
• put in place a safe driving policy (refer to Developing a safe driving policy)
• ensure schedules and rosters are achievable within the law (refer to Work time and fatigue)
• identify and avoid fatigue (refer to Factsheet 24: Fatigue)
• drivers must be appropriately licensed and trained for their job
• monitor near misses, minor crashes and complaints
• drivers must complete all logbook requirements
• ensure vehicles are not overloaded, have a current CoF and vehicle licence (registration), and that road user charges (ruc) payments are up to date
• address offending. Information about driver demerit points is provided by the transport organisation register online (TORO)

For more information

• talk to a vehicle standards advisor or transport regulatory advisor at your nearest NZTA regional office
• T 0800 822 422
• www.landtransport.govt.nz/commercial/operator-rating-system

Page updated: 10 March 2009