Load Pilots NZ

13/08/2025

29/01/2024

**URGENT MESSAGE**
Hi everyone, a very good friend of mine has bought tickets to the Burt Munro.
The problem is that he completely forgot that is in fact his wedding day. This is because he bought the tickets ages ago before agreeing to the wedding date.
Now he's asked me to post on his behalf to see if anyone wants to take his place?
The wedding is at 2pm and all paid for you just need to show up - he assures me she'll make a terrific wife.

21/01/2024

FYI, (from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Central North Island)

It’s proposed that a section of SH1/3 outside RNZAF Base Ohakea will be closed overnight for 6-8 weeks, beginning from Sunday 18 February.

The closure hours would be from about 7.30pm – 6am Sunday nights – Friday mornings. The state highway will be open during the day, and on Friday and Saturday nights.

The detour route has a 30km/h speed limit in place and takes traffic around the back of Base Ohakea, with southbound heavy vehicles detoured down Tangimoana Road, Campion Road, and onto SH1. Southbound light vehicles would be detoured down Tangimoana Road, Taylor Road and onto SH1. Northbound traffic would be detoured on a shared route via Fagan and Speedy Road, and onto Tangimoana Road. Proposed detour map pasted below.

From Monday February 19 and during day-time hours, the state highway outside Base will be open with 30km/h speeds in place, and all traffic will be using the new permanent roundabout alignment (rather than the current temporary road alignment).

17/01/2024

SH1 to close alongside Lake Taupo During the Day from 30 January
Upcoming roadworks on State Highway 1 (SH1) near Halletts Bay, between Taupo and Turangi, will mean that road users need to plan to use detour routes if travelling during the day.
Road rehabilitation work is scheduled to commence on Tuesday 30 January 2024 and will take approximately 5 days to complete (weather permitting).
As the worksite is located at a narrow section of road, there is not room for both machinery and cars side by side. The only option is to close the road for periods of time to complete the work.
Outside these hours the road will be open to traffic travelling in both directions, with a temporary speed limit in place.
Posted detour routes include SH41 and SH32.

16/01/2024

From 1 April 2024, people with an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid will start paying road user charges (RUC), a levy that contributes to the maintenance of our roads.

Most people with a vehicle pay their share to help with upkeep. Petrol users pay through tax at the pump, while diesel users pay in advance by buying RUC. People with EVs and plug-in hybrids haven’t had to pay RUC but will start paying from 1 April.

If you have an EV or a plug-in hybrid, you don't have to do anything now—you'll be able to buy RUC from 1 April, and you have until 31 May 2024 to buy your first RUC.

RUC is a prepay system—that means you have to pay in advance for the distance you'll be travelling.

You can buy RUC in units of 1000 kilometres. EV owners will pay $76 per 1000km, plus an administrative fee. Plug-in hybrid owners will pay $53 per 1000km plus an administrative fee—this reduced rate means plug-in hybrid owners won't be double-taxed.

You can stay up to date with RUC changes for EVs and plug-in hybrids on our website: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/ruc-ev

For more on RUC, visit https://www.nzta.govt.nz/about-ruc

25/12/2023

May this festive season bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to you and your family. Warmest wishes for a merry Christmas and bright new year!

09/11/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=725796679589954&id=100064788843936&sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

SH1 SOUTH OF ATIAMURI - DAYTIME CLOSURES

Plan ahead for daytime closures on State Highway 1, just south of Atiamuri (between Taupo and Tokoroa) - from Tirohanga Rd, Atiamuri to Orunaui Rd, Orunaui - during resurfacing works between Mon 13 Nov and Fri 24 Nov.

Full daytime closures are required on Mon 13, Thu 16, Mon 20, Tue 21 and Wed 22 Nov from 7am to 6pm each day. Outside these times, SH1 will operate under stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit.

Detour for light vehicles via Tirohanga Rd, Forest Rd, and Orunaui Rd. Heavy vehicles must use SH30 and SH5 between Upper Atiamuri and Wairakei, via Rotorua. Access will be maintained for residents living within the closure. Please plan your journey in advance.

For further information, please check our Highways Map here: http://spr.ly/6181uqVGD
and Media Release here: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/media-releases/sh1-between-atiamuri-and-taupo-to-close-for-important-road-rebuilding/^HJ

11/10/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=720567850110690&id=100064724437107&mibextid=CDWPTG

October is the traditional start of the road renewal season and this year is set to be huge—roadworkers will be rebuilding or resealing over 2500 lane kilometres of state highways across the country over the next six months. This interactive map shows these sites: https://nzta.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/490776b08a094be5b737db698ad4000c

You might've seen roadworkers out on state highways already. With so much work to do they've been making the most of any fine weather to complete pre-seal repairs and start on the rebuild programme.

Roadworkers will do their best to minimise disruption and their work provides you with a better surface to drive on—respect any instructions they give you, and travel safely through their worksite.

This work takes place alongside our other programmes, such as large-scale infrastructure delivery, ongoing recovery works, and safety improvements. Plan your travel—check our website for the latest updates on where roadworks are located on our state highways: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

26/09/2023

Waka Kotahi is keeping our communities safe and encouraging people to make safe choices while driving, by increasing the number and type of safety cameras, and taking a best practice approach to signage on high-risk roads in Aotearoa New Zealand.

19/08/2023

01/07/2023

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/motorist-shares-advice-after-taking-on-waka-kotahi-for-compensation-over-pothole-damage-on-state-highway-1-and-winning/6ZW24HSTNFHJRABJ2FBNZRAEZM/?mibextid=S66gvF&fbclid=IwAR0UnlBMSyad9xiJr1RErzQ2DH9sXckyBSdYc24IbZqLYpDO5LuLvSRS8LA

Man takes on Waka Kotahi - and wins.