“The government‘s announcement of work to continue to build on New Zealand‘s world-leading RUC system, expanding the use of GPS-technology to simplify how roads are paid for, is welcome news,” said Steven Newman, chief executive of EROAD Ltd. 

EROAD is New Zealand‘s home-grown world leader in GPS-based road tax technologies, delivering services in New Zealand and North America. EROAD tracks more than 87,000 vehicles in New Zealand and collects almost half of all heavy vehicle road user charges (RUC) on behalf of the New Zealand government.

“Electronic RUC has proven its worth many times over, delivering savings both to the government and to heavy-vehicle and light-vehicle fleet operators,” said Newman. “It has opened the door for a wide range of safety benefits as well.

“With the uptake of electric and other alternative fuelled vehicles increasing, finding a way to extend the benefits of GPS-based approaches to light passenger vehicles – family cars and the like – is essential. Our experience here and abroad has demonstrated again and again that these changes take time. 2030 will be here before we know it, so there is no better time to start than now.

“EROAD has appreciated the opportunity to support the thinking to this point. We look forward to continuing this journey, keeping New Zealand at the forefront of practical, innovative road pricing.”