MEDIA RELEASE

25 January 2019

NZTA urging owners to get their vehicles re-checked

The NZ Transport Agency has extended the expiry date of all unused vouchers provided to the owners of vehicles previously inspected by suspended WoF providers, and is strongly encouraging them to get their vehicle’s Warrant of Fitness (WOF) rechecked free of charge.

The vouchers will now be valid until 31 March 2019.

Meredith Connell Managing Partner Steve Haszard, who is leading regulatory compliance at the Transport Agency, is urging people to get their vehicles re-checked without delay.

“We can’t legally compel vehicle owners to get their vehicles rechecked, but it’s important that the owners of these vehicles understand that they may not have been properly inspected during the previous WoF check carried out by these suspended providers. We’re reminding people again that the recheck costs will be met by the Transport Agency.

“All vehicle owners have a responsibility to ensure that their vehicle is up to WoF standard every day it is on the road. We want to make sure the owners of these vehicles know that it’s important to get these re-checks done to keep their family members, friends and passengers safe – it’s that simple,” Mr Haszard says.

“Do the right thing, get your vehicle rechecked.”

The reminder follows the immediate suspension of a number of vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations. NZTA has been contacting the vehicle owners directly by writing to them and following-up with phone calls.

“We’re not aware of specific concerns relating to individual vehicles, however due to the poor quality of many of these inspections there is a possibility that some vehicles may have been incorrectly passed,” Mr Haszard says.

So far, just 16 per cent of vehicle owners contacted have had their vehicles re-checked. Of those, 83 percent have now passed after re-inspection, but just 40 percent passed their first re-inspection. This compares with an overall WoF pass rate in New Zealand of approximately 60 percent.

Detailed information including re-check rates for individual WoF providers can be found on the NZTA website at the link below. This data will be updated fortnightly.

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/regulatory-compliance-review/wof-inspection-and-certification-information-for-customers/

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