New Zealand’s transport regulator will allow more than 300 commercial drivers, mostly from the state of Punjab in India, caught up in a major licence fraud investigation to re-sit their tests, rather than permanently lose their right to drive heavy vehicles.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirmed to RNZ that 335 drivers whose commercial licences were suspended for submitting allegedly falsified or altered documents during the overseas licence conversion process will be given the chance to sit fresh theory and practical exams.
The decision follows weeks of discussions with transport industry representatives, who had warned that wholesale cancellations could leave operators short of drivers in the busy lead-up to Christmas.
An NZTA spokesperson told RNZ that the agency had originally planned to cancel 459 commercial licences linked to suspected fraudulent documentation. However, after consulting industry stakeholders, it opted to suspend the drivers instead, noting that each 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. The agency considers the 335 drivers being offered supervised re-testing to be “low risk”.
Suspensions will remain in place until each driver passes the required assessments, which NZTA expects to complete by 23 January.
It is reported that the remaining 124 licences have been cancelled outright. Those drivers were either deemed “high risk” or failed to respond to requests to verify the legitimacy of their documents. They will now be required to go through the full licensing process again and will not be offered supervised re-testing.
NZTA also confirmed it will revoke any dangerous goods (D) endorsements due to the heightened safety risk.
The decision comes after a wider internal audit uncovered extensive use of alleged fraudulent paperwork in heavy vehicle licence applications, including forged training certificates and incomplete competency assessments.
More than 440 licences were initially revoked during the crackdown.
Authorities are now examining whether criminal charges should be laid against those who knowingly submitted or approved fraudulent documents.
“Where fraud by these drivers is proven, they will face penalties,” the NZTA spokesperson said, adding that the agency’s immediate priority was addressing safety risks and restoring confidence in the commercial licensing system.
The audit is one of the largest licensing investigations in recent years and has prompted NZTA to tighten its verification processes, including real-time checks and independent audits of training providers. Industry leaders have acknowledged potential short-term driver shortages but say public safety must remain paramount.
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