The process for issuing ratings will be split into two stages:
- unpublished ratings, which will be issued to operators in 2011 and 2012, but not published on our website; and
- published ratings, which will be issued to operators and published to the NZTA website, during 2013 (date to be determined)
Unpublished ratings
Heavy vehicle operators received their first preliminary rating in February 2011.
This rating is not made public. No ratings will be made public until either early or late 2013 (date to be determined) - after which time mores assessments will have been made at six monthly intervals.
If you are a transport operator, this means that between February 2011 and subsequent ratings, you have an opportunity to address any issues that may have resulted in a less than optimal rating.
However, all events from July 2010 will be taken into account when the first ratings are published.
Due to the number of operators receiving ratings, we’ll release unpublished rating notifications in batches over several weeks.
We will welcome feedback on any errors or omissions found in the unpublished ratings, so that these can be corrected as soon as possible. When you are issued with your unpublished ratings, you will also receive information on how to get any errors or omissions corrected. Generally, you will be asked to provide some proof of the error, for example:
- An unaltered copy of the COF or roadside inspection checksheet
- A copy of a lease agreement or change of ownership documentation showing that a vehicle was not in their possession at the time of the event
- Any other supporting documentation from NZ Police or the COF provider.
Published ratings
Published ratings will be issued from 2013 onwards. The first notice we send you is the proposed rating only - it won't be published, but gives you an opportunity to check the details and make sure they are correct, so that the information used in the rating is fair and accurate before the rating is published.
If you think there are mistakes in the details used to calculate your rating, you need to let us know in writing within 20 working days of receiving the notification from us. Note that you are deemed to have received:
- a written notification on the fifth working day after we post it
- an electronic notification either on the next working day after we sent it, or the time that the notification reached your designated information system, whichever is the later.
The process for raising and addressing errors is spelled out in the Operator Safety Rating Rule 2008. Find out more about the review process.
If we don't hear from you within 20 working days, your rating will be finalised and can be published.
Due to the number of operators receiving ratings, we’ll release notifications in batches over several weeks. However, we’ll rate all operators for the same period, and publish their ratings at the same time.
All finalised ratings from 2013 (date to be determined) onwards will be published on the internet, so that potential customers can make informed choices about who they use.
Details of the rating schedule and how each individual rating has been made up won't be publicly available, but NZTA and NZ Police will use it for enforcement activities and to target regulatory activities where they are most needed.
We use the following criteria to establish when your rating is finalised:
- If you have no objections to your proposed rating, it will be considered final 20 working days after we have notified you.
- If you object to any events that make up your rating and you apply to the review process, your rating will become final 20 working days after you receive your new proposed rating.
- If you're still not satisfied with your proposed rating and you apply to the review panel, your rating will become final 20 working days after you receive notification of the review panel's recommendations and your new proposed rating.
Note that star ratings will not be published for:
- operators who have not yet been operating for six months (they will be shown as 'unrated')
- operators undergoing an errors and omissions process or review panel investigation (they will be shown as 'under review').
You can publicise your own rating once it's been made final, as long as you also publish the date it became final, as near as practicable to the rating itself and in clear, easy-to-read letters or figures. You may not publish your rating in a way that may mislead people about the date or accuracy of your rating.
What will the rating look like?
This is how your safety rating will look when it becomes final and is published on this website.
