NZ Light Vehicle RUC's 2026?

[Joker]

This got a few comments on the FB Page so we'll carry on here eh?

 

Theories & conspiracies lets GO!

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/how-the-government-is-preparing-to-ditch-petrol-tax-move-all-cars-to-road-user-charges/ILWBW5WS75A4ZN6V4GLFM2QLRA/

 

Quote

The Government has unveiled a raft of changes to the country’s Road User Charges system in preparation for 3.5 million vehicles moving to the charges.

As has previously been signalled, the current Fuel Excise Duty is expected to be abolished in the coming years, with all vehicles moving to Road User Charges (RUCs).

These are currently paid by owners of diesel, electric and heavy vehicles.

Last year, the Government said the transition away from the so-called petrol tax could happen as soon as 2027.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop said today that no date had been set, in order to make sure the changes aren’t rushed.

 

"Electronic" monitoring what?!

[boon]

I don't know where all the "Electronic monitoring" s*** has come from. It seems like a total invention by some people who have done 2+2 and gotten 47.

 

IMO the only "monitoring" will be that when you go for a WoF, if your RUCs are out you get a s***-o-gram in the mail 2 weeks later, just like it normally works. What would be the point in doing real-time RUCs?

 

[Andy_Mac]

The government won’t be keen to pay for hardware/upkeep costs on every fricken petrol car in the country and regular joe sure as hell won’t either so can’t see anything like that materialising. 

[Gripless]

4 hours ago, boon said:

I don't know where all the "Electronic monitoring" s*** has come from. It seems like a total invention by some people who have done 2+2 and gotten 47.

 

IMO the only "monitoring" will be that when you go for a WoF, if your RUCs are out you get a s***-o-gram in the mail 2 weeks later, just like it normally works. What would be the point in doing real-time RUCs?

 

That’s how I read it. WoF and registration would be the periodic checks.

Basic net zero.

Taxes saved on petrol for wasted in general taxes that have now paid for consulting and the wof software company to start creating updates.

 

As usual some MP friends or business made money out of it.

 

[boon]

The boat is winking at me real suggestively right now though.

[Gripless]

5 hours ago, boon said:

The boat is winking at me real suggestively right now though.

Shh before they add more tax for hours on outboards.

[TNHSTI]

Who's going to stop the fuel companies just putting their prices up after the tax is gone so they can spin a profit?

[Joker]

On 8/08/2025 at 11:43 AM, boon said:

I don't know where all the "Electronic monitoring" s*** has come from. It seems like a total invention by some people who have done 2+2 and gotten 47.

 

I'm definitely not giving it my full attention at the moment aye & yeah the PM was talking about Auto Toll payment with devices in cars (might be something for the big 3x cities) as "we're" decades behind other countries" etc

[Andy_Mac]

30 minutes ago, Joker said:

 

I'm definitely not giving it my full attention at the moment aye & yeah the PM was talking about Auto Toll payment with devices in cars (might be something for the big 3x cities) as "we're" decades behind other countries" etc

Only really need that in Tauranga where we’ll soon get a third toll road 🥴

Though the current system does actually work reasonably well if you remember to make an account so you don’t get stung admin fees on every bloody trip

[Joker]

or scam TXT messages from somewhere you've never visited hah

[Gripless]

lol only reason to put devices in cars is to have some private company make profit selling them.

NZ already has number Plate scanners on toll roads so as long as you registered it auto pays. They also like them as they act as speed cameras as well. They read entry and exit of the toll so can see your average speed over a known distance.

[Joker]

AA is weighing in telling them it's dum

 

like RUC's it'll end up relying on people buying chunk's and monitoring it

 

that's the 'e' system

 

it punishes the lazy man (me) hah

[Joker]

heh : anyone seen the pitchforks & boomers foaming on fb with the petitions? They are convinced we'll all be tagged / cops can now somehow check if you location services are turned ON on your phone with a scanner...

[Gripless]

Well that’s kind of true, but massively underestimated and twisted.

 

location services is for google and apple to use. Eg find my AirTags etc.

 

If you call emergency services they can get your GPS location sent from your phone by the operating system. That was set as the default in NZ many years ago. Fall detection etc uses this system to get help if you don’t cancel it.

 

Plus if you have Bluetooth on, even if not connected either phone or stereo they broadcast their ID. Some shops, busses and signage have for years and years recorded the ID and signal strength they see and report back to a central system. They can track your travel through a city, or in-store, they watch what isles etc you walk down to see the flow of customers. 
Signage ones are mostly adverts or those info displays which track the time you spend looking at them to see what ads or specials attack the most attention.

 

This similarly goes for wifi, your phone sends out requests every minute if not connected to a known network. They cycle through your saved or known list to see if they are nearby. This was what the karma wifi attack used.

Not to mention that all phone phone networks have your location in real-time and can and do sell or give access to anyone they want. Google also does this for traffic congestion on maps.

So tech is already in every pocket to ticket you real-time if you are speeding, only thing stopping it is figuring out who the driver is at the time.

if you have a phone or any Bluetooth device you are already tracked by most tech companies.

 

Let’s not forget the free LoRA messaging devices. If it transmits it is trackable.

If you aren’t paying for a product… You are the product. Welcome to the last 20 years of tech companies.

 

If you want a good conspiracy theory, why did the headphone jack get removed? All phone are thick enough for one… it’s so you are more likely to have Bluetooth on so they can sell data for ads.

 

PS for reasons, this is all made up and I have no knowledge or involvement.

Edited August 14 by Gripless

[Gripless]

If they want a real solution it’s not based on anything they have said.

It’s all in the contracts, repair costs are covered by the contractor for the first year. These already exist for some infrastructure along with very strict times when work can be done eg only low traffic times, often at night. Lower the cost of roads rather than bill users. Ban luxury good from road transport, low use high status items are not allowed on road transport and must be sent via train. Supercars just add 10% duty on import for roads.

 

Hybrids and electric weigh more than petrol cars so I’m not sure how complex their maths is to make anything balance out. 
The other part is if people are to pay the same or less how does that increase the income. Even if it is to cover the development costs which being software and/or hardware will be many millions of dollars.

 

plus isn’t there going to be more of an imbalance with local roads in cities not getting money. Isn’t Auckland the only city that gets income from road tax now?

let’s also throw in Auckland has more congestion now than before 1)ride share apps have studies showing they increase city traffic and congestion by 13%. Add to that the 3 lanes roads that are now 1 lane for bus or cycle lanes that are pretty much unused.

Edited August 14 by Gripless

[Timmah]

On 8/08/2025 at 11:43 AM, boon said:

I don't know where all the "Electronic monitoring" s*** has come from. It seems like a total invention by some people who have done 2+2 and gotten 47.

 

IMO the only "monitoring" will be that when you go for a WoF, if your RUCs are out you get a s***-o-gram in the mail 2 weeks later, just like it normally works. What would be the point in doing real-time RUCs?

 

It came from when Chris Bishop said we could pay for RUCs monthly via an app.