Best practice in

freight transport
operations
Report No. R08/59
ISBN 978-1-86937-866-0

Prepared for Environment Canterbury by:

James Upton
Transport Researcher
TERNZ

July 2008

Report R08/59
ISBN 978-1-86937-866-0

58 Kilmore Street
PO Box 345
Christchurch
Phone (03) 365 3828
Fax (03) 365 3194
75 Church Street
PO Box 550
Timaru
Phone (03) 688 9069
Fax (03) 688 9067

Website: www.ecan.govt.nz
Customer Services Phone 0800 324 636

Bestpracticeinfreighttransport
operations

James Upton
Transport Researcher
TERNZ
July 2008

ExecutiveSummary
Regional government is showing good leadership in developing best practice freight
systems. This is evidenced by freight route, hub and delivery planning that is well
documented and is in place and working. Government issued freight related strategy and
objectives indicate that across New Zealand more emphasis and planning needs to be
put into transport sustainability. Research shows that practical ways to achieve that are
through reducing energy use by optimising modal choice, and intermodal freight
movement. These are in line with the New Zealand Transport Strategys overarching
aspirations of economic transformation and achieving environmental sustainability. This
reports identifies area particularly in the areas of freight movement between modes and
more specifically including rail and coastal shipping strategies into best practice
development throughout the region.
The clear identification and communication of freight routes through urban areas is
necessary and achievable, and meets governments transport objectives particularly for
safety and accessibility. Canterbury has done this well. Freight hubs are emerging in the
literature as a best practice option for coordinating the efficient movement of regional
and urban freight. While Christchurch has areas designated as freight hub zones, and
some freight hubs are operated within individual companies, further investigation is
recommended into a wider adoption by the region, with aligned policy and connections
to other regions. This work would examine suitable ownership and operation of urban
freight villages and public logistics terminals.
Linking with the identification of freight routes and hubs is the recommendation that best
practice be widened to consider the benefits of intermodal freight terminals. Intermodal
terminals can serve as a cost efficient link between coastal shipping, rail and road
operations. Overseas experience shows the potential for a large growth in freight using
such facilities. Pickup and delivery operations are likely to remain truck based as there is
no practical alternative whereas for interregional work best practice and national
strategy indicators are that more freight will move other than by road. This report
recommends this as a key area for best practice development.
Urban freight pickup and delivery best practice requires accessibility to business and
controls on loading and unloading zones. Canterbury does well in this regard and this is
evidenced by the recently released freight accessibility guide. For new distribution
centres a more proactive approach is recommended to ensure newly establishing
business at least make planning provision for future rail links in their design and layout.
Efficient use of resources is identified as of importance to best practice as growing
concern mounts over fuel cost and availability. Canterburys freight strategy and industry
practices are well focused to meet currently understood demands of freight system
efficiency, however future best practice planning will need to include a stronger
emphasis on risk management planning to cope with possible disruptions to reliability of
transport systems in times of shortages and price increase scenarios.

TableofContents
1

Introduction ..................................................................................................5
1.1

Objectives of report..................................................................................5

1.2

Methodology ...........................................................................................6

1.3

Scope of report........................................................................................6

1.4

The freight industry in New Zealand ...........................................................6

1.4.1

Industry characteristics.......................................................................6

1.4.2

Industry framework............................................................................7

1.5

1.5.1

Rail revisited .....................................................................................8

1.5.2

Coastal shipping ................................................................................9

1.6
2

2.1

Description and definition........................................................................ 10

2.2

Benefits of best practice.......................................................................... 11

2.3

Best practice context .............................................................................. 11

2.4

Importance of best practice ..................................................................... 12

2.5

Best practice need to be appropriate to the current situation ........................ 12

2.6

Best practice and external costs ............................................................... 13

2.7

Development of urban commercial transport best practice ........................... 14

2.8

Inputs to best practice............................................................................ 14

2.8.1

Benchmarking ................................................................................. 14

2.8.2

Performance measures ..................................................................... 15

2.8.3

Transport targets ............................................................................. 15

2.8.4

Fleet best practice............................................................................ 17

Best practice for sector activities .............................................................. 18

2.10

Future best practice scenarios............................................................... 20

2.11

Summary - so, what is best practice? .................................................... 20

Freight strategies......................................................................................... 22
3.1

Summary ...............................................................................................9

Best practice defined .................................................................................... 10

2.9

National freight issues ..............................................................................8

National strategies ................................................................................. 22

3.1.1

New Zealand Transport Strategy ........................................................ 22

3.1.2

New Zealand Energy Strategy............................................................ 23

3.1.3

Sea Change Draft Strategy................................................................ 23

3.1.4

New Zealand Rail Strategy ................................................................ 24

3.1.5

Draft National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy ................... 24

3.1.6

New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy ............................................. 25

3.2

Canterbury Regional Land Transport Strategy ............................................ 25

3.2.1

Overview ........................................................................................ 25

3.2.2

Freight issues in TRIP ....................................................................... 25

3.2.3

Canterbury Freight Action Plan........................................................... 26

3.3

Other regions - How do they perform? ...................................................... 26

3.3.1
3.4
4

Summary ............................................................................................. 29

Freight best practices reviewed ...................................................................... 30

4.1

Operational best practice ........................................................................ 30

4.2

Freight routes and networks .................................................................... 31

4.2.1

Freight route identification process ..................................................... 32

4.3

Freight hubs.......................................................................................... 32

4.4

Intermodal freight.................................................................................. 33

4.5

Accessibility for deliveries ....................................................................... 34

4.6

Resource efficiency ................................................................................ 34

4.6.1
5

Auckland ........................................................................................ 27

Fuel supply and cost......................................................................... 34

Best practices of relevance to Canterbury ........................................................ 35

5.1

Community and industry communication ................................................... 36

5.2

Freight routes........................................................................................ 37

5.2.1

Identification of freight routes............................................................ 37

5.2.2

Freight en route............................................................................... 37

5.3

Freight hubs.......................................................................................... 37

5.4

Intermodal freight.................................................................................. 38

5.5

Distribution ........................................................................................... 38

5.5.1

Food distribution.............................................................................. 38

5.5.2

Urban pickup and deliveries of line haul freight .................................... 38

5.5.3

Container and wharf cartage.............................................................. 39

5.6

Accessibility .......................................................................................... 39

5.7

Dairy industry ....................................................................................... 39

5.7.1

Milk collection.................................................................................. 39

5.7.2

Dairy products for export .................................................................. 40

5.8

Coal ..................................................................................................... 41

5.8.1
5.9

Coal to Port Lyttelton........................................................................ 41

Emerging best practice ........................................................................... 41

Conclusions................................................................................................. 43

References.................................................................................................. 45

1 Introduction
The quest maximising the benefits and mitigating the costs of operation a supply chain
drives the search for better ways of operating throughout the freight transport system.
The adoption of best practices requires leadership primarily from the Government to
ensure maximum return for New Zealand as a society. Regional and local government
can then confidently operationalise the vision and goals via policy and procedure and
measure performance.
The solutions that add most value are identified as best practice. Seeking out best
practices transcends efficiency and addresses issues of sustainability in striving to attain
the greater good for all freight industry stakeholders. Best practice activities therefore
must be transparent, ethical and subject to public scrutiny and fulfil both the letter and
intention of the law. The step from compliance to best practice can be taken voluntarily
by business. Seeking accreditation for a companys management systems, or
environmental systems are examples of initiatives that provide a base for best practice
systems to develop. Freight transportation is a key but often overlooked area for
transport policy with the complexities of the freight market not well understood.
(Bolland, 2005).
The adoption of best practice systems and processes is voluntary; however leadership
and direction from industry overview bodies can make the task simpler, more effective
and increase the rate of adoption. Many businesses are caught up in day to day activities
and tasks which make it difficult for them to find the time and energy to review their
systems and performance, identify areas for improvement and invest the time and
energy required to adopt best practice, even if that commitment will give them a long
term advantage. Government policy enables regional planning and representative
organisations to assist their members understand and embrace changes that improve
their operations. At the point where freight moves on the network, businesses provide
employees with process and performance standards for route choice, safety and driver
behaviour.
The social, political, economic and environmental frameworks in which businesses
operate sets the parameters and expectations of what is understood as best practice.
The growing recognition of the impact of economic externalities, most topically
environmental concerns that contribute to global warming, and road safety, invites the
industry to examine best practice in terms other than just freight delivery efficiency.
Should authorities and operators embrace such issues voluntarily?

1.1 Objectivesofreport
The objectives of this report are to:

Identify the key factors contributing to best practice and develop simple
assessment criteria
Compare the current Canterbury freight industry to benchmark definitions
and examples
Rank Canterburys commercial industry performance against a core set of
best practice indicators
Highlight how best practice measures might evolve in light of alternative
visions of the future of Canterbury

1.2 Methodology
Best commercial transport practices have been identified by way of a literature review of
papers relating to New Zealand and international studies of best practice in the freight
operation and logistics fields. Reviews of recent reports on freight movements
summarised in recent reports about transport are reported. Canterbury, along with
observed current freight movement methods and processes have been analysed.

1.3 Scopeofreport
The scope of this report covers the systems, activities and processes that contribute to
the regional commercial freight movement regime. It does not address best practice at
a first line operator level such as an operator rating programme for truck drivers.
However, best practice process that includes fuel efficiency, road safety and emissions
are included where freight company and driver actions are direct contributors to regional
commercial freight best practice systems. Likewise government initiatives for fuel type
and modal choice are also considered within the report.

1.4 ThefreightindustryinNewZealand
This section outlines, in very broad terms the nature of the freight industry and issues
that it faces. It summarises the main factors that define freight operations within the
wider New Zealand context, before focusing on the Canterbury region in the main body
of the report.
1.4.1 Industrycharacteristics
At present, 84% of New Zealands internal freight is carried by road. The remainder is by
rail and coastal shipping. There were 100,002 heavy vehicles on the road in 2005
(Mackie, Baas et al. 2006) this includes goods vehicles and passenger transport buses
and coaches. About a 25% of those vehicles are combination vehicles (truck-trailers, Btrains and tractor-semitrailers) and they travelled 40% of total distance travelled by all
heavy vehicles. Combination vehicles travel between 50,000 and 500,000 kms per year
and work in the hire and reward sector carrying 75% of the total payload transported by
road. The industry is characterised by relatively few national network operators, and
many small regional operators, most of whom operate small fleets of less than five
vehicles. There is a perception that most trucks are in small fleets, and it is true that
about 80% of transport operators have up to three vehicles. However this group only
operates 30% of all vehicles with the largest 2% of operators responsible for 32% of all
vehicles. In numerical terms, there are 88 enterprises that employ more than 50
employers, with 38 enterprises with 100 or more employees which accounts for nearly a
third of all road freight transport employees.
More freight could be transported by rail, however there are a number of practical
reasons such as short distance, inter urban movement and freight movements between
source and destination not serviced by rail. The latter group contains milk collection,
livestock and produce for the rural sector. A study by Mackie, Baas et al. (2006) showed
that at best rail could increase its modal share from 13% to 20% on a tonnage basis. A
modal shift of that amount still represents a tripling of rail freight volumes by 2020,
based on current predictions of the freight transport task.
The operation of the freight industry is determined by legislation, resource location,
geography and patterns of settlement and is very diverse. Road transport currently
dominates the mode of logistics development that centralises production and distribution
6

on a few sites, and promises overnight delivery to most destinations within each island,
or two day when delivery is inter-island.
In 2005 Land Transport New Zealand published research that investigated freight within
New Zealand. (Bolland 2005).The report sought to identify inter regional freight
movements by type and by mode. A summary of those findings is included below, and
this information will be used later in the report when assessing what best practices are.
The findings report the relationship between tonnes and distance for each mode and that
information is summarised in the following table.
% Tonnes
Carried

%
Tonne/Kms

Nature of trip

Road

83

67

Average trip 144kms, with

one third greater than
200kms

Rail

13

18

Average trip of 250kms,

including short hauls

Coastal Ship

15

Long distance.

Table 1: Relationship between tonnes and distance (Adapted from Bollard 2005)

The ratios between tonnes carried and tonne/kms indicate that road has the shortest
haul, and consistent with that, Bolland reports that two thirds of all road movements are
of less than 200kms.
Of all tonnage, half of all road and rail freight is reported to move within the Auckland,
Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. By contrast Canterbury is the region with the largest
area with a 10% share of freight tonnage movements. Bolland identifies road
movements from Christchurch source to Christchurch destination as the second greatest
road tonnage corridor after freight movements across Auckland. He attributes this to
coal movement and Christchurchs role as an important distribution centre. Rail
shipments of coal from the West Coast to Christchurch are identified as a significant
movement, second only in rail tonnage movement of forestry production within the Bay
of Plenty to the port of Tauranga. 55% of all imported freight enters NZ via Marsden
point as oil and via Auckland for general commodities. Christchurch is the third largest
port after Tauranga (11.5%) with 8% of tonnage, with Timaru receiving two percent of
all imports. Lyttelton is the third largest export port with 12% of export tonnage, behind
Tauranga (31%) and New Plymouth (13%), with Timaru exporting 1.5%.
1.4.2 Industryframework
Commercial freight movements take place within a social, economic and technical
context a framework that includes stakeholders, infrastructure, political and economic
interests. Within this extremely broad and complex framework freight system operators
and controllers can choose a model of operation as long as it is lawful. Deregulation of
the industry in 1983 removed restrictions on road transport distances, and allowed open
competition between all modes. Further restrictions were removed in when coastal
shipping was opened up by the removal of cabotage.

1.5 Nationalfreightissues
Of concern at a national level is the projected doubling of freight movements by 2020.
Research identifies that an increase in heavy vehicle kilometres travelled is closely linked
with GDP growth, with every percentage growth in GDP resulting in 1.4% growth in
kilometres travelled. (Mackie, Baas, & Manz 2006). Little is known about the behaviour
of kilometre growth where there is 0% GDP growth or negative GDP growth.
1.5.1 Railrevisited
The recent purchase of the rail operation by the government opens up the opportunity to
assist with identifying how freight best practice could be developed to address some of
the issues that frustrate Worrall below. The dispute between ONTRACK and Toll over rail
funding have hindered investment and frustrated companies like Mainfreight who would
make better use rail for national distribution. For example, Mainfreights new Auckland
facility has rail loading and unloading facilitates integrated into its loading docks and
could accept rakes of wagons straight from the Ports of Auckland. Should the service be
available, rail would also be used for overnight freight to Hamilton, taking over twenty
truck and trailers off SH1 (Pers Comm Don Braid 2007). Mr Braid also expressed
frustration over the unreliability of overnight rail into Palmerston North. Rails lack of a
clear future is a major stumbling block nationally to best practice national systems. A rail
link is needed to the inland port of Wiri that will help lower the costs of moving cargo
through the congested urban network.
Historically there have been regular overnight rail and shipping freight services in
operation, the structure of which could be revisited and applied to the Canterbury region.
Richard Doell, of Mainfreight recalls that the Canterbury region had an overnight rail
service between Christchurch and Wellington which operated successfully for many
years. It ceased to be viable when shorter transit times by truck created competition.
Pacifica Shipping also changed from an overnight shipping service to three trips per
week between Lyttelton and Wellington as a result of increased road competition. Doell
recalls that "customer's demands for an overnight service drove the demand for a road
service increasing truck volumes and also increasing the risks as is evident by the
number of accidents on SH1 between Christchurch and Picton". This highlights the
aspect of safety as a factor to be considered in best practice.
Doell also draws attention to general freight short haul freight services that operated
between Auckland and Hamilton and from Christchurch to Ashburton and Timaru in a
time where there was a 64km restriction on road movements. Christchurch is greater
than 250 kms from Wellington and Dunedin which may recreate competitive rail
opportunities should costs currently external to business be factored in, or should fuel
economy become more pressing than just in time delivery. Such considerations need to
be built into the rich picture of freight movement by those responsible for infrastructure.
Transport & Logistics Magazine 13 March 2008 again stressed that a buyback of rail
requires a long term vision with sufficient funding being allocated to the job. Worrall
noted that the network is starved of funding and has been for decades. He notes that
maintaining 4000kms of track on less than $50M is like running the national road
network on 10% of current funding. He also notes that no new locomotives have been
purchased for 30 years and what we have are obsolete and worn out. He notes that
Ireland, with a similar population is prepared to spend $9 billion on a network slightly
smaller than that of New Zealand.

At a national political level Jeanette Fitzsimons notes the vicious circle where the system
is so run down the service is poor and so is underused; because the system is under
used, there isnt the revenue to pay for upgrades. She considers New Zealands
performance with rail is in sharp contrast to most other OECD countries that are pouring
money into rail infrastructure for both efficiency and sustainability reasons.
Internationally, the United Kingdom the Institute of Mechanical Engineers is urging
government to change policies on transport pricing energy and town planning to include
a major shift to using rail transport over road to help cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Studying and reviewing the reasons for and application to the New Zealand situation are
in itself best practice.
1.5.2 Coastalshipping
Petroleum, cement, coal and gas are the main bulk products transported by coastal
shipping. General freight services are provided by Pacifica Shipping and Strait Shipping
who are in direct competition with international shipping lines. Intense price competition
from overseas ships and a preference for road for time sensitive freight make survival an
issue for coastal shipping. The government has identified coastal shipping as possibly
playing a bigger part of the solution for freight transport as is happening in Europe.
Shipping is seen as effective in addressing climate change and congestion issues, and
being suited to island nations such as Japan and New Zealand. Issues such as cost
structure and subsidisation are likely to be addressed as part of the Sea Change
initiative.
With regard to port infrastructure Worrall (2008) is of the opinion that a lack of forward
planning is starting to bite. He says that for the last twenty years there has been no coordinated centralised planning for infrastructure especially when it comes to ports.
There are few long term solutions on the drawing board as assets like the Ports of
Auckland reach their capacity. Worrall refers by way of example that the option of
developing Marsden Point as it is a currently under used deep water port lacks a high
capacity rail link to Auckland and beyond. Criticisms such as those levelled by Worrall at
both rail and shipping investment and planning clearly support the closer examination of
modes for freight movement other than road.

1.6 Summary
Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand with three quarters of all freight
tonnage travelling on combination vehicles that travel 40% of all freight kilometres. For
practical reasons much freight cannot move on rail, however even with the current
systems there is scope to increase freight on this mode. Across town and interurban
freight have no practical option apart from trucks, while rail is better suited to longer
trips, and coastal shipping for bulk movement over even larger distances.
Chapter 2 defines best practice, benchmarking and the use of performance indicators to
measure the value of best practice.
Chapter 3 identifies national and regional policy and strategies that freight best practice
supports.
Chapter 4 reviews the relevance of best practices identified in the literature review in
terms of national, regional and business strategies.
Chapter 5 best practices that are relevant to Canterbury regional freight flows.
Chapter 6 summarises best practice performance in the region and recommends actions
that could enhance best practice.


2 Bestpracticedefined
The NZTS description of the role of responsiveness ably summarises the
interrelationship required for best practices to emerge from informed policy that is
relevant and effective.
The diverse needs of urban and rural communities need to be recognised. Those who
use transport, and those who are affected by it, will need to be encouraged to participate
in transport policy development. Transport policy will need to foster the governments
goals for partnership between the Crown and Mori; between central government and
local government; and between government and citizens and communities, including
business.
The nature of best practice becomes a little clear when it is understood as a highly
interactive and aspirant pursuit of a greater good. It is this meaning that differentiates
it from benchmarking and measurement against key performance indicators.
This section defines and describes best practice processes and behaviours of relevance
to the freight industry in general. The concept of best practice is defined and set in
context with related concepts of compliance and best industry practice. We then explore
the high level drivers and motivation to strive for best practice by operators, regulators
and policy makers, and how changes in practice come about. We conclude with an
example of how this has been carried out in a New Zealand setting.

2.1 Descriptionanddefinition
Best practice can be defined in its simplest form as a way or method of accomplishing a
business function or process that is considered to be superior to all other known
methods. A business primary goal is to be profitable and so it is reasonable to expect
only the adoption of practices that enhance profitability, or at least business continuity.
Identifying the stakeholders - parties who work with, share resources and are affected
by transport - helps identify the perceptions and impacts transport has, and the system
types that can have best practice objectives built into them. The following table
summarises the range of activities any agreed basis of best practice must have. The
table attempts to identify the primary driver of best practice for that entity. All drivers
and safety in particular will be important to all stakeholders. For example, if best
practices as perceived by freight carriers do not at least maintain profitability, then they
are unlikely to be voluntarily adopted. If profitability is maintained, they the incentive is
there to further address best practice safety, sustainability and other drivers that make
for a better community.

10

As perceived by:

Primarily in terms of:

Best practice systems

Sender/Receiver

Delivery

Operational and quality assurance

Freight Carrier

Profit

Company Management

General road users

Conformance

Road rules

Community

Safety

Community Health

Business Protagonists

Efficiency

Compliance rules

Local Government

Congestion

City Plan

Regional Government

Accessibility

Regional Plan

Central Government

Sustainability

International Protocols/Agreement

Central Government

Gross domestic product

Sector strategy/Trade rules

10

Mankind

Survival of the planet

International Protocols/Agreement

Table 2: Stakeholders and best practice

Any commercial freight movement has, to some extent, an impact on all the above
stakeholders with the most tangible terms of engagement being related to on road
behaviour, noise and congestion.
Those practices will include safety, sustainability and operator efficiency. Processes that
meet a definition of superior method resulting in profit are likely to deliver the desired
result in the most efficient way.

2.2 Benefitsofbestpractice
The benefit of striving for best practice is that a thorough understanding of the systems,
methods, processes or activity that are most effective at delivering a particular outcome
yield advantage for a business.

2.3 Bestpracticecontext
To identify what is most relevant to best practice it is important to be clear about the
tangible outcomes that need to be identified. For the NZ freight transport industry the
outcomes at the highest level are defined in the NZTS. At a national level this means
interpretation of and making operational the broad goals for efficiency, safety and
accessibility. A best practice freight system will have the following characteristics:

Customer focused
Flexible, forward looking and responsive to change
A highly connected network with connections between modes and regions
Served by strategic intermodal hubs that have efficient transport links in
and out
Largely invisible in that the freight function is carried out effectively and
efficiently, but is largely inconspicuous
Incurs minimal social cost
Has minimal impact on the environment

The relevance of this to best practice is as a further practical connection between with
the ideology of what is accepted as good management practice, the aspirant goals of the
government and a businesss profit imperative.

11

2.4 Importanceofbestpractice
Striving to meet best practice offers to combine good management systems with worthy
social and economic goals. As well as having a focus on such an outcome systems that
are under control operate at a higher efficiency level. (Odum 1976) For freight best
practice, increased efficiency benefits can assist freight government and industry meet
their particular objectives in a cost effective way. Best practice fuel efficiency is an
example where a broad range of objectives for reduced emissions, and increased
profitability can be simultaneously met. As such it would be classified as a high priority.
Best practices stand a good chance of being achieved when an agency with a higher
level of planning and control can feedback a requirement to actors within its sphere of
influence, by giving clear direction that guides the behaviour of the next level of activity.
This seems to be particularly applicable when considering best practice for including
freight movement matters in planning and development processes within the region or
the country as a whole.

2.5 Bestpracticeneedtobeappropriatetothecurrentsituation
Bolland reports that two thirds of all trips are less than 200kms. From this metric it is
reasonable to assume the reasons for the trip lengths are economic and practical. A
report prepared for the Auckland Regional Council (ARC 2005) reports that with the
current business practices and infrastructure there is little opportunity for freight to
move away from road, and rail and coastal shipping do not operate between many
freight source and destinations.
Projections of double the freight under a business as usual scenario, and little
knowledge what freight demand would be with little or negative GDP paints an unclear
picture of what best practice initiatives would be appropriate. In his address to the Road
Transport Forum in 2007, Brent Layton of the New Zealand Institute of Economic
Research spoke of risk to freight transport of climate change legislation and the
unintended consequences of which could harm the economic viability of transport.
Legislation that is ill informed or results in unintended consequences has the ability to
harm best practice development. Best practice needs to begin with an ideology that is
consistent with consensus on long term goals, as David Skilling, the outgoing chief
executive of The New Zealand Institute made in a recent interview. (Listener 21 June
2008) He said there is not point saying were going to do X, Y and Z if 60% of the
country thinks its a terrible idea. He says the country needs more clarity around what
is wants to achieve, with the resultant consequences and actions that would require.
While he was aiming his comments at economic issues he recognises the need to begin
with What do we want as a country? How aggressively do we respond to these things?
Or are we comfortable just muddling through? (Listener, 21 June 2008, p25). Clarity of
best practice at a regional level requires answers to the above questions and leadership
to achieve them. At a regional level there are still huge obstacles in the way of world
class infrastructure.
By way of example, there are the big freight challenges faced in the Auckland region
where disjointed planning still dogs Auckland. Richard Worrall, editor of T&L magazine
sees Auckland as lacking a proper coordinated approach to planning and implementing
new infrastructure projects and so more congestion is inevitable. He also notes a lack of
joined up and co-ordinated multi agency planning with the Western corridor route. He
says that logically it should be a multi mode transport corridor to help future proof
12

movement along the corridor from further rises in global oil prices. To cope with the
uncertainties of the future he sees the need for road and rail connections to the main
trunk line and airport area. He notes that heavy investment in roads is not necessary a
good idea if petrol was to reach $3 a litre or more. All of this highlights a need for one
agency to plan the regions transport infrastructure covering Transit NZ, Auckland
Regional Council, ARTA and ONTRACK.
The issues raised above indicate areas where best practice can be applied to freight
issues. They are where congestion affects delivery times, infrastructure enhances
efficiency, and where main hubs are accessible intermodal and well connected. Initiatives
supporting modal competition and compatibility also feature in visions of a future were
energy scarcity and cost are increasing risks. A need for leadership overarches all areas
of practical best practice initiatives, supported by consistent and aligned policy.
Projections of road freight growth for New Zealand, and a number of other OECD nations
are that the freight task will double by 2020. The issue raises concerns about congestion
around ports and freight hubs, the supply of qualified drivers, and the level of green
house gas emission from an enlarged fleet.

2.6 Bestpracticeandexternalcosts
A central question that needs to be asked when deciding the relevance and practicality of
implementing best practices is: should best practice cover externalities? Put another
way, can the freight system be expected to incur costs that put a value on externalities,
but for which there is not profit reward.
Of particular interest to transport are issues to do with burning fossil fuel. Many of the
costs of fossil fuel powered transport including health, safety, building and maintaining
roads, polluting the air and water and CO2 emissions - are currently not direct transport
costs. At a private business level there is little encouragement for transport operators to
address issues that would effectively add cost but give no perceived direct financial
benefit. A voluntary embracing of cost adding measures would most likely put them out
of business. However, there are a range of environmental and sustainable actions that
could build towards a better model of best practice. It is practical to address a number of
externalities when planning and upgrading facilities where they offer a no regrets
improvement to the business. For example, Mainfreight Aucklands new depot has a
number of sustainable features built in to its operation. All rainwater is collected for use
in truck washing, and yard run off is treated in a rain garden.
Examples of best practice of this nature would be that in a companys quality plan the
following type of issues are addressed.

13

Vehicle purchase

Measure

Consideration

Fuel efficiency

Fuel efficiency per tonne for the work to be

done.
A realistic consideration of the whole of life cycle
and cost of running the vehicle

Vehicle type

Fuel/tonne

Review of current operational patterns

Options for collective or cooperative transport

Depot location

Km/delivery

Optimisation of delivery kms.

Vehicle purchase

Fuel type

Alternative, or mix of sustainable fuel

Vehicle purchase

Emission rating

Consider as a primary factor with more weighing

than purchase price.
A realistic consideration of the whole of life cycle
and cost of running the vehicle

Business
performance

L/100km

Measurement of the fuel efficiency per tonne

delivered

Site management

Sustainability

Rain water collection, runoff water treatment

Solar water heating

Table 3: No regrets best practice steps

2.7 Developmentofurbancommercialtransportbestpractice
Urban freight best practice is a relatively new field of study for transport operations.
Australian urban logistics has been on the regulatory back-burner to long distance
articulated trucking, long distance freight and rail, even buses for 20 years (Hassall
2006). Urban logistics has gained some momentum internationally with think tanks and
programs such as City Logistics, INRETS, IMPACTS and BESTUFS. Best Urban Freight
Strategies (BESTUFS) is a European Commissions network group who intend to use
template surveys of these data collections (but arent collecting the data as yet). When
analysing Australian urban commercial freight systems the Raptour Group propose the
following measures (Hassall, 2006) that define transport operations and help understand
what commercial freight systems best practice might be.

2.8 Inputstobestpractice
2.8.1 Benchmarking
Benchmarking can be defined as a process of searching out and studying the best
practices that produce superior performance, and comparing it to an entities own
performance. Many organisations benchmark the performance of their processes, such
as accident prevention against other organisations in the same market. This application
as functional benchmarking can be applied to freight transport performance between
regions both internal and external of New Zealand. Benchmarking could be described as
14

a form of match racing, where performance against rivals is the focus, and not
performance against a set of principles or standards.
2.8.2 Performancemeasures
Best practice commercial freight systems benefit from the analysis of freight movements
from existing data sources to gain an understanding of the nature of freight and the
collection of new information to build an enhanced understanding to inform decisions on
how to manage freight.
New Zealand, however, collects very little information about freight movements, with no
primary data being regularly collected by source, destination and commodity type.
Estimates have been made about inter regional freight movements (Bollard et al) and
the MoT is currently undertaking an empirical survey of freight movement carried out.
None of the reports done in the past 10 years could be considered statistically reliable.
Hassall reports that, in Australia, only eight metrics of the 32 (25%) are measured at a
national or state based surveys. A future six can be calculated from that data, but the
majority are not measured in any shape or form.
A sound understanding of the nature of freight at a local level can greatly assist the
decision making process, backed up with evidence, and not just being intuitive. (DfT,
undated). The first stage is to make best use of existing information and data sources,
with the second stage being the collection of new information to enhance the level of
understanding.
Making use of existing data includes (DfT, undated):

Classified traffic counts

Journey time data
Accident statistics and associated reports
Data on goods moved through key locations (e.g. rail freight terminals,
ports and airports)
Complaints or feedback from residents and businesses
Feedback from freight quality partnership (or equivalent)
Freight industry and other publications

2.8.3 Transporttargets
Transport targets will impact on commercial transport and are listed in column one of the
following table. A future impact on commercial transport best practice can be
anticipated. In broad summary terms (these ideas are developed later in this document)
meeting the targets could mean changes as summarised in the column headed best
practice implications below.

15

Greenhouse gas reduction actions/fuel

security

Best Practice Implications

Managing demand for travel

Controls on where and when freight travels

Shifting to more efficient and lower

impact means of transport

Encouragement to use certain modes of

transport for certain types of freight.

Improving the fuel efficiency of the

vehicle fleet

Emissions standards, fuel usage

Developing and adopting future fuels

Specialist transport using specialist power

sources. (electricity, compressed air, solar)

Ensuring the security of short-term oil

supplies and a diverse supply of
transport fuels

Multimodal transport options,

Table 4: GHG and fuel security implications for best practice

The UK freight best practice group developed a survey that uses Key Performance
Indicators. (Beaumont, 2004) To ensure the indicators are useful they must be:

Relevant to operators
Understood by those compiling the data
Able to measure energy use
Easily scalable from individual vehicle to a sector analysis
Related to data already collected by operator to measure their
effectiveness

The work of the Freight best practice group lead to five KPIs to measure vehicle
operation. They are:

Vehicle fill (Utilisation)

Empty running
Time utilisation
Deviations from schedule
Fuel efficiency

While Freight Best Practice groups KPIs are focused at the operator level, they are
useful in understanding the role and focus of the operator within the wider commercial
best practice system.
Utilisation can be measured by weight, by cube and by deck length and can be
expressed as the number of items (i.e. pallets) that could be placed on the deck. The
Freight Best Practice survey of pallet distribution did not record volume as it was not
considered a controlling factor (Beaumont 2004). Utilisation can be measured by a
combination of weight and measure using a formula that considers the practical use of
the vehicle. Weight and volume are proportionally combined and used to express a
percentage of the target proportional tonnage and cubic capacity expected of that type
of trip. Empty running indicates the marketing strategy and level of networking and
16

cooperation within the regime. Time utilisation indicates what a vehicle is doing at any
one time and is categorised as:

Running on the road

Driver rest period
Loading or unloading
Preloaded and waiting for departure
Delayed and inactive whilst loaded
Being maintained or repaired
Empty

A deviation from schedule indicates delays and lost time that can result for a number of
reasons such as:

Lack of driver
Delays in loading at depot
Delays at collection point
Traffic congestion
Vehicle breakdown
Route dislocation

Fuel efficiency is a useful measure in terms of litres per kilometre and day to day, as an
indication of driver training and awareness of resource use. Fuel efficiency on its own
does not tell us anything about utilisation.
2.8.4 Fleetbestpractice
In a British publication, the UK the Department for Transport have released a Freight
Best Practice guide to Efficient Public Sector Fleet Operations. In this document an
operational checklist is offered to assist managers with the development of fleet best
practice. It is reproduced in part below:
Operational Checklist
Have you ever undertaken a review of your fleet operations, or a
risk assessment to identify areas for potential improvement?
Do you have a fuel management programme in place?
(Know average l/100 kms, most fuel efficient driver?)
Do you know if outsourcing some of your operations would save
you money?
Do you purchase vehicles based on life-cycle running costs? (Also
known as whole life costing?)
Have you looked recently at whether new technology and
telematics systems could help to improve your operations?
Do you use KPIs to measure vehicle operations or maintenance
costs (e.g. $/km, direct maintenance costs per vehicle) to
measure the effectiveness of your operations?
Do you know how your costs compare with those of other
organisations that have similar operations?

Tick ()

Table 5: Operational checklist (From DfT, 2005)

The quality management systems mandatory review step features as a way to reduce
risk and make improvements, and to keep in step with advantages gained from
technology. Energy efficiency is addressed via fuel usage and identifying and focusing on
17

strengths is addressed by the consideration of outsourcing. Sustainability and whole of

life costing invite the operator to assess costs on more than weekly or quarterly basis.
Measurement as an essential tool for improvement and benchmarking with similar
organisations are also considered essential elements of best practice.

2.9 Bestpracticeforsectoractivities
Hassall reports that in Australia there is a lack of knowledge of both urban and rural
transport tasks. He identifies twenty specific classes, and notes that all but four have
quite specific attributes. The literature search revealed little about specific sector best
practice as could be applied in a general way. Hassall reports that in Australia there is a
lack of knowledge of the entire ancillary sector and also the operations of specific
specialist vehicle type (Hassall 2006). The relevance as proposed by the Canterbury
commercial freight transport operation is summarised in the column relevance to
Canterbury more detail of the high relevance sectors is given in the following chapter of
this report.
A consideration for the Canterbury region is that while a number of specialist sectors
may exist, the overall number may be too small to have any specific impact. In
identifying an application to Canterbury, the degree of relevance is measured by the
impact on hubs, ports and key transport routes/times.

18

No

Operational Sector

Specialist
Vehicles

Relevance to Canterbury

Petroleum/Chemicals

Yes

Medium

Other tankers

Yes

High; dairy tankers

Quarry/earth/mining

Yes

Low

Over dimensional

Yes

Medium; accessibility

Car carrier

Yes

Low

Volumetric parcels

Yes

Low

Steel

Yes

Low

Grain

Yes

Medium

Building Materials

Yes

Medium; HVs in urban

environments

10

Logging

Yes

Medium

11

Waste

Yes

High; ongoing and growth

industry

12

Container/wharf

Yes

High; congestion

13

Agricultural other

No

14

Taxis trucks

Yes

Low

15

Refrigerated operations

Yes

Low

16

General freight other

No

Yes; Loading zones and tail

lifters

17

Concrete

Yes

Low

18

Mini skips

Yes

Low

19

Furniture

Yes

Low

20

Horse movements

Yes

Low

21

Retail

No

22

Livestock

Yes

Medium

23

Courier

No

High

24

Security collections

Yes

Low

Table 6: Commodity Specific Vehicle Technology (adapted from Hassall)

19

2.10 Futurebestpracticescenarios
Fuel price and fuel availability have a strong likelihood of featuring in future freight
scenarios and how new best practice activities may emerge as a result. Future best
practice work is likely be driven by increased pressure on efficient use of fossil fuel
resources.
Economic growth and standards of living in New Zealand for the last thirty years has
been made possible by access to cheap fossil fuel. Such times of consistent economic
performance, such as the last five years, support standard economic models with
constant growth rates providing a sense of security. Projections of continuing growth
rates, anticipate growth in freight transport. An example of this is a projection made by
Transport Engineering Research NZ (TERNZ) showing the doubling of commercial
transport requirements by 2020 (Mackie et al., 2006). Of particular interest to transport
generally is the almost total reliance on oil to power surface transport in New Zealand.
The implications of high price and constrained supply of energy will impact on our social
and economic system and alter the parameters defining best practice. Currently
operational best practice pays little attention to externalities non accountable factors.
Future best practice may well include a far greater focus of modal choice, sustainability
and efficient resource usage. The general tenor of future freight systems focus is already
embedded in the regional policy statement indicating a direction that promotes modes
with low adverse environmental effects, and the reduction of the need to travel.
(Regional Policy Statement p6)
One scenario relevant to assessing best practice performance measure is that total
primary energy supply flowing into New Zealands economy reduces, causing decrease in
GDP. Less consumer spending would reduce commercial transport needs. Little is
understood about the relationship between negative GDP growth and transport demand
but it is projected to decrease demand. Less energy for motoring, caused by fuel
shortages and this may be lead to carless days, and long queues and rationing at petrol
stations. This phenomenon could be termed demand suffocation, being a situation
where inelastic demand cannot be met at any price, with no alternative available within
the timeframe of the trip. This phenomenon would be a new threat to economic
development.
Addressing the implications of supply suffocation while there is a growing demand for oil
is important when trying to understand what would constitute best practice in a fast
changing commercial world. Encouraging debate and scenario planning around the above
bullet points would inform the debate on what should constitute best practice for freight
transport.

2.11 Summaryso,whatisbestpractice?
We have established that best practice is a higher level management activity built on a
base of regulatory compliance, performance benchmarking and measurement. Upon that
base an organisation will have core procedures similar to those found in most quality
management systems. Those procedures would cover planning, checking a corrective
action, along, with regular review and audit. The result is that a business function or
process is considered superior to all other known methods. Best practice is therefore
essentially an outcome of effective systems. An organisation that achieves this could be
said to operating at best industry practice.

20

We have identified industry strategies for freight communication, planning, technology,

operations and management as well as key performance indicators that address vehicle
and time utilisation, fuel efficiency, empty running and schedule management. Best
practice also needs to deal with possible risks to freight systems cause by fuel price and
shortage. Evaluation by way of risk management scenarios would assist with weighting
all best practice initiative, especially those that reduce energy intensity in freight
systems.
The future direction of freight systems development has been shown to develop from
policy and comes from high level controls in the form of government goals, and the
vision of a integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable transport system. Sandwiched
between the operators and the goal setters lies agencies such as ECan. To the operators
there is a responsibility of assisting them realise best industry practice. To the policy
makers a plea for clarity and funding for infrastructure and legislation that can bring
about the greater good, or best practice.

21

3 Freightstrategies
A clear idea about which best practice actions should be focused on by the freight
industry can be gained from national and regional freight strategies. This chapter
identifies what those priorities are.

3.1 Nationalstrategies
3.1.1 NewZealandTransportStrategy
The New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS) was released in December 2002 and is
aimed at moving New Zealand towards sustainability (MOT 2002). The vision of the
NZTS states that:
By 2010 New Zealand will have an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive, and
sustainable transport system.
The strategy has five objectives:

Assisting economic development

Assisting safety and personal security
Improving access and mobility
Protecting and promoting public health
Ensuring environmental sustainability.

Increasingly, different ministries and government agencies are working together on

transport related policy developments especially in the environmental sustainability area.
In the last decade, environmental impacts of road transport noxious emissions to air,
pollution of water run-off and noise have become an issue of increasing public concern.
Policy development in this area is increasing, but will need to continue at a high level.
There is also a need for a strategic approach to the uptake of more sustainable vehicle
technologies and energy sources.
The NZTS has two overarching aspirations. They are the transformation of the economy
and achieving environmental sustainability. Reference is made to higher level policy to
help identify and prioritise best practice actions that are likely to be funded, successful
and integrate with nationwide freight movement. The framework for transport is that
there must be sustainability, integration, safety and responsiveness in all our transport
systems. To become more environmentally sustainable in the face of climate change
issues the Government has set targets to be met by 2040. They are, to halve per capita
domestic greenhouse gas emissions from 2007 levels, and for New Zealand to become
one of the first countries in the world to widely deploy electric vehicles (MOT 2002).
Those targets assist with identifying where freight systems might have to change to
meet the challenge of moving from open targets to best practice operation, especially in
areas sensitive to climate change issues.
A key strategic issue raised by the MoT is the level of effectiveness of primarily
legislation and enforcement based approaches to safety and security. For many years
legislative and enforcement measures were successful in changing individual,
organisational and community behaviour, but are less effective now as the transport
environment becomes more complex societys expectations increase and business
22

practices change. It is also very difficult to meet further energy efficiency and
environmental sustainability goals through an enforcement-based regime. A best
practice focus will broaden the scope and magnitude of the potential benefits to
government and will allow the objectives of the NZTS to be achieved more easily.
The government is encouraging the transport of products by rail and through this
strategy is indicating that it will be more proactive in assisting sustainable economic
development in the regions. The NZTS includes facilitation of key transport issues in
partnership with local government and business, strategic investment, as evidenced by
the recent buy back of rail, and exploring alternatives to roading as a signal of the
intention to use rail and coastal shipping for long haul freight movements.
3.1.2 NewZealandEnergyStrategy
The draft Energy Strategy was released in December 2006 by Ministry of Economic
Development. It has been prepared as a whole-of-government initiative led by the
Ministry of Economic Development.
The strategy notes that oil imports cost $4.4billion dollars in 2005, and transport as a
whole accounts for approximately 86% of oil consumed. With the increasing demand for
transport, a key focus for the strategy is to reduce New Zealand's dependency on
imported oil through greater use of renewable fuels, more efficient fuel use and fuel
savings in the transport sector.
The strategys objectives include the need to continue to meet the demand for transport
services while reducing emissions and increasing resilience to higher or more volatile fuel
prices.
The strategy notes that vehicle fuel efficiency can be improved by vehicle technology,
how the vehicle is driven and how productively the vehicle is utilised. The strategy also
notes that the amount of freight that can be switched from road to rail is limited by time,
route and other specific requirements. However, in the long term, land-use decisions,
including where to site industry and services, could benefit rail transport.
The NZ energy strategy recognises that the transport sector presents a major energy
challenge and sets out actions to complement emissions pricing and improve security.
The almost total dependence of the freight industry on fossil fuel energy will subject all
stakeholders in freight transport systems to scrutiny regarding their use of energy,
including justification of the methods and modes employed.
3.1.3 SeaChangeDraftStrategy
The New Zealand Government released a draft policy document Sea Change in October
2007 driven by a concern that coastal shipping is not taking a growing share of the
freight market because it is slow, inconvenient, and usually part of a higher cost supply
chain. Other areas of concern are the unequal cost structures and subsidisation of other
services. The document notes that the twenty first century has different imperatives and
it makes sense to have shipping integrated into the mix, with the aspiration that imports
and exports go by sea and coastal feeder services would be logical for inter regional
freight. The policy highlights that
Sea Change is a signal of the governments strong commitment to coastal shipping and
of its belief that coastal shipping has an essential role to play in:

23

creating more efficient and competitive supply chains

creating an integrated transport system offering greater capacity and greater
choice
creating a sustainable nation.

The strategy is driven by a perception that there are issues that affect all New
Zealanders. Transport is a very prominent for fossil fuel and can be clearly seen as a
significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental sustainability This is
particularly important given that the government has announced a goal of a 50%
reduction of per capita emissions by 2040. A change to sea, where ships can be seen as
relatively energy efficient in moving freight is a clear way the government can see a
contribution being made to climate change goals. Traffic congestion is seen as a reason
to move freight off roads. Changes in global shipping, with ship size increasing and port
stops decreasing. This will change patterns of freight movement to ports. If not
addressed this could mean more freight kilometres on roads as freight tries to move to
ports and more cost to exporters and ultimately the general public.
This document more clearly states the themes within the National Freight strategy and
highlights growing concerns for environmental sustainability, reduction of congestion,
energy efficiency and changes to global shipping movements. It also signals the
transport development, that would include best practice initiatives should not be focused
solely on road as the current dominant mode, but should encompass and prepare for a
wider modal mix.
3.1.4 NewZealandRailStrategy
The National Rail Strategy to 2015 launched by the Government in May 2005,
communicates a number of strategic directions in order to achieve the overall transport
objectives in the NZTS.
Its focus is on increasing the amount of freight and passengers using rail with priorities
that include:

Improving safety
Upgrading the network
Improving rail's contribution to regional economic development
Optimising the use of rail within the wider transport network, and
Improving access to rail for users.

The recent purchase of the rail by government makes ownership another lever available
to policy makers regarding transport, sustainability, congestion, safety and energy
efficiency issues. The importance best practice to regional government is that future of
rail as an option is likely to become more central to transport planning.
3.1.5 DraftNationalEnergyEfficiencyandConservationStrategy
This draft strategy was released in 2006. It presents sector based action plans that
would support the energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy
objectives set out in the draft New Zealand Energy Strategy. The strategy notes that
freight transport has increased its energy use by 38% from 1996 and 2005, the largest
increase by sector. Actions relevant to this study include:

24

Education on the impact of vehicle purchase decisions and driving habits

Procurement decisions based on best value over whole of life

Developing measures to ensure vehicles maintain their fuel economy
Developing a fleet operators commitment program, with a focus on fuel
efficient driving practices and driver training
Assessing opportunities to increase weight limits

From international experience, a mix of both mandatory interventions supported by

information campaigns and voluntary schemes is required to achieve effective energy
efficiency and conservation gains.
3.1.6 NewZealandInjuryPreventionStrategy
This strategy was released in 2003 and has a stated vision of a safe New Zealand,
becoming injury free. Transport was one of the identified as one of the six national
injury prevention priority areas. The strategy notes that attitudes towards safety and
behavioural factors are critical and highlights the importance of measures such as
reducing speed, and behavioural factors are critical and highlights the importance of
measures such as reducing speed, not drink driving, and wearing restraints to prevent
injuries on the road.

3.2 CanterburyRegionalLandTransportStrategy
3.2.1 Overview
The Canterbury Regional Land Transport Strategy (RLTS) represents the aspirations of
the region in relation to what it wants its transportation infrastructure to achieve and
deliver.
Freight issues are dealt with in two main areas the Canterbury Transport
Implementation Plan (TRIP) and the Canterbury Freight Action Plan. Both of these
documents support the RLTS.
3.2.2 FreightissuesinTRIP
Freight is identified within TRIP as one of the growth drivers within the region. Other
drivers identified that have a significant freight or heavy vehicle component are business
growth, the international airport, ports and one operation in particular being Fonterras
Clandeboye dairy factory site.
TRIP notes that few rail related projects are proposed as a consequence of uncertainty
around rail funding and identifies it as a national issue. Rail focus is therefore on bulk
freight including developing the use of rail for freight through inland ports. (TRIP, p10).
Increased capacity for coal cartage is noted, along with a project in the National Rail
Strategy to build a Clandeboye branch line.
Freight issues and influences in TRIP are summarised as:

25

Long term protection of freight corridors

Heavy traffic on SH1 passing through towns
More heavy traffic trips to service farms and forestry
Increased long haul freight
Opportunities to increase use of rail or coastal shipping
Additional heavy vehicles on farms (especially with increased dairying)
Changing land use impacting on current key transport routes

3.2.3 CanterburyFreightActionPlan
The Canterbury Freight Action Plan has been developed for the Regional Land Transport
Strategy (RLTS) as a need for a strategy with a specific freight focus that recognised
explicitly the importance of freight transport to the economic health of the region (Plan
p1). Consultation in 2002/3 identified a set of issues, and a framework for specific
actions. The relevance of the freight action plan is in the leadership and accountability it
has in achieving freight best practice, while both advocating for freight interests and
actively promoting a means for regional development.

3.3 OtherregionsHowdotheyperform?
The coordinating influence of the New Zealand Transport Strategy is evident as a driver
of a number of regional land transport strategies, and in the case of Auckland, and
Canterbury, with further development into a freight strategy. Most regions acknowledge
the need for better freight information, and the inclusion of freight systems planning, but
little is published in the form of results of this type of work. The biggest variation is seen
in the focus put on the inclusion of a rail strategy in some regional documents.
While there is no freight strategy as such mentioned on the Environment Bay of Plenty
(EBOP) website, there is a rail freight strategy document called the Bay of Plenty Rail
Strategy and dated August 2007. The strategy has been developed to advance a vision
for rail in the Bay of Plenty region and focus attention on the rail sector to better
understand how to move forward in the new rail environment which has emerged with
the Crown taking ownership of the rail network in 2004. (BOP Rail Strategy, p1) The
strategy notes the importance of rail to the BOP with a third of Tolls rail traffic, and the
most densely used rail lines. Freights significant role in the region, with a focus on the
Port of Tauranga, makes the rail strategy important, especially with the NZTS strategy
focus on developing rail freight. The document is seen as a proactive way of providing
ONTRACK with information concerning the desired direction of rail in the region, as the
National Rail Strategy requires ONTRACK to prepare a ten year Rail Network
development plan covering the retention or disposal of unused rail corridors. The
strategy anticipates an increasing level of investment, with key drivers being the growing
pressure on the roading network, a greater appreciation of the advantages of rail for the
haulage of bulk freight and passenger transport, and greater awareness of the potential
sustainability gains from increased use of rail. The strategy document acknowledges
uncertainty surrounding the funding of rail, but sees advantages in having a living
document that tracks the opportunities, vision, actions and funding approach being
worked through with the rail participants in the region and in particular with ONTRACK
and Toll.
There is no specific reference to a freight strategy on the Hawkes Bay Regional Authority
website, nor in the Nelson Regional Land Transport Strategy 2001-2006 (NRLTS).
Relevant transport issues covered are mainly about the protection of existing freight
corridors, and for Nelson the document identifies specific growth in the number of trips
for both forestry and aquaculture which will be monitored (NRLST, p 22)
The recent release of both the National Rail Strategy to 2015 and the current
development of a national coastal shipping strategy are set to provide further high level
guidance to regions. With all three strategies in place a degree of integration is
anticipated, an example of which is Environment Bay of Plentys Bay of Plenty Rail
26

Strategy designed to provide the best freight (and passenger) transport system for that
region in the future.
3.3.1 Auckland
Auckland Citys freight strategy contains details of the work required to fulfil its vision,
which is given as:
Auckland City is the gateway for the majority of the goods and produce entering and
leaving New Zealand. Auckland City promotes and supports freight and commercial
transport initiatives that are good for local, national and international business. Auckland
City will work to achieve this in a way that maximises the safe and efficient movement of
goods, whilst minimising adverse impacts on the environment and community
The following table summarises the performance measures identified by Auckland City
that are required to meet the objectives of their freight strategy.
Strategy

Performance Measures

For community and

industry communication:

Regularity with which freight forum, consisting of

members of the transport industry and other key
stakeholders meet, with three times a year being the
target
Number of complaints received by Auckland City
regarding freight issues, with the target being a
decreasing trend
Number of enforcement notices received by freight
vehicles on Auckland citys roads with the target being a
decreasing trend.

Freight Network Planning:

Number of freight related accidents on the road network,

with target being a decreasing trend
Reliability of freight journey times, with the trend being
that reliability increases.

For Transport operations

and technology

An increased knowledge of freight movements, with the

target being an annual freight travel pattern report
A regional freight strategy.

Local area freight

management

Reduction of freight vehicles using local roads as through

traffic
Increased level of service on alternative arterial routes;
the target being improved reliability in journey times on
alternative routes.

Freight Operations

Reliability of freight journey times

Freight vehicle accident levels

27

Maintenance on routes with high freight vehicle flows.

City and development
planning

Compliance with district plan loading and servicing

specifications
Development of freight routes through intensified growth
areas.

Monitoring

Monitored increase in usage of main arterial routes

Less use of through traffic on traffic sensitive roads
Decreasing level of complaints received regarding freight
vehicles.

Table 7: Auckland City - Freight performance measures

We can now focus on freight best practice leadership by matching up government goals
with those most able to influence by cross referencing stakeholder influence as identified
in Table 2 with Governments underpinning principles for the vision that New Zealand will
have an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive, and sustainable transport system.
To determine how best practice for freight movements can be understood, the
underpinning concepts of the national transport vision are merged with stakeholders
interests. From Table 2 we see the principles become of interest to stakeholders at a
community level onwards. That interest is then passed on in the form of regulation and
compliance issues to transport companies and the businesses they work for at a day to
day level.
Integration

Safety

Responsive

Sustainable

Community

Cooperation and
collaboration

Individual
responsibility

Diverse
needs

Social well being

Business
Protagonists

Cost
effectiveness

Business
responsibility

Participate
in policy
development

Economic well being

Local
government

Accessibility

Robust
framework

Partnership
with
stakeholder

Environmental well
being, resilience
flexibility

Regional
government

Infrastructure

Robust
framework

Partnership

Environmental well
being, resilience
flexibility

Central
government

Efficient use of
public
investment

Robust
framework

Partnership

National framework.
Definition and
pricing of
externalities

Mankind

Resource use

Survival

Involvement

International
treaties

Table 8: Interests of stakeholders

28

3.4 Summary
Government strategy creates a clear picture of issues that must be addressed in the
development of an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable transport
system. The strongest directional theme is the revival of interest in alternative modes to
road transport for freight. The driving force behind that is the growing pressure on the
roading network especially in the Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton triangle. Also
developing is a greater appreciation of the advantages of rail for bulk freight, and for sea
freight.
It can be summarised as:
1. Sustainability; mainly in the form of greenhouse gas emissions, as a health issue,
and also to meet New Zealand's international obligations.
2. Integration of modes achieved by exploring and preparing for alternative freight
mode usage, namely rail and coastal shipping for some types of freight.
3. Safety both for those who work in the industry and those who share the transport
networks.
4. Responsiveness, where there are modal choices available in situations of natural
disasters, energy crises and changes to international supply lines.
The challenge to regional government and the freight industry is to incorporate the
intent of relevant strategy into efficient operational systems aided by good management.
As transport systems often have source and destinations in different regions,
communication and alignment of strategy between regions becomes equally important.

29


4 Freightbestpracticesreviewed
This section identifies and reviews the relevance of best practices identified by the
literature review in terms of national regional and business strategies for freight
systems. Regional geography, primary production and freight flows are taken into
consideration when appraising the best practice experiences of other for relevance to
Canterbury.

4.1 Operationalbestpractice
Operational best practice, or best industry practice may in fact have a motivation for
results that is closer to benchmarking, where gains in efficiency and productivity are
compared with other operators within the same industry group or market.
Notwithstanding, it is still a very strong learning tool that allows businesses to gain in
efficiency and productivity.
As discussed in the chapter above there are different views and ideologies that influence
the definition of best practice. Themes of efficiency, accessibility, safety and
sustainability along with ideologies such as total quality management practices are
clearly present in the expectations of best practice. However, current business models
tend to measure success against an economic model only, where external costs are not
directly considered and measured in terms of company profit. The result is that some
more ideologically driven best practices are subverted in favour of more pragmatic
industry best practice activities focused around a general requirement to deliver goods at
a profit in full, on time and in specification (i.e. not damaged). Businesses should not be
penalised for this, nor expected to do something for nothing. Many businesses take their
wider role as corporate citizen seriously, voluntarily reducing waste, pollution and
actively supporting sustainability initiatives.
Freight businesses operate within communities where local regional and national
government can influence and assist the emergence of best practice. Consultation,
planning and policy can be applied to cover operational procedures, communication,
planning and management activities. This sphere of influence is spelled out in Auckland
Citys freight strategy (Auckland City, undated), and summarised below.

30

Activity

Covering

Community and industry

communication

A freight forum of industry operators and other

key stakeholders who develop and implement
the regions freight strategy.

Freight Network planning

The identification, development and securing of

freight corridors for the movement of goods and
services.

Transport operations and

technology

Advocating for the development and application

of technology that improves the environment
and the costs and effectiveness of the transport
industry. The outcomes of this will be the
reduced air and noise pollution and improving
efficiency and costs.

Local area freight

management

Management of arterial routes to minimise

freight being carried on residential roads as
through roads.

Freight operations

If freight movements are managed well, then

this should lead to improvement of the day to
day operation of the road network including
road safety, loading facilities, the transport of
dangerous goods and improved maintenance
levels.

City and development

planning

To ensure that the effects of freight movement

are considered and the requirements of freight
are taken into account in regulatory planning,
development planning, traffic management and
new road schemes.

Monitoring

Adequate monitoring programmes to assess

progress and performance of the freight
strategy.

Table 9: Summary of Auckland City Freight Strategy

The activities described above are a development and interpretation of the NZ Transport
Strategy, where the ideology begins to shape a practical and operational framework.

4.2 Freightroutesandnetworks
Freight network planning, and particularly the identification, development and securing
of freight corridors are key best practices identified in the literature, and in urban freight
strategy document. Clearly identified and practically useful freight routes provide other
direct benefits to freight and public users. Goods freight flow, especially for freight
passing through the region, is separated from local traffic modes and so reduces
congestion and greatly increases safety. The clear identification and ease of use of

31

designated routes sends positive signals to the wider freight community and assists the
process of intensifying production in suitable zones.
It is often quite easy to identify freight routes without going to great lengths. In these
cases the most significant task is to gain endorsement for a management regime that
ensures that the route continues to operate in a way that is supportive to operators
(Austroads 2007).
A report entitled ARC Freight Data Acquisition Study (ARC 2005b) found gathering
useful data difficult and a lack of current information was available when taking a
scientific approach to identifying the main routes freight vehicles followed.
4.2.1 Freightrouteidentificationprocess
Regional authorities have a strong co-ordinating role to play in consideration of the
suitability of routes across a region, and provides long terms strategic guidance for
signage and agreed routing within the freight industry (DfT, undated). Incorporation of
truck routes into road signage assists the driver navigate to their destination and avoids
wasting time. Freight-specific driver maps have been produced by many UK authorities
to show the best routes for freight traffic to access key destinations, and show areas
restricted by height or weight (DfT, undated). Information boards can be used to
facilitate effective way finding for goods vehicles.

4.3 Freighthubs
Freight hubs in the form of Urban Freight Villages or Public Logistics Terminal are gaining
recognition as best freight practice in many places. Hassall reports on radical urban
logistics strategies that have been trialled in Japan, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland and
Greece called Public Logistics Terminals (PLT). Some are very successful, others less so.
A public logistics terminal is a third party terminal, depot and/or distribution centre
placed in a planned area of a major city or port. It may be multimodal, near an airport,
rail terminal or sea port. It has the planning right to operate into the future without
rezoning restrictions. It can be a breakdown point for interstate incoming traffic or urban
consolidation for outgoing freight cargo. It has enormous possibilities as an inter-modal
entity. It may offer short term storage to incoming and outgoing freight, cold storage,
and local transport services contracted through the terminal.
This concept occurs already in NZ largely by default. In the 1970s many cities developed
a common user facility. In Christchurch A1 Carriers operated out of premises in
Sandyford St and this was a cooperative owned by Suburban and Rural Canterbury
Carriers where they exchanged freight. The future of this type of operation was
diminished with the growth of New Zealand wide forwarders who operate depots e.g.
Mainfreight/Toll/PBT etc - it is now at these locations that regional operators deliver and
uplift freight. Linehaul Freighters is another example of this, as is Five Star in Auckand,
although they only interchange road freight. In the 1970s through to the Mid 80s
Mogal Transport was owned by 190 carriers throughout NZ so that as a cooperative it
was a forerunner of the PLT concept.
Internationally PLT are built at locations with minimal freight intrusiveness and in some
cases on green field sites. This is a major developing issue as residents object to heavy
vehicles passing their properties, and it is likely that there will be heavier restrictions as
already implemented in many European cities.

32

A Japanese independent and non aligned terminal has been an attractor to usage from
small and medium companies using transport and other logistic services. This may mean
a consortium of independent owners or even a governmental operator may be one of the
key elements of the success of a PLT. The owner may need to be a new independent
government carrier/operator if a consortium of independent operators could not be made
to work successfully.
The terminal operator could be an incumbent operator, a consortium partner,
governmental carrier or even customers organising their own transport operator to
perform pickup and drop offs whether incoming or outgoing. The advantages of a
common carrier is that significant benefits arise from higher capacity consolidation,
especially from allowing small and medium customers to purchase services from a
common carrier. The concept of a common carrier is not embraced and yet it is a
method whereby the high urban freight growth rates can be eased.
Hassall notes that the concept might not work where there are two major rival retailers,
but where there are 200 small manufacturers the option might work well. The PLT would
also work well for long distance operator to have quick turnarounds. Having a terminal
on the town outskirts make for a definite endpoint for a trip. More than one terminal,
(but less than many) is given as a general guideline for how a city should provide
infrastructure. International experiments make a compelling case for the Public Logistic
Terminal concept to be further examined. Further best practice study of the
development of such terminals should be considered by watching international
developments.

4.4 Intermodalfreight
For intermodal freight networks to be efficient, the short haul pickup and delivery
between terminals are an important part of the intermodal freight chains and a big factor
in terms of cost, time and reliability. Kreutzberger et al note that recent sustainability
research clarifies that pre or post haulage (PPH) is a crucial part of the environmental
performance and cost (Kreutzberger, Konnings, & Aronson, 2005). They note, however,
that there is little research devoted to this transport area, with the work that has been
done identifying opportunities to improve PPH services though changes in legal,
logistical, organisational, communicational and technological conditions. These studies
conclude that how well a PPH is organised strongly influences its cost performance.
When planned properly by either concentrating all traffic in one carrier or centralising the
planning of PPH, up to 30% reductions of costs were achieved.
The European Commission has published research that will enhance doortodoor
services based on intermodal transport. Driven by an increasing demand for alternatives
to road transport, intermodal options are a response to policy on sustainable mobility
and a desired shift to less energy consuming transport modes. A key point in this
research is that improving intermodal connections is critical since road transport is likely
to remain the first choice for the first and last leg of most freight journeys. Currently
intermodal transport represents around 3% of goods transport, with the potential to
reach 30% on some important corridors. The transport research programme focuses on
promising technologies and strategies, by focusing on problems that arise with the
quality of transport networks and the quality of terminal/transfer points. The four main
areas under study are:

33

Removing barriers and reducing costs

Exploiting information and communication

Facilitating information and communication
Introducing new concepts for city distribution

4.5 Accessibilityfordeliveries
At a practical level, accessibility in the form of adequate turning radii in commercial
areas and a purpose built multi lane freight networks roads connecting strategic hubs
and regional corridors are examples of best practice, where what is provided is in
addition to what is required merely to comply with mandatory standards. Understanding
the requirements for direct truck delivery into commercial zones, and the enforcement of
unloading zones are simple and effective ways to ensure freight efficiency.

4.6 Resourceefficiency
4.6.1 Fuelsupplyandcost
Research investigating future fuel shortages and the associated risks to urban forms and
transport systems, suggests that transport planners have historically assumed that fuel
supply is unlimited (Dantas, Krumdieck, & Page, 2006). While the report focuses
primarily on passenger transport it also applies to freight transport. Growth and
intensification of socio-economic activities have altered freight distribution systems
create additional and complex travel patterns, with substantial reliance on fossil fuel. For
example, it is reported (Yates pers comm.) that there are a number of a basic freight
lines distributed from Auckland to as far away as Invercargill on a two day delivery basis,
without any other warehousing between the source and delivery. This has greatly
intensified energy and management input required to provide the rapid, time-bound
service which is often underutilised as the scheduled service runs whether there is a full
truck load or not.
The lack of inclusion of future energy risks in major planning initiatives is in keeping with
most transport models and methods that rarely consider energy as an integral part of
the transport and activity system, let alone constraint on development. (Dantas et al
2007). The key point made is that energy is not currently considered in risk analysis or
reliability assessment of transport systems, disregarding any potential shortage and/or
price increase scenarios. While this may be a source of debate, it should not be ignored
in planning activities. (Dantas et al 2007, p11)
An implication for road transport energy use and best practice is the effect that price
rises over the past two years have had on cost structures. Fuel is now a larger
percentage of direct costs than road user charges (RUC). While price rises of this
magnitude are considered not to have much impact on the demand for freight services,
it could influence fleet replacement decisions. RUC charges tend to reduce with the
number of axles, with the weight of the additional axles reducing payload. With fuel now
costing more, payload and fuel economy are likely to be more influential factors in truck
choice. Full loading and energy efficient modal choice could favour alternatives to just in
time and direct delivery.
While there is a chance that oil will continue to be available at reasonable prices over the
medium to long term, the evidence that is available would tend to suggest that it is more
likely that oil prices will continue to increase and supply will be constrained. This may
occur within a short period of time. The risks of high fuel prices and constrained supply
require immediate widespread discussion and planning to prepare for a vastly different
34

transport infrastructural usage. The debate could have a practical dimension in defining
best practice elements. The risk of waiting until there is demand suffocation before
beginning to consider alternatives will compound the situation of a lack of transport
services and reduced revenue streams to fund new services.
General conclusions that can be drawn from the above are a need to:

Promote efficiency of the vehicle fleet

Bring the oil cost and supply debate into the public arena
Plan and think about alternative methods for freight collection and delivery,
where efficiency is paramount
Focus new infrastructure spending into public and commercial transport systems,
and away from expenditure that supports private vehicle growth.
Consider alternatives to hydrocarbon fuel such as electricity for commuter and
commercial rail freight trunk routes

5 BestpracticesofrelevancetoCanterbury
This section describes and quantifies the main freight flows and freight infrastructure in
the Canterbury province. It begins with a description of what is known to date, and from
an assessment and discussion of that information identifies the main volumes, flows and
characteristics of freight movement in Canterbury. Trends in freight movement and the
nature and capability of the infrastructure are also described to create a picture of
Canterbury freight flows.
Regional freight strategies vary on the emphasis placed on rail usage. ECan
documentation is light on even discussing ways rail could be incorporated. The reason
given that it is not our area of control should not preclude the development of a
strategy of how rail can be better utilised to meet the regions goals. The same national
conditions apply to all regions, and yet the level of planning and detail regarding rail is
far higher in both Bay of Plenty and Otago both major freight nodes with similar roles
and pressures as Canterbury.
The TRIP package development and prioritisation process satisfies best practice
standards of regional planning. It addresses the specific requirements of different parts
of the region with a package of measures. Freight transport is a factor in conflicts
between local traffic and through traffic on SH1 and on the rail line. Freight issue relating
to dairying feature, the growth of tourism, freight (especially dairy related) vehicles on
rural roads and route security identify best practice priority areas. Rail activities are not
included in the plan due to the uncertainty of rail funding. Again, there is scope to at
least describe a desirable future, or set of futures for rail usage to promote discussion
and thinking about alternatives.
For the Greater Christchurch area, corridors between major freight nodes and the need
for a high level of access to the central city region are key issues for best practice
application. National routes through urban areas create opportunities for best operational
practice and road surface management. The TRIP is a comprehensive plan with actions
well integrated with national and regional transport related documents.

35

5.1 Communityandindustrycommunication
Regional coordination of transport activities is achieved through the Regional Land
Transport Strategy (RLTS) managed by the Canterbury Regional Land Transport
Committee (RLTC), in particular the Technical Officers Group (TOG). A coordinated
approach is achieved through the TRIP, and within that plan, freight transport matters
are identified and prioritised throughout the region. The main objectives of the Plan are
to:

Provide an implementation framework

Create a regional picture of transport and land use
Develop advocacy and planning tools
Assist with input into regional funding allocation discussions
Provide information and content for the RLTS

The TRIP follows a documented process with workshops used to develop the Plan which
included a high level of consultation to identify strategic issues, transport trends,
economic drivers and prioritisation (TRIP, 2007). Once strategic issues and activities
were identified in a draft TRIP more detailed localised issues and investigations were
carried out as required.
The Canterbury Freight Working Group has already identified and addressed many of the
issues raised. The group has been proactive in establishing the following best practice
systems throughout the region.

An active freight forum of industry, regional government and other key

stakeholders meets regularly
Canterbury has an active and effective freight strategy
Freight hubs are clearly identified and communicated
Freight routes are clearly identified
Monitoring systems are in place for freight flows and accident data

The workshops identified megatrends including a number that would impact freight best
practice such as climate change, carbon neutrality, fuel supply and cost, globalisation
(TRIP, p9). In terms of the level of influence within the control of the Canterbury region
global economic influences and fuel supply/cost are relatively low in the successful
achievement of the plan.
A guide for prioritising freight best practice issues can also be taken from the Canterbury
Regional Policy Statement (RPS).Key directions for transport are:

Protection of existing transport infrastructure and corridors as required for

future growth
Promote transport modes with low adverse environmental effects
Promote changes that promote the safety, efficiency and costeffectiveness of the transport infrastructure and reduces the need to
travel.
Encourage settlement patterns that make efficient use of the regional
transport network

The Canterbury Freight Working Group, with its wide industry representation provides a
effective community and industry communication mechanism for this.

36

5.2 Freightroutes
5.2.1 Identificationoffreightroutes
The Canterbury Freight Working Group has already done this, with freight routes clearly
identified. The routes identified are logical and direct, with links between ports and
freight zones. The Freight Action plan recognises and has actions in place to define and
protect the operation of and access to the strategic network.
5.2.2 Freightenroute
The LTNZ Report 330 reviews long haul freight in New Zealand and notes that the ports
of Lyttelton and Timaru are the main export ports for Canterbury and also the West
Coast. Also about half of Marlboroughs export freight leaves from Canterbury ports.
Imports tend also to not travel great distances between regions as the majority of goods
tend to be delivered directly to the port of final destination, as most regions in New
Zealand are serviced by some form of port.
Their analysis of the State Highway network concludes that there is the ability to meet
increasing freight demand in the near future. The South Island network has no
significant problems because of lesser growth in traffic, tonnages and population. The
report notes that areas of the South Island are experiencing conversion from pastoral to
dairy farming, with resulting additional tonnages and a higher frequency of heavy vehicle
visits to farms. Access to key ports is considered adequate at present.
The state of the rail network is addressed by the report identifying a number of key
issues that need to be faced, including the construction of a railhead to Clandeboye.
Increasing freight volumes are anticipated with demand growing from coal, forestry and
dairy. The increased use of containers internationally also makes rail a more attractive
option for the future.

5.3 Freighthubs
Identifying freight hubs and ensuring these are located in industrial areas on the
perimeter of the city with good access to the State Highway network works in tandem
with the identification of freight routes. Reducing freight movement through urban areas
supports best practice goals of improved safety, accessibility and pollution. Hubs linked
to highways and ports by freight routes separates the freight movement away from
schools, recreational areas and dormitory suburbs. The enhanced community safety
profile greatly reduces the risk of harm. Partial mode separation improves accessibility
through for freight operators and businesses. There is an overall reduction in noise
pollution, or at least a concentration along known corridors and in zoned industrial areas,
and is of benefit to the community in general. In return, freight routes and hubs that
have a degree of separation from residential and recreational areas enable freight
activity at night and during the weekend without restriction.
Clearly identified hubs reduce the number 44 tonne heavy vehicles in urban areas. The
Freight Working Group has identified and promoted freight hubs and so again scores well
in providing a best practice lead to infrastructural development. The optimisation of
delivery kilometres is also achieved by the hubs being on freight routes. The importance
of protecting key freight hubs is clearly identified in the Freight Action Plan.

37

Freight hub and freight route identification and protection are the foundations of an
effective and efficient urban freight system, and Canterbury should be justifiably proud
of its success in this area.

5.4 Intermodalfreight
Canterbury freight hubs are positioned on, or near rail and on or near routes to ports.
This is largely as a result of the moves in the 1970s to develop intermodal freight that
have left a legacy of rail, road and port linked infrastructure. Both government strategy,
and likely future best practice indicate that intermodal freight terminals may again
become central to freight movement. We have also seen a commitment to this type of
development in the Otago and Bay of Plenty regional plan.

Recommendation: The development of intermodal freight movement needs to

be part of a bigger movement towards national freight efficiency. Best practice
at this time would be to increase communication and debate over a number of
regions who may share the benefits of intermodality. Canterbury could be more
active in at least exploring this. Further work could also be done into how to
increase shipping by improving intermodal freight exchanges specifically to
reduce the cost of handling.

5.5 Distribution
Historically commodity chains have been localised, but recently commodity chains have
become global because of developments in telecommunications, electronic data
interchange (EDI), increased freight mobility and efficient distribution networks. Each
commodity chain differs which means that freight transportation providers are constantly
changing to meet demands and become more customised (Rodrigue Comtois & Slack,
2006). The coal commodity chain, like dairy product movement, operates only partially
within the Canterbury region, putting most considerations of best practice in the hands
of the providers of infrastructure and freight corridors. The nature of commodity chains
impacts on regional distribution patterns as point of entry, delivery timings and vehicle
dimensions requires appropriate infrastructure to accommodate it.
5.5.1 Fooddistribution
Most food and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) are now distributed from national
warehouses on a just in time, or overnight basis. Vehicles are committed to regular long
distance schedules with deliveries being made directly off the line haul vehicle, and not
by smaller pick up and delivery vehicles. This requires accessibility for 44t vehicles of
20m length. In addition to this, there has been a large increase in courier type
deliveries, making multiple deliveries of small quantities of goods throughout the day.
5.5.2 Urbanpickupanddeliveriesoflinehaulfreight
With distribution for the Canterbury region and the South Island being centred in
Christchurch, there is extensive pickup and delivery activity from distribution centres.
Pickups are often palletised and made directly onto the 44t line haul unit that is to make
the delivery journey to Nelson, Dunedin, the West Coast and all destinations in between.
Large distribution centres such as Foodstuffs would, in an ideal world, receive direct
delivery by line haul vehicles are the optimum however with the Book In system adopted
38

by the distribution centres this often means freight is required to be unloaded at a depot
for subsequent redelivery. Recent rising fuel prices has already created some
collaboration on freight delivery, and international experiences show that combined, or
regionalised delivery of goods, even in a competitive environment, saves on resources
and costs.
Corridors between transport yards and distribution centres need to meet freight corridor
specifications for ease of turning, lane width and mode separation from cyclists and
pedestrians.

Recommendations:

Facilitate discussions between major warehouses and interregional

transport companies on the development of best practice delivery
systems. The outcome should be focused on the lowest overall cost to
the system, with due regard being given to the value of initiatives that
reduce congestion, emissions and increase delivery efficiency.
Assist operators to deliver efficiently by enforcement of delivery zones,
site accessibility and clearways.
Ensure that any new storage and retail infrastructure adequately
allows for delivery vehicles.

5.5.3 Containerandwharfcartage
Container use for imports and exports continues to grow requiring pickup and delivery
access to most importing and exporting businesses. Containerisation means there needs
to be a high level of accessibility to most industrial areas of the region for 44t 20m
vehicles. Turning and manoeuvring can damage road surfaces and the method used to
load and unload containers requires double parking at times. Furniture removal firms
also use containers, meaning occasional trips into residential areas that at times require
extensive backing on roads where turning is not possible.

5.6 Accessibility
Canterbury Freight Action group have identified the need for improvements for freight
vehicles to commercial and retail establishments. The production of a practical guide to
docking facilities is one example of this. Canterbury has done very well here ensuring
that the combination of freight hubs, identified routes and standards for freight docks
enable a good flow of freight movement.

5.7 Dairyindustry
5.7.1 Milkcollection
Milk collection operates 24 hours a day using the State Highway for line haul, and rural
roads for farm pickup. The majority of milk from the Canterbury region is processed at
Clandeboye, as is a large percentage of milk from the Nelson, and Marlborough region.
The installation of the evaporator at Culverden by Fonterra has reduced vehicle numbers
considerably in transporting milk back to Clandeboye.

39

The conversion from pastoral to dairying creates tanker traffic but it has also had an
impact in the reduction of stock, bulk and general freight vehicles with the change of
land use. The increasing intensity of dairying means there are a lot of tankers on State
Highways and rural roads, with common sightings of four or five travelling almost in
convoy.
Milk pickup procedure and infrastructure (in the form of wide farm entrance ways and off
road turning circles) is well established and while tanker numbers are increasing they
represent a small percentage of road users.
Fonterra rails milk from Oringi in Hawkes Bay and Longburn in the Manawatu daily to
Hawera using up to eight trains at the peak of the season. While volumes are smaller in
the South Island, distances are larger, and the opportunity to rail bulk milk from
Marlborough and North Canterbury to Clandeboye would seem better practice.

Recommendations: A key recommendation is that affected South Island

regional councils include a specific strategy for milk cartage. This could be
achieved by setting up a task force to study North Island milk train operation
and to open communication and joint consultation with dairy processors
regarding their medium term collection strategies. While South Island volumes
and distances may not have supported investment in this sort of infrastructure
in the past, rising oil prices, increased road safety and emissions reduction may
favour such a move. There may be an opportunity to work with central
government regarding policy incentives to reduce line haul milk cartage. As
Fonterra operates across a number of regions, a joint regional councils project
approach is recommended.

Regional councils could work together with producers to define a common best practice
standard covering:

Linehaul milk cartage over long distance

Rail accessibility to production sites
other bulk liquid cartage by rail such as grape juice between Canterbury
and Marlborough

5.7.2 Dairyproductsforexport
Dairy is growing in Canterbury as it is throughout the South Island, with two new
production plants recently commissioned in the region. Both plants are located beside
SH1 and the rail line, with neither plants appearing to have included rail connections in
their start up design. Of particular significance is the lack of rail access to Fonterras
Clandeboye plant. Cost and convenience are likely to be the reasons road transport has
been favoured in the past, especially for palletised product. However with a change to
most product now exported by container, public ownership of rail and rising fuel costs
there is opportunity to progress a number of government and best practice strategies for
dairy exports. The industry itself is proactive in this area with Fonterra developing a
large intermodal distribution facility in Te Rapa, Hamilton for dairy products for export
from the Waikato region. Containerised traffic is consolidated here for export by rail
through the ports of either Tauranga or Auckland.
40

Railing finished product from Clandeboye to export ports in Canterbury or Otago would
satisfy a number of best practice goals for such products, and using rail for the type of
work for which it is suited.

Recommendations: South Island regional council task force to study Te Rapa

intermodal storage operation to ascertain future application within the South
Island. As with milk collection, volumes and distances may not have supported
investment in this sort of infrastructure in the past but rising oil prices,
increased road safety and emissions reduction may favour such a move.
As Fonterra operates across a number of regions, a joint regional council
project approach is recommended.
Regional councils could work together with producers to define a common best
practice standard for

Linehaul milk cartage over long distance

rail accessibility to production sites
other bulk liquid cartage by rail such as grape juice between
Canterbury and Marlborough

5.8 Coal
5.8.1 CoaltoPortLyttelton
Coal mined on the West Coast is railed to Port Lyttelton and shipped to various
international destinations. The coal commodity chain operates only partially within the
Canterbury region, putting most considerations of best practice in the hands of the
providers of infrastructure and freight corridors.
Coal cartage is included in Canterburys best practice considerations as its movement
and storage and handling affect the economy of the region. Coal is also railed, mostly
from the West Coast to Temuka, before being finally delivered to Clandeboye by road.
Historically commodity chains have been localised, but recently commodity chains have
become global because of developments in telecommunications, electronic data
interchange (EDI), increased freight mobility and efficient distribution networks. Each
commodity chain differs which means that freight transportation providers are constantly
changing to meet demands and become more customised (Rodrigue Comtois & Slack,
2006). The coal commodity chain, like dairy product movement, operates only partially
within the Canterbury region, putting most considerations of best practice in the hands
of the providers of infrastructure and freight corridors.

5.9 Emergingbestpractice
Emerging best practices are likely to be responses to pollution (noise and air),
congestion around ports, shared intermodal hubs, alternative fuels for some tasks, and
regional business development. Best practice in managing these emerging issues is likely
to:

41

42

Stimulate sector wide discussion on a range of possible futures through

scenario planning and trend projection. Create the ability to interpret
trends and take no regrets steps towards future best practice
Lead to further research on the type and nature of transport hubs, and
identify strategic locations for them. Be prepared to consider investing in
some form of public freight hub concept.
Consider a wider risk assessment than just a business as usual case
when determining what aspect of best commercial freight transport should
be considered best practice.
Increased regional production and shorter supply lines will require a
different approach to transport management.
Maintain open and transparent systems so communities understand where
commercial freight is likely to flow.

6 Conclusions
Government strategy for communities and those who use transport encourages
participation in policy development. The aim of best practice is to identify and use of
superior methods to meet agreed goals. Canterburys Freight Action Plan already
includes a range of best practice initiatives which have been put into action.
Canterbury is succeeding well in many areas of freight best practice. Canterburys best
practices freight performance is shown to be better than in other regions. This position is
underpinned by Christchurch as a city having what is considered to be a superior
transport network and urban design layout compared with other large cities in New
Zealand.
While well positioned to integrate freight movement with rail and coastal shipping, road
transport remains dominant, not least because freight moving in and around a
metropolitan area does not have access to rail or shipping. Coal, the largest flow of
inter-regional freight bound for the port already uses the rail network. There is nothing
inherent in regional policy or practice that has hindered other freight using rail. The
reasons for the current mix are driven by current resource pricing and economics, being
factors beyond the influence of regional best practice.
Community and industry communication is well coordinated with the Freight Working
Group having identified and addressed many best practice issues. The existence of the
committee is positive in itself, as an active forum that can promote and protect transport
interests, and also monitor the safety, community and environmental impacts the
industry has.
Freight routes are well identified and developed with current congestion levels generally
below a level of concern. The movement of freight to the port from other regions causes
no major issue, with coal being the main commodity involved, and its movement by rail
being best practice for that commodity.
Freight hubs are identified as general industrial areas on the perimeter of the city and
are serviced by good access connections to state highways and ports. The importance of
protecting the operation of key freight hubs is clearly identified in the Freight Action
Plan. Canterbury should be justifiably proud of the work done in this area.
Previous experiences with intermodal freight in the 1970s mean that concepts and
general locations of freight hubs are in place. For strategy and energy reasons it is likely
that intermodal freight hubs will again become infrastructure for moving freight. Best
practice at this stage would be to build into future freight planning infrastructure that
would enable intermodal freight movement.
Freight distribution, as a subset of national and international supply chains and
commodity chains has seen an increase in large warehouse complexes, mainly served by
road. Overnight, and just in time deliveries have increased the number of possible
direct deliveries of 44t vehicles. Best practice in this area falls short, and efficient freight
delivery thus effected. It is recommended that further investigation is carried out to
identify best practices in delivery into urban areas.

43

The growth in the dairy industry affects a number of regions, where milk is picked up
from farms, with milk north of Ashburton and as far away as at least Blenheim being line
hauled considerable distances. It is recommended that South Island regional authorities
collaborate in developing a best practices dairy transport strategy. This of course would
require the involvement of industry members, but would help regions better coordinate a
range of activities from infrastructure provision to improved road safety.
The biggest opportunity for future best practice improvement is to research and
development a better understanding of the features and benefits of intermodal freight
movement options that could improve the urban environment. The lead taken by the Bay
of Plenty regional council in creating a rail strategy shows that even in an uncertain
policy environment much can be gained by articulating the current importance and
future potential that rail can offer.
The challenge to regional government and the freight industry is to incorporate the
intent of relevant strategy into efficient operational systems aided by good management.
As transport systems often have source and destinations in different regions,
communication and alignment of strategy between regions becomes equally important.
The Canterbury region is meeting that challenge, and the commissioning of this report in
itself is evidence of best practice monitoring and review of its performance against a fast
changing environment.

44


7 References
ARC 2005 The potential for freight transfer from road to rail in Auckland City. Report
prepared by Hamish Bunn, Beca Infrastructure for Auckland City Council
ARC 2005b Data acquisition study. Report prepared by Beca Infrastructure Ltd for
Auckland Regional Council.
Auckland City. (undated). Auckland City's freight strategy. Auckland: Auckland City.
Bolland, J., Weir, D. Vincent, M. (2005). Development of a New Zealand National Freight
Matrix (No. 283): Booz Allen Hamilton (NZ) Ltd, Wellington. (283)
Beaumont, L. (2004). Key Performance Indicators for the Pallet Distribution Network
Sector. Birmingham: Aston Science Park.
Dantas, A., Krumdieck, S., & Page, S. (2006). Energy risk to activity systems as a
function of urban form: Land Transport NZ Research Report 311.
DfT. (2005). Efficient Public Sector Fleet Operations: Department for transport.
DfT. (undated). Local authority freight management guide: Department for transport.
EC (2001) Freight inter modality. Results from the transport research programme.
European Commission Brussels.
Ecan (2005) Canterbury regional land transport action plan
Ecan (Transport regional implementation plan
Hassall, K. (2006). Operator and regulatory strategies for enhancing efficiencies in
freight transport.
Kreutzberger, E., Konnings, R., & Aronson, L. (2005). Evaluation of the cost performance
of pre- and post- haulage in intermodal freight networks: Analysis oft the interaction of
production models and demand characteristics.
LTNZ. (2007). Commercial Vehicle Usage and Forecasting - State 2: National Freight
Traffic. Wellington: Land Transport New Zealand. Report No. 330
Mackie, H., Baas, P., & Manz , H. (2006). Prediction of New Zealand's freight growth by
2020.
Odum, HT (1976) Energy basis for man and nature McGraw-Hill. New York
ORC 2005 Otago Regional Land Transport Strategy 2005
Rodrigue, J., & Comtois, C. S., B. Slack (2006). The geography of transport systems.
New York: Routledge.
Worral, (2008) Transport & Logistics 6 March 2008

45

46