It’s common in my circles to hear, “I don’t really see the point of industry associations”, followed closely by complaints about the perceived lack of engagement from policymakers, the media and the public on how tough it is out there as a small to medium business.

The second part of this conversation is on the money. It is difficult out there for small businesses. But I can assure you it’s a lot tougher out there for a small business doing it alone with no industry support and even less of an idea about what legislation and change is heading down the pipeline in the short to medium future.

The days of public-bar politicking moving the dial are a distant memory. In today’s environment, operators need to understand that the power is in the collective, not the individual, coming together to collaborate with regulators to shape outcomes that benefit the wider industry and the country.

If you’re not doing your bit by supporting your industry association, you lose the right to complain about the things that get done to you by the government. Sitting on the sidelines moaning about the state of roads, lack of workers and climate change commitments gets you nowhere. Contributing to an association such as NRC helps deliver the strongest possible voice on your behalf.

The NRC is being listened to by the government. We are having success. We called for long-term infrastructure planning, and the government has created the National Infrastructure Agency and is putting in place a 30-year road plan.

We called for better roads. The government has brought back roads of national and regional significance and announced a four-lane highway to Whangārei, with the Brynderwyns replacement brought forward.

We called for better maintenance. The government announced the pothole fund and required RCAs to repair them within 24 to 48 hours.

We have a robust, planned advocacy programme, which is needed to influence policymakers and shape outcomes that will support a sustainable transport industry equipped to serve New Zealand into the future. Our discussions with officials foster a trusted dialogue and, with the support of the wider communications programme, raise public awareness of the issues. These actions come together with formal submission processes to create the environment we work in daily as transport operators.

You might have some awareness of the sheer impact the team has if you have caught Justin (Tighe-Umbers, CEO) or James Smith, GM policy and advocacy, talking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking about the latest infrastructure announcement. Or if our resident RUC audit guru Paula Rogers has personally assisted you with an NZTA audit or Woody (Stephen Woodward, commercial transport specialist) has walked you through the NRC’s cost model process to help you get to grips with your operating costs, and help you make the best decisions in a tight economic environment.

But a lot of the team’s achievements are done quietly in the background, meeting with officials and making a difference you didn’t even know you needed.

Upcoming changes to the vehicle dimensions and mass (VDAM) rules are an example of an issue that will be wide- reaching for the industry. Getting the regulations right is critical if operators are to avoid unnecessary costs or restrictions on loads or vehicle types. The NRC is already working behind the scenes with regulators to start shaping what the solution could look like.

And we have had success with this before. The NRC advocated hard for the regulations and permitting needed to enable high- productivity motor vehicles (HPMV/50MAX) to become a valuable component of New Zealand’s freight industry, including greater access to HPMV routes nationwide.

The pandemic posed a whole host of challenges to the freight industry, not least of all the requirement for border testing and freight movement rules. The NRC’s robust advocacy helped ensure the rollout of freight lanes in and out of Auckland was swiftly put in place by authorities.

Time-of-use charging is a current hot topic. Road freight delivers 93% of goods nationwide. If we are suddenly forced to pay more to move these goods, the risk of negative blowback on the whole economy increases. The NRC’s job is to work with officials to create workable regulations to help Kiwis move around our biggest cities more freely while avoiding unintended consequences such as increased cost of goods.

A strong industry association such as the NRC works to understand members’ needs alongside the government’s needs and objectives. It then seeks to broker the best-balanced outcome. We strive to use ear/airtime wisely in a way that encourages government and officials to work with us as a sector. We work to build respect. This involves hard conversations, listening to one another and making bold decisions. We find solutions when we work constructively together rather than just complain to anyone who will listen at the bar.

My parting advice to any transport operator sitting on the fence about joining the NRC is to get off that fence and get involved. Not only can you tap into our specialist team of experts and commercial partners to help run your business more efficiently, but you will also be an active player in shaping the entire industry’s future. Why wouldn’t you want to do that?