Articles

In June this year, 74,521 vehicles were registered as lease vehicles – only 1.8% of the total New Zealand fleet. However, if we take individual households out of the picture, lease vehicles make up a sizable chunk of vehicles used by companies and other organisations. This article takes stock of the lease fleet in New Zealand, demonstrating which segments are growing and why.

Despite various opinion pieces recently, the New Zealand property market is not heading for a crash. Given the sheer inertia of demand pressures in Auckland, we also think chances of a substantial correction are slim. This article lays out an answer to the question asked by Slade Robertson’s opinion piece in the NZ Herald this morning: are we heading for a crash or correction?

This article is an update on agricultural commodity freight, which was last measured in June 2013 in the National Freight Demand Study (NFDS) – a report by Ministry of Transport which isn’t expected to be continued. This piece is part of a multi-part series that fills in the gaps between the NFDS results and now. I will also discuss the risks affecting freight in these sectors and use Infometrics’ export forecasts to provide an outlook for this part of road freight.

In light of National Drive Electric Week happening this month we thought we’d talk about how businesses can access funding for their electric vehicle ventures.

Aggregates – various forms of crushed rock – are used for building and road construction. These materials accounted for 11% of total freight volumes (tonnes) in 2012/13 but tend to travel short distances. Nevertheless, with growing demand for construction materials, especially in Auckland, aggregates road freight is likely to track upwards over the years ahead.

Our fundamental measures give us a broad projection of underlying demand for vehicles based on three factors: scrappage rates, car ownership rates, and population growth.

In the past year, the growth areas for vehicle sales have been the more rural parts of the country. With Fieldays taking place this week, we thought we’d talk about the growth in vehicle sales around the country, point out a few hotspots, and discuss our outlook for the agricultural sector and its effect on vehicle sales.

Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is spreading fast in New Zealand and causing devastating effects for farmers. The Government this week announced an ambitious attempt to stamp out the disease, through mass culling and strict restrictions on farmers. M. bovis causes a wide range of problems in cattle, ranging from pneumonia to arthritis. The government says they have a good shot at eradication… if they act now.

Almost all liquid milk is transported from farm to factory on the roads. In a year, about 21 million tonnes of liquid milk is freighted around the country. According to the Ministry of Transport, under a base case scenario, this volume is expected to increase to 34 million tonnes per year by the middle of 2043.

Manufactured and retail goods are the types of items households consume on a regular basis. These goods include the likes of food, clothes, and furniture, and they usually travel by road.