Reports &amp; Studies

DieselEquityPricing+2ReformTechnologyView document

Economic Advice to the Road User Charges Review Group

Deloitte produced this economic report for the Road User Charges Review Group to assess four alternatives to New Zealand’s existing RUC collection system. It evaluates the options against effectiveness, efficiency, future-proofing, equity, and wider policy objectives, including alternatives involving diesel excise, weight-based charges, refunds, and electronic on-board units. Deloitte found Option A—the simplified retention of distance- and weight-based RUC for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes—the most attractive short-term option, while concluding that Option D’s electronic per-kilometre system offered the best long-term potential but was not then cost-effective or economically viable.

Fuel ExciseHeavy VehiclesPricing+2ReformRUC RatesView document

Economic Assessment of the Cost Allocation Model

Infometrics prepared this economic assessment for the Ministry of Transport Road User Charges Review Group, reviewing the Cost Allocation Model’s cost recovery, efficiency and equity. It concludes that the model provides a sound representation of long-run marginal road-use costs but recommends investigating the removal of light vehicles from RUC, using fuel excise duty for non-road-wear components, and potentially approximating axle-related costs through vehicle licence fees. It also recommends improvements to heavy-vehicle rate calculations, consideration of congestion charging and amortised expenditure, and avoiding spatially differentiated RUC rates because of added complexity and transaction costs.

ComplianceEquityHeavy Vehicles+2LegislationTechnologyView document

Evaluation of the New Road User Charges System: Cycle Three Report

This final-cycle evaluation was conducted by Allen and Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists for the Ministry of Transport to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of the modernised Road User Charges system introduced in 2012. It found that the Road User Charges Act 2012 was broadly effective, while identifying problems with legislative provisions, debt recovery, heavy-vehicle permitting, gross vehicle mass manipulation, light diesel vehicle compliance, and electronic RUC administration. The report recommends amending sections 12, 53 and 55 of the Act, strengthening RUC debt-recovery tools, increasing specialist assessor capacity, clarifying electronic licence and vehicle-mass policies, and improving access to permitting data.

Heavy VehiclesPricingRUC Rates+2TechnologyRevenueView document

Road Use Charging and Cost Allocation: Literature Review

This literature review was prepared by NZIER for the Road User Charges Review Group and examines road cost allocation and road-use charging theory, international practice, and options applicable to New Zealand. It finds that New Zealand’s RUC system is distinctive in charging heavy and diesel vehicles according to weight and distance, while its PAYGO cost-allocation approach resembles systems used overseas. NZIER concludes that emerging electronic and location-based technologies could enable more accurate charging, but their suitability depends on policy objectives, reliability, interoperability, implementation costs, and the quality of road-cost estimates.

Heavy VehiclesInfrastructurePricing+2ReformRUC RatesView document

Road User Charges Review — Engineering Advice

This client project report was produced by Transport Research Laboratory for the New Zealand Ministry of Transport to provide independent engineering advice for the Road User Charges Review. TRL finds that the fourth-power equation does not accurately represent the relationship between axle loads and pavement wear, while available evidence is not robust enough to select a different single exponent for charging. It suggests reducing the relative importance of the Equivalent Standard Axle component of RUC, improving assumptions using New Zealand weigh-in-motion data, and further assessing how charging changes would affect heavy-vehicle choices and road wear.

Heavy VehiclesRUC RatesDiesel+2PricingReformView document

Road User Charges Review Group: Engineering Advice

Sinclair Knight Merz prepared this independent engineering review for the Ministry of Transport and the Road User Charges Review Group. It concludes there is insufficient robust evidence to replace the fourth-power rule in the RUC road-wear model and recommends aligning reference loads with Austroads practice, recognising road-friendly suspensions, and creating distinct classifications and RUC rates for wide-single-tyre vehicles. The report also finds that diesel excise is not a suitable substitute for RUC road-wear charges because fuel consumption does not reflect the exponential relationship between axle loading and pavement damage.

ComplianceRefundsRUC Rates+2TechnologyRevenueView document

Road User Charges Review: Stock-take and Compliance Activity Report

Research New Zealand prepared this report for the Ministry of Transport as part of the independent Road User Charges Review. It maps the customer-facing processes for determining, purchasing and administering RUC licences, including licence types and rates, purchase channels, hubodometer changes, refunds, enforcement and recovery of unpaid charges. A survey of 392 RUC customers found generally higher satisfaction with DirectConnect, online and telephone or fax purchasing than with agent purchases, while satisfaction was comparatively low for hubodometer changes and refunds.

ComplianceDieselReform+2RefundsTechnologyView document

Road User Charges: Financial Modelling — Supplementary Report to Economic Advice

This Deloitte financial modelling report was prepared for the independent Road User Charges Review Group to supplement its economic advice on alternatives to New Zealand’s existing RUC system. It compares implementation, government administration, operator compliance, refund, evasion and technology costs across four options, finding that all would save costs against the status quo and that Option C—replacing RUC with diesel excise and weight-based motor vehicle licensing fees—would produce the largest estimated annual saving at $37.2 million. The report cautions that its figures are indicative and based on simplifying assumptions, while concluding that Option A remained economically preferable overall when considerations beyond cost efficiency were included.

NZ Parliament/Dec 2025

2024-25 Annual Review of KiwiRail

This annual review from under your board (for Crown entities) and/or senior leadership team (for departments). 8, dated 3 Dec 2025, raises significant concerns about RUC legislation. Key themes include cost and pricing impacts, compliance and administration, environmental considerations. The document provides commentary and analysis relevant to RUC policy discussions.

ClimateComplianceLegislation+1RUC RatesView document

NZ Parliament/Dec 2025

Police Response to the 2024/25 Annual Review Questionnaire

Oral Evidence from Police (1 Dec 2025) that supports Road User Charges policy, specifically addressing RUC. The document provides evidence or arguments supporting the RUC framework and its continuation or implementation. This submission is part of parliamentary scrutiny processes for transport revenue and user charge policy in New Zealand.

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Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) for Thursday, 17 August 2023

Parliamentary Hansard record for Thursday, 17 August 2023, documenting oral questions to ministers on government policy. MPs questioned ministers on various matters of state, with this particular record covering topics depending on parliamentary business priorities for the day. The questions and answers represent Parliament's scrutiny function on matters ranging from transport to social policy.

LegislationRUC RatesReformView document

Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) for Tuesday, 29 March 2022

This is a Hansard parliamentary debate record from 5 Sep 2025. The document is titled 'Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) for Tuesday, 29 March 2022.pdf'. The debate features input from multiple Members of Parliament. The document forms part of New Zealand's official parliamentary records.

LegislationRUC RatesReformView document

Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) for Tuesday, 29 March 2022