Technology that’s helping solve global transport issues

The International Road Federation (IRF) invited New Zealand transport technology company EROAD, to present at a regional transport connectivity forum in Podgorica, Montenegro recently.

This forum gave government ministers and transport authorities from across Eastern Europe an opportunity to learn about international best practice in transport investments that support regional connectivity and economic development.

Attendees were keen to learn from EROAD because the company pioneered technology that has already delivered NZ$2.5 billion to the New Zealand Transport Agency, for the sustainability of NZ’s transport network. The company’s products and services are also delivering significant decreases in road incidents within the commercial vehicles that have installed EROAD technology.

Nina Elter, EROAD’s Senior Vice President of Global Market Development, presented the evolution of EROAD’s easy to use system. Around 46% of heavy vehicle road user charges in New Zealand are now collected through EROAD, using technology specifically created to deliver reliably accurate transport information.

Nina showed how the company’s single source platform has simplified and reduced administration costs of regulatory services, and provided alternative options for infrastructure funding, simultaneously delivering commercial benefits to transport operators. For example, off-road refunds are more transparent and easily calculated, enabling road user charges to be made in manageable increments.

The EROAD system has been engineered to provide solutions that are mutually beneficial for both regulatory and commercial operators. Consequently, EROAD gets invited to help solve complex transport issues in all the markets it currently operates in – North America, Australia, and within its homeland of New Zealand.

Fuel tax revenues have traditionally been the foundation of government funding for transport infrastructure however these are declining as vehicles transition to environmentally sustainable alternatives. Automated vehicles will affect other funding sources like licensing and parking fees, creating funding gaps at a time when supply chain logistics is increasing distances travelled. The road transport industry already operates in a highly competitive and regulated environment, with low margins.

Steven Newman, CEO of EROAD said “Most countries are facing the same issues: How to pay for and maintain roading infrastructure, and how to improve safety on roads. It was an honour indeed to have such an esteemed group acknowledge the difference EROAD is making in delivering safer, more productive roads”.

The IRF have also invited Nina Elter and EROAD’s Director of Analytics Gareth Robins, to speak at the IRF Global ‘Roads to Tomorrow’ conference in Las Vegas this November.

Ends

© Scoop Media