Road transport workers drive a range of vehicles, from taxis and tour coaches to buses and trucks. They transport people, such as tourists and commuters, as well as goods.

The number of people employed in this industry has been rising, with Census figures for taxi drivers, passenger coach drivers and heavy truck drivers reflecting this.

Number of people employed in different areas of the road transport industry

Census	Number of taxi drivers	Number of passenger coach drivers	Number of heavy truck or tanker drivers
1996	4,449	4,500	21,783
2001	5,046	4,896	22,686
2006	5,358	5,517	26,343
Source:Department of Labour, Jobs and Tertiary Education Indicator Tool

Employment numbers in this industry are expected to continue rising due to:

• government initiatives
• increased tourism
• the growing population.

Government initiatives result in more opportunities for road transport workers

In 2008 the Government released the Government Policy Strategy for Transport (GPS) and the New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS). These documents detail how government plans to decrease the strain on New Zealand’s road transport networks and minimise the impact of carbon emissions.

The NZTS forecasts that 2.2 times more freight will need to be moved in 2040, compared with now. As New Zealand has traditionally moved most of its domestic freight by truck, this means demand for heavy truck drivers will rise.

While the need for truck drivers is increasing, supply is not meeting demand, and heavy vehicle driver appears on Immigration New Zealand’s immediate skill shortage list. This means that the Government is actively encouraging skilled heavy truck drivers from overseas to work in New Zealand.

• Heavy truck driver job information
   

The NZTS is likely to result in more opportunities for people working in passenger transport, as it encourages New Zealanders to use public transport more. Ninety percent of people who travel to work by car travel alone, and the Government sees this as a major contributor to the nation’s CO2 emissions. As a result, they aim to increase use of public transport by 3% annually until 2015. This will mean more opportunities for bus drivers.

Tourist and population growth affecting job numbers

Growth in tourist and population numbers also means opportunities to work as bus drivers and coach drivers are likely to increase.