The NZ Transport Agency will allow more than 300 drivers who lost their commercial licences after submitting false or altered documents in the licence conversion process to re-sit driving tests.
The government agency said Monday the decision came after engagement with the transport industry.
"NZTA originally intended to cancel 459 commercial driver licences belonging to drivers suspected of submitting fraudulent documents when applying to convert their overseas driver licence," a spokesperson from the agency said in a statement.
"Following engagement with industry, NZTA has decided to instead suspend (rather than revoke or cancel) these drivers from operating commercially.
"We have offered 335 of these drivers the option to re-sit and pass the relevant theory and practical tests to confirm they can drive safely before considering cancellation of their licence."
Transport operators gathered in Auckland in November to support the drivers. Photo:
Transport operators had warned of potential driver shortages in the lead-up to Christmas if NZTA revoked the commercial licences as had been announced.
The NZTA spokesperson said the agency had decided to suspend the licences because the drivers held a valid overseas licence.
"NZTA sees this as a pragmatic approach that supports the continued operation of the commercial transport industry, while not compromising public safety," the spokesperson said, adding that the 335 divers who had been offered an opportunity to re-sit their tests were "low risk".
"These drivers will progress through NZTA supervised testing over the next month, by 23 January, and suspensions will remain in place until they have passed the required tests."
NZTA had cancelled the remaining 124 licences, the spokesperson said.
"Drivers that are considered 'high risk' based on the information NZTA holds on them will not be offered the option of NZTA supervised testing," the spokesperson said.
"The remaining drivers were either cancelled due to not responding to the request for evidence of validity or are considered high risk ... they will need to work though the usual driver licence testing, in the usual way."
NZT also confirmed it would revoke any D endorsements held by the drivers because of the additional risk associated with transporting dangerous goods.
NZTA would examine the question of fraud separately, the spokesperson said.
"NZTA is focussed firstly on addressing the safety risk posed by these drivers and we will be separately considering the issue of fraud in the application process," the spokesperson said.
"Where fraud by these drivers is proven, they will face penalties for providing fraudulent documents to NZTA."
