Road Transport Forum rebrands

To better reflect road freight transport’s vital role in the New Zealand economy, the industry’s representatives have rebranded as Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, says chief executive Nick Leggett.

The industry body responsible for promoting and advancing the interests of trucking operators around New Zealand was set up in 1997 as the Road Transport Forum, and has often been referred to as the RTF.

"That name and logo reflected that time, and the new name and logo better embrace the mood and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand today," Leggett says.

"The Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand logo has been designed as a modern, dynamic brand reflecting the role of the road freight transport industry. The arrows represent the North and South Islands and the vital road links that the industry provides for the economy and commerce in New Zealand.

"The name is represented in English and te reo Māori, appropriate for any new brand in Aotearoa New Zealand.

"The name conveys what the industry does for the public and business in Aotearoa New Zealand - transporting their goods, to their door, when they need them; or their food, medicines and other essentials to the stores they shop at, so it is always there when they want it.

"In 2019, we did extensive research on what road freight transport means to New Zealanders and how they view the service delivered, the vehicles that deliver - trucks, and the people involved in the industry.

"Our research showed New Zealanders generally have a favourable view of trucks and understand their role in delivering for the country and the economy. We know that understanding has grown since Covid-19 came to our shores and people have seen truck drivers consistently deliver the goods through all the various lockdowns and alert levels.

"The verb transporting in the name shows the action and movement that are part of the industry 24/7," Leggett says.

The rebranding includes a new website www.transporting.nz and new email addresses which will be advised to industry. Please note: the website may not be live until later today.

Ia Ara Aotearoa - explained by the translators

Ia Ara Aotearoa can be translated as "each and every road of Aotearoa" - claiming that every road that etches the land across our country will be driven on by one of the freight vehicles of Transporting New Zealand - Ia Ara Aotearoa.

The word ‘Ia’ is also translated as a vessel or vein, likening the transporter or vehicles used to transport the ‘goods’ across Aotearoa to the very important role of the veins of a human body, which are used to transport what is needed for us to survive. ‘Ia’ can also mean to flow, like the flow of movement of a river likening this to the flow of freight being moved around the country.

Combining these meanings creates what we believe infuses the essence of what Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand represents.

About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand (Transporting New Zealand) provides unified national representation for several regional trucking associations. Transporting New Zealand’s members include Road Transport Association NZ, National Road Carriers, and NZ Trucking Association. The affiliated representation of Transporting New Zealand is about 3,000 individual road transport companies which in turn, operate 16-18,000 trucks involved in road freight transport, as well as companies that provide services allied to road freight transport.

The road freight transport industry employs 32,868 people (2.0% of the workforce), has a gross annual turnover of $6 billion, and transports 93% of the total tonnes of freight moved in New Zealand.

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