Nationwide Driver Shortage Looms as NZ Revokes 440 Licences

Transport operators in New Zealand are voicing serious concerns about a potential driver shortage ahead of the Christmas season. The alert follows the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) revoking a total of 440 commercial driving licences this month. The revocations occurred after the agency discovered that numerous drivers had used false or altered documents to convert their overseas licences into New Zealand equivalents.

Industry representatives warn that this sudden decision could lead to significant disruptions in transport logistics, leaving many trucks parked during one of the busiest times of the year. According to Navjot Sidhu, a transport operator advocating for the affected drivers, many of those impacted are of Indian origin and had previously been employed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before relocating to New Zealand in 2022.

“The Indian community has been disproportionately affected,” Sidhu stated. “Many of these drivers form the backbone of New Zealand’s transport, logistics, and courier workforce.” He emphasized that the ramifications extend beyond the drivers themselves, affecting 440 families—potentially thousands of people—who could soon find themselves without an income. “Losing these drivers means fewer trucks on the road, which could disrupt essential supplies as Christmas approaches,” he added.

Transport operator Ranjit Singh, who operates out of Tauranga, employs four drivers, two of whom are now facing licence revocation. “One has already received the letter, and another could at any time,” Singh explained. “You can’t replace these drivers overnight. I advertised for a year and couldn’t find a single local driver—that’s why we recruited from overseas.” He noted that recruiting and training a suitable replacement takes at least three months, making the timing of the NZTA’s crackdown particularly damaging.

Concerns regarding the economic implications of the revocations have also been raised by Parmjeet Parmar, an ACT Party MP who met with affected drivers last weekend. “Standing down hundreds of experienced Class 5 drivers just weeks before Christmas will put enormous pressure on freight and supply chains,” Parmar said. She emphasized that businesses rely on this period for financial recovery and cannot operate without qualified drivers.

Parmar highlighted that many drivers believed they had complied with the correct licensing procedures, even if the documentation was later deemed problematic. “While misuse of documents is unacceptable, these drivers passed New Zealand’s own theory and practical tests and demonstrated competence on our roads,” she stated. In response to the situation, she has written to the Minister of Transport, urging a solution that preserves the integrity of the licensing system while minimizing disruption to workers and employers during this critical time.

An audit conducted by NZTA in July uncovered that many of the revoked commercial licences were based on documents the agency now considers invalid or unverifiable. Most of the affected licences were in heavy vehicle commercial categories. Sidhu explained that the document in question was a Dubai-issued supporting letter, commonly provided by employers, which had been accepted by NZTA for nearly two decades during the licence conversion process. “I want to stress this is not a new document,” Sidhu remarked. “Drivers coming from the UAE have routinely submitted it over the years, trusting NZTA’s past approval processes.”

The situation has raised questions about a potential shift in NZTA’s interpretation of these documents. Sidhu pointed out that for 20 years, no indication was given that the supporting letter might be deemed unacceptable. Onkar, who runs PB07 Transport Ltd and employs eight drivers, four of whom are from the UAE, noted that authorities in the Middle East do not issue the type of verification letter required by NZTA for licence conversions.

NZTA’s current regulations necessitate that supporting documents specify the tonnage of vehicles a driver is qualified to operate. “For years, NZTA routinely accepted the widely used Dubai supporting letter as part of the conversion process,” Onkar stated. “Now that NZTA is not accepting this supporting letter, a mismatch has occurred between UAE’s system and New Zealand’s evolving standards.”

The notion that drivers engaged in fraudulent activity has been challenged by Sidhu, who noted that some drivers had also been scammed by a provider of supporting letters in Dubai. “The overseas provider openly advertised that they could supply the necessary documents for a fee, suggesting this was the standard practice,” he explained. “Lured by this impression, many drivers paid for the letter, which is now deemed fraudulent by NZTA.”

Singh highlighted the extensive experience many of these drivers have, stating they have operated heavy vehicles exceeding 40 tonnes in the UAE for years. “They cleared all requisite theory and driving tests after moving here and have been driving on our roads for one to two years without any issues,” Singh said. “The only issue is the supporting letter, which has led to the mass revocation of 440 commercial driving licences.”

The gravity of the situation is underscored by the emotional toll it has taken on the drivers and their families. Hundreds attended a rally at the Takanini Gurdwara in South Auckland last weekend. Amritpal Singh, who drove trucks in the UAE for 15 years before moving to New Zealand, expressed the severe impact of the licence revocation on his family. “They have taken away our family’s only source of income. How will I feed my kids now?” he lamented.

Another affected driver, Parminder Singh, shared that he can no longer afford rent due to his inability to drive. “We have to rely on the generosity of friends even to come here to attend this meeting,” he said. Kiranpreet Singh added that the drivers had merely followed long-accepted practices when converting their heavy vehicle licences. “Now, our wives and children are being penalised for no fault of theirs,” he remarked.

Legal advocate Sarfaraz Khan is calling for a case-by-case remediation pathway for the drivers, as he prepares to meet with representatives from NZTA to present their case. Meanwhile, Jitendra Singh, who operates a driving academy in the South Auckland suburb of Wiri, reported confusion stemming from communications received from NZTA. “Some drivers have been told their Class 5 licence is cancelled and they cannot drive any vehicle in New Zealand,” he stated.

The NZTA has issued statements regarding the situation, confirming that action on the licences followed the discovery of false or altered documentation during the conversion process. “Irregularities in the documents were uncovered during an audit undertaken by NZTA in July 2025,” an agency spokesperson explained. Transport Minister Chris Bishop, when asked about potential driver shortages ahead of Christmas, directed inquiries to NZTA, citing it as an operational matter for the agency.

As the situation unfolds, the impact on the transport sector and the livelihoods of affected drivers remains a pressing concern as Christmas approaches.