The CVSP will have 12 commercial vehicle safety centres (CVSCs) across New Zealand to screen heavy vehicles for non-compliance and risk.

The programme will change how we monitor and regulate heavy vehicles, going from the manual weigh pits to data-driven, targeted regulation.

Roadside equipment will screen and direct potentially unsafe or non-compliant heavy vehicles into a Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC).

The information collected from real-time vehicle screening and risk assessments support the NZ Transport Agency and NZ Police in a range of interventions, both in real time and following investigation.  

Real-time risk and compliance screening for heavy commercial vehicles means traffic authorities can quickly address unsafe driving practices, reducing the risk of serious or fatal crashes, making our roads safer.

Why have a CVSP? 

From 2012 to 2021, heavy goods vehicles were involved 20.5% of all fatality crashes. Currently method to enforce heavy vehicle compliance is through heavy vehicles being randomly selected and manually directed into low technology weigh stations and inspected by NZ Police. The stations cover a wide range of the network, including areas with low levels of heavy vehicle traffic. Many of these are not modern, safe or fit for purpose, meaning a limited chance of an errant vehicle being detected.

The CVSP is an important part of addressing this and delivering a productive and safer transport system for our roads.

The programme benefits the commercial vehicle industry and allows Waka Kotahi and NZ Police to improve the way they operate.

The CVSP promotes:

  • a level playing field for industry,
  • industry compliance without impacting productivity,
  • improved safety and road maintenance as the negative impacts of overloading reduces,
  • intelligence led regulation and improved enforcement,
  • insight into light vehicle road usage.