The Price of Cutting Corners: Why NZ Must Confront Unsafe Transport Operators — and Why Kiwi Coaches Supports Tougher Industry Oversight
Introduction: A Safety Conversation New Zealand Can No Longer Delay
A short on-air exchange on Newstalk ZB late last week reignited a conversation that has quietly worried transport operators for years. In an interview with Mike Hosking, Justin Tighe-Umbers, Chief Executive of the National Road Carriers Association (NRCA), discussed a fatal case where a previously banned truck — long overdue for critical maintenance — suffered catastrophic brake failure and killed a road worker.
The truck, according to Tighe-Umbers, had not been maintained “for years” and had been flagged in the regulatory system “numerous times.” Despite this, it was still operating on New Zealand roads.
To the public, this is alarming.
To industry insiders, it is distressingly familiar.
Tighe-Umbers’ comments point to a problem that extends far beyond freight. It affects school buses, charter coaches, inbound tourism, cruise ship movement, corporate events, and community transport — all sectors in which operators like Kiwi Coaches and countless responsible companies work hard to uphold high standards.
The message from the interview is clear:
there is a dangerous minority of operators who skip maintenance, cut corners, slash prices, and rely on weak enforcement to get away with unsafe behaviour.
This blog examines that reality from a neutral, investigative, RNZ-style perspective — then explains why Kiwi Coaches publicly supports stronger NZTA powers, stricter auditing, and greater accountability to protect passengers, communities, and children.
Inside the Newstalk ZB Interview: A System Failing at Its Most Critical Point
A Tragedy That Should Never Have Happened
During the interview, Mike Hosking asked a simple question:
How does a banned truck, riddled with unaddressed maintenance issues, end up on the road long enough to kill someone?
The answer Tighe-Umbers gave was blunt.
“The park brakes failed because it hadn’t been maintained at all… it had been picked up by the system numerous times.”
Maintenance was ignored.
Warnings went unheeded.
Systems identified problems but could not intervene.
The tragedy did not result from bad luck.
It resulted from a safety system that relies on good behaviour from operators who, in this case, were flagrantly ignoring the law.
While the vast majority of transport operators in New Zealand maintain high standards, the interview emphasised that a small number:
skip essential maintenance
assume they will never be caught
run vehicles until mechanical failure
underbid honest operators by slashing safety budgets
These operators are the ones the system struggles to catch.
The Enforcement Gap: Where NZTA Can Audit — But Not Act
Tighe-Umbers explained that NZTA (Waka Kotahi) audits transport operators and monitors safety compliance. But unlike police, NZTA cannot impound unsafe heavy vehicles — even if it identifies major, repeated failures.
This creates a dangerous mismatch:
NZTA has the information
Police have the power
Neither can fully intervene without the other
With more than 168,000 heavy vehicles on NZ roads, police simply cannot catch every unsafe operator. Meanwhile, NZTA auditors often know precisely which companies pose risks — but lack the authority to act decisively.
Tighe-Umbers argued NZTA must be able to impound vehicles as a “last resort” when the warning signs are obvious.
Kiwi Coaches agrees.
A Small Minority Creating Industry-Wide Risk
Tighe-Umbers stressed that most operators do the right thing. But the small few who don't are dangerous:
ignoring maintenance
ignoring audits
ignoring COF failures
ignoring warnings
operating on razor-thin or irresponsible budgets
These operators endanger everyone:
passengers, road workers, school children, staff, and the general public.
And because they can offer bottom-dollar quotes, they also threaten responsible operators financially.The Economics of Safety: Why Desperation Creates Dangerous Decisions
Recession Pressure: A Breeding Ground for Corner-Cutting
The interview highlighted something uncomfortable:
many small operators are struggling financially.
Volumes are down across freight and passenger transport.
Costs are up — fuel, parts, labour, insurance.
Some operators, Tighe-Umbers said, are operating on margins “paper-thin at best,” leading to desperate decisions such as:
delaying brake servicing
skipping major repairs
letting tyres run past safe limits
using cheap replacement parts
ignoring engineering diagnostics
This behaviour is not malicious.
It is desperate.
But the consequences are the same.
When a company cannot afford maintenance, it should not be on the road.
The Lowest Price Problem: When “Cheap” Really Means “Unsafe”
Tighe-Umbers made one of the most important points of the entire interview:
“There’s too many customers out here who are quite happy to take a cheap rate… what they’re actually doing is paying below what it takes to get a truck safe.”
This applies equally to bus and coach transport.
A lowball quote does not mean efficiency.
It almost always means safety corners have been cut.
A responsible operator cannot — and should not — match a price that comes from skipping:
brake servicing
tyre replacement
mechanical diagnostics
proper engineering labour
compliance systems
driver training
safety documentation
When customers select the cheapest quote, they unintentionally reward unsafe operators.
This endangers lives.
And it undermines the operators who follow the rules.
The Hidden Safety Cost the Public Never Sees
Most passengers, schools, or event organisers never see the true cost of keeping a bus or coach safe:
$4,000 brake repairs
$1,500 per tyre
$10,000–$20,000 gearbox overhauls
monthly safety inspections
daily walk-around checks
electrical diagnostics
COF failures and repairs
driver training and certification
“Cheap” quotes cannot sustain safe operations.
Responsible operators like Kiwi Coaches invest continuously in safety — because safety is not something to catch up on later. It is something done proactively, every day.
Why This Matters to Every Parent, Passenger, Tourist, and School
School Transport: The Silent Area of Highest Concern
Thousands of New Zealand children ride buses daily.
Parents trust — sometimes blindly — that the bus is safe.
But the reality is:
School budgets are tight
Lowest-price tenders are common
Rural schools often have limited options
Unsafe operators know this.
They exploit it.
Kiwi Coaches believes school transport must be held to the highest safety standard in the country. Their safety investment includes:
police-vetted drivers
rigorous internal maintenance
preventive servicing
a professional in-house workshop
strict compliance documentation
daily vehicle checks
Parents deserve transparency.
Children deserve safety.
Schools deserve responsible operators — not corner-cutters.
Conferences, Cruise Days, Events: High Risk for One-Off Rogue Operators
Large events are particularly vulnerable to low-cost operators who “blend in” by:
appearing professional
offering cheap, attractive quotes
supplying older or under-maintained vehicles for one-off jobs
Organisers may never realise the operator was unsafe.
Until something goes wrong.
This is why Kiwi Coaches campaigns for:
operator transparency
clearer standards for event transport
NZTA intervention powers
informed customers
safety being prioritised over price
Mechanical Failures Are Predictable — Not Accidents
Industry engineers know that:
brake failures
tyre blowouts
suspension collapses
steering issues
…almost never occur without warning signs.
They only occur when maintenance is delayed — or not performed at all.
The road worker killed in the cited incident did not die because of an unpredictable event.
He died because a known unsafe vehicle was allowed to operate.
This is why enforcement matters.
This is why audits matter.
This is why price-driven procurement is dangerous.
And it’s why Kiwi Coaches pushes for higher standards.
Kiwi Coaches: A Transport Operator Built on Safety, Not Shortcuts
Inside Kiwi Coaches’ In-House Engineering Workshop
Kiwi Coaches operates one of the most robust internal maintenance systems in the industry, with:
certified engineers
specialist equipment
regular safety inspections
preventive maintenance programmes
rigorous documentation
fleet-wide diagnostics
strict defect reporting
This allows Kiwi Coaches to:
maintain vehicles proactively
respond quickly to emerging issues
guarantee consistent safety
control quality internally
minimise service delays
uphold high compliance standards
For Kiwi Coaches, a safe vehicle is not just a compliance requirement — it is a moral responsibility.
Driver Training and Culture: Safety Begins Behind the Wheel
Kiwi Coaches invests heavily in driver professionalism, including:
induction training
ongoing development
emergency response training
daily walk-around inspections
passenger safety protocols
fatigue management
police vetting
Drivers are trained to be safety leaders, not just vehicle operators.
Documentation, Auditing, and Transparency
Every Kiwi Coaches vehicle carries:
maintenance history
COF results
engineering reports
repair documentation
pre-departure inspection logs
daily safety checks
defect-resolution records
This level of documentation protects:
passengers
schools
corporate clients
insurers
regulators
Kiwi Coaches’ own staff and drivers
Transparency is the foundation of real safety.
Why Kiwi Coaches Supports Strengthening NZTA’s Impound Powers
The interview’s central point is one Kiwi Coaches fully supports:
If NZTA identifies a repeatedly unsafe operator, it must have the power to remove that operator’s vehicles from service immediately.
This would:
protect the public
support responsible operators
eliminate unfair competition
uphold industry standards
prevent avoidable tragedies
Most of the industry operates safely.
It is time to give regulators the tools to ensure everyone does.
PART 5 — A Call for Cultural Change: Safety Must Outrank Price
The Transport Sector Needs a Culture Shift
For safety to improve, all parties must play their part:
Regulators:
Need stronger enforcement tools.
Operators:
Must maintain realistic pricing and invest in safety.
Customers:
Must stop selecting operators purely on the cheapest quote.
Event Planners, Schools, Tour Companies:
Should demand transparency, safety records, and maintenance documentation.
The Public:
Must recognise that safe transport has real operating costs — and unsafe transport has real human costs.
What Customers Should Ask Before Hiring Any Bus or Coach
Kiwi Coaches recommends customers ask operators:
Do you have an in-house workshop or use certified mechanics?
How old is your fleet?
How often is preventive maintenance conducted?
Can you provide maintenance documentation?
Are drivers police-vetted and professionally trained?
What safety systems do you use?
How do you handle COF failures?
Can you guarantee your quote supports full maintenance standards?
If an operator cannot clearly answer these questions, customers should reconsider.
Conclusion: Kiwi Coaches’ Commitment to a Safer Transport Future
Kiwi Coaches publicly commits to:
investing in safety regardless of market conditions
maintaining a fully equipped in-house workshop
supporting stronger NZTA enforcement powers
rejecting unsafe bottom-dollar pricing practices
training drivers to the highest safety standards
maintaining full transparency with customers
prioritising the safety of children and communities
upholding a culture of responsibility and integrity
The transport sector does not need perfection.
It needs accountability.
The interview with Justin Tighe-Umbers highlighted risks the industry has known for years. Kiwi Coaches stands with NRCA in calling for reform, transparency, enforcement, and a culture that puts safety above price — every time.
Because one unsafe operator affects everyone.
One neglected vehicle endangers the public.
One tragedy is too high a price to pay.
Safety must not be optional. It must be the expectation, the standard, and the law.