Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley is urging road transport operators and industry stakeholders to get their nominations in for the 2017 Road Transport Industry Awards.

“This year the road transport industry has faced some particularly challenging circumstances and has once again proved its mettle in meeting New Zealand‘s freight task,” says Shirley. “The closure of State Highway One through Kaikoura and the difficulty in getting freight between Picton and Christchurch have made for an extremely challenging situation.”

Shirley says those outside the industry did not realise how much effort and hard work had gone into maintaining the freight links through the top of the South Island.

“The New Zealand Road Transport Industry Awards are a great chance to acknowledge the members of our industry who have really rolled their sleeves up and dealt with the challenges of the last year,” says Shirley.  

The five awards are the Industry Innovation Award, Outstanding Contribution to Training Award, Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety Award, the overall Supreme Contribution to New Zealand Road Transport Award, and the New Zealand Road Transport Hero Award, recognising the actions of a member of the road freight industry who, in the course of their normal workday, saves or attempts to save another person from harm.

The awards will be presented at the Road Transport Industry Awards dinner on 11 November following the RTF annual conference in Hamilton.

Criteria and nomination forms for the awards can be found at www.rtfnz.co.nz.