Our take on the latest Commercial registrations and activity (Tue 10 Aug 2021)
New light commercials up 27%pa in July 2021
New medium commercials up 25%pa
New very heavy commercials up 6.3%pa
The key numbers...
- There were 4,864 new commercial vehicle registrations in July 2021, 26% higher than July 2020 and 29% higher than June 2019.
- New commercial registrations were up in all categories, with strong growth for new light and medium commercial vehicles up 27%pa and 25%pa respectively, and very heavy registrations up 6.3%pa.
- Total road user charges (RUC) (kms) for July 2021 were up 12%pa from July 2020 and up 9.6% from July 2019. Growth in the past year has been driven by RUCs for light and very heavy vehicles, which were up 14%pa and 7.5%pa respectively. In contrast, medium vehicle RUCs were down 1.0%pa.
New light commercial registrations
Monthly
...and our reaction
- July 2021 new light and medium commercial vehicle registrations were in the same range as the highs seen in the years leading up to COVID-19. Very heavy commercial vehicle registrations are recovering but are yet to see the highs of recent years.
- Commercial vehicle registrations reflect strength in the broader economy. Priase for how well New Zealand has shaken off the effects of COVID-19 has now turned to concerns about the sustainability of the economic recovery with unemployment back down to pre-pandemic levels and reports of skill shortages widespread.
- A shortage of drivers may constrain further recovery in commercial vehicle registrations in the near term. Driver shortages were already common in the commercial road transport sector pre-COVID, and have only been exacerbated with borders remaining closed to working migrants.
Latest updates
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1.2%pa Light commercial registrations fall in the June 2026 quarter
19%pa Medium commercial registration fall in the June 2026 quarter
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Medium and very heavy commercial registrations still falling
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Quarterly very heavy registrations down 26%pa in Dec 2025Quarterly medium registrations down 18%pa in Dec 2025Quarterly light commercial registrations up 9.5%pa in Dec 2025Commercial registrations and activity
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Fri 10 Oct 2025
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Very heavy registrations down 38%pa in Sep 2025 quarterMedium registrations down 14%pa in Sep 2025 quarterLight commercial registrations up 25%pa in Sep 2025 quarter