Dec 13, 2017  - When pulling up to a traffic light, most drivers get pretty close to the car in front of them, leaving just several feet of space between their bumper and the next.  The practice of packing tightly at traffic lights is widely accepted. Traditional thinking says the closer a car is to a traffic light, the more likely that car will be to pass through the intersection before the light turns red again. Thanks to new research by Virginia Tech College of Engineering professors and students, drivers now have a good reason to dismiss this faulty line…

Dec 8, 2017 - Tomorrow (Saturday) will mark 150 years since the opening of the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel, an engineering marvel which remains a key part of the KiwiRail network and important contributor to the local economy.  When the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel opened on December 9, 1867, it was the first rail tunnel in New Zealand, and the first in the world to be drilled through the side of an extinct volcano. Before the opening of the tunnel, it was difficult to transport Canterbury’s goods, such as wool, throughout the world. To reach Lyttelton Port, people and goods would need…

Nov 30, 2017  -  The ITF has participated in the WIMDOI (women in male dominated occupations and industries) conference in Australia, setting out the tools and strategies needed to build stronger campaigns and organise women working in such transport workplaces. The biannual conference has been going for 22 years and this year’s, from 21-23 November in Brisbane, was the biggest. More than 130 women from Australia and New Zealand took part – including firefighters, paramedics, electricians and plumbers, alongside workers from the maritime, road, rail, forestry, construction, meat and manufacturing industries. Train driver and RTBU (Rail, Tram and Bus Industry…

 Nov 27, 2017  - Rail is delivering up to $1.5 billion a year to New Zealand in hidden benefits, according to a study prepared as part of a joint KiwiRail/NZTA team looking at integrated transport planning. "That far exceeds what the taxpayer is spending on rail," KiwiRail Chairman Trevor Janes says. The study, carried out by professional services firm EY, looked at some of the wider economic benefits the rail network brings to New Zealand. "The areas where rail is delivering for New Zealand include cutting congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving safety on our roads and lowering spending on…

16 Nov 2017  -  For many people, an electric bike makes sense for longer commutes, but it isn't needed for shorter jaunts or recreational rides. As a result, we've seen a number of kits that allow cyclists to temporarily turn their existing bike into an e-bike, by swapping one of its wheels with an electrified one. It's a pretty simple solution, although the Swytch eBike Conversion Kit may be even simpler and easier yet.  Most of the electric wheels we've seen have been quite heavy – this is because they contain not only a motor, but also a battery pack…

15 Nov 2017  -  Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited (Mobil) today announced plans to improve fuel supply capacity for the South Island with the construction of two tanks at its fuel terminal in Lyttelton. The tanks, which will replace those damaged by a 2014 landslide at Mobil’s Naval Point facility, will be located adjacent to Mobil’s existing terminal at George Seymour Quay and will store petrol and diesel. The company expects to complete the work in early 2019. · Two new tanks will improve fuel supply capacity for the South Island· To be located adjacent to Mobil’s existing terminal at…

13 Nov 2017  -  New Zealand’s champion truck driver for 2017 has been found following a highly competitive final of the NZ Truck Driving Championship held at Claudelands Events Centre in Hamilton last Friday.  Northland’s Simon Reid of SJ Reid Transport proved his knowledge and skill across the many different aspects of the competition to take the victory and the title of NZ’s Champion Truck Driver 2017.  The competition was incredibly tight with only a handful of points separating the top few competitors. For his efforts Simon took home a $6,000 cheque courtesy of major event sponsors TR Group and…

3 Nov -  Driver training in the North received a boost when Fonterra officially handed over a decommissioned milk tanker to NorthTec’s commercial transport department.  The tanker was blessed at a special ceremony held at the Future Trades Centre in Dyer Street, Whangarei.  NorthTec kaumātua, Hohepa Rudolph, welcomed officials from Fonterra, NorthTec, other stakeholders and students, and performed the blessing of the new “waka”, naming it Uruao. The name means “tail of the scorpion” and refers to one of the first great ocean-going waka, built for the earliest migrations to New Zealand. In return, NorthTec Chief Executive, Mark Ewen, presented…

New Zealand-based heavy equipment specialist Tidd Ross Todd (TRT) has designed and manufactured a widening eight-line platform trailer for Queensland-based Mactrans Heavy Haulage. According to TRT, the features of this trailer have been designed for Mactrans' specific haulage challenges following extensive consultation, to make the transport 70 – 120-tonne equipment more efficient. The platform trailer has been designed for maximum manoeuvrability and load variation, using a centre spine with two widening decks that expand its width from 3350mm to 4880mm. There is 18m of clear deck behind the neck to the inside the ramps, and 855mm lowered height for easy…

Quintiq, a Dassault Systèmes brand and global leader in supply chain planning and optimisation (SCP&O), announced today that its software has gone live at KiwiRail after a 9-week implementation period. Quintiq’s software will enhance workforce planning and rostering at the leading New Zealand transport industry employer. With 3,400 staff in multiple locations across the country, the state-owned rail service is dedicated to building a high performance culture and maintaining excellent human resource standards. The Quintiq planning solution will support KiwiRail’s workforce optimisation goals by equipping planners with the tools they need to make informed decisions in workforce planning and scheduling,…

A return to 100 per cent jet fuel allocations at Auckland Airport is a great start to the school holidays for airlines and their customers, Energy and Resource Minister Judith Collins says. Two weeks ago the fuel allocation was reduced to 30 per cent following the disruption to supply through the Marsden Refinery to Auckland pipeline. Fuel allocations were increased incrementally to 50 per cent then 80 per cent as alternatives to transporting fuel to Auckland Airport were found. “Getting back to 100 per cent fuel allocation this morning is great news for the start of the school holidays. It…