RUC issues Dear LTSA!

[IcedJohnno]

Decided I had better buy some more RUC the other day and was met with a surprise.
My 3T sticker had turned into a 2T one!
For the last 9 years of ownership I have always got a 3 tonne sticker.
I had figured why not? It is the same prices as a 2 tonne one and my Prado is 1800 kg's empty, without anyone or any tools in it.
Usually with just me and tools / general recovery gear, we weigh in at 2200.

I rang LTSA and was passed on to a 'senior rep'
She said that the stickers have been all dropped down to the nearest Tonne lower that my Gross Vehicle Mass. She says my GVM is 2075kg, therefore I can only have a 2T sticker, and that it was not negotiable.
That if I had any issues I should take it up with Toyota as they set the GVM.
She was not interested in the fact that I have heavy duty springs etc.
I asked if they was someone else I could talk with and she said she was a senior person and fully trained on this subject. Said in an aggressive tone I might add.

So...questions
How can I legally carry more than 2075kg?
Does my trailer load, braked or non braked, come into this GVM?
Do I need to get certed to carry more?
I am often trailering heavy loads and have been wondering if I can get a towbar certed to cart up to 3.5tonnes. Anyone got any ideas given the above issue?

Cheers all
John

[crazyclark31]

we are in the exact same position with our work vehciles. Have had a chat to the local plod about it and they are only really concerned about those that are really over weight ic light trucks carrying more than they should. May be different in your neck of the woods tho so might pay to have chat with your local boys in blue.
I personally think these new rules are beyond a joke and cannot see for the life of me how they are workable. esp in the heavy side of the transport feild.

[hosehustler]

I had the same conversation when recently putting the cruiser back on the road from it's reg on hold.
VX cruiser is now a 2 tonne sticker , will be an interesting debate if I get pulled up by the plod while towing the hilux as it's a single axle braked trailer so there's a fair bit of weight on the tow bar.
I'm fairly certain they measure weight of tow vehicle plus weight on tow bar, not total weight combined, although towed weight is then measured.
All up the total mass of VX with tools gear etc, trailer, hilux would have to be getting up toward 5 tonne

[doddzee]

My cruiser got a 1 tonne sticker Any two axle single tyred vehicle under 3.5 tonne pays the same rate anyway.

Light trailers are RUC exempt so as long as the trailer mass is withing your GCM and tow ratings the RUC rate is only the distance licence on the powered vehicle.

Through work I deal with the RUC system for a many parts of the transportation industry. Lets just say the wrong RUC weight on a light vehicle is not even a drop in the sea of problems the system has.

LTSA doesnt exist anymore either its NZTA

[Cameron]

pretty interesting. there's been no notification of the RUC changes to light diesel vehicle owners.
trucks have had a massive change. it's a massive lose for some guys, others have come out cheaper. basically, though, the jist of it is that you get a sticker which matches your factory GVM. It sucks because guys wiothtrucks that cart high volume, low weight loads get tucked a bit. axle combinations have had massive changes to their ruc buildu (some road friendly combos are twice the price they used to be, yet combos that theoretically kill the roads are cheaper)
real weird though. would be interesting to see what some jumped up rookie cop will do to farmer brown in his 2tonne stickered hilux with 4 sheep on the back taking it to 2800kg if he's having a bad day.

[3VILC]

Wonder how it is for safaris? My SWB used to weight up at 2150 with tools and me in it when I had it.
I know the truckies are furious as it makes even less sense for them, just more $$ for the government. Because previously you could run whatever sticker weight you liked, now you have to have the sticker closest to your GVM, which is a LOT of money if you cart light goods. For example, my best friend had E-Road systems fitted to his trucks (electronic automatic GPS tracked RUC system) because it saved a lot of money, the base RUC ran at 12ton, then when loaded you could jump on your iPhone and buy supplimentary RUC for extra weight as necessary which is automatically downloaded to the unit in the truck. So if you had a light day you might run 20ton loaded heading down, and 12ton coming home empty. Now he has to run 26ton all the time, so the cost of the system now makes no savings, and he estimates an extra $30,000 a year just for his 3 trucks.. so you work out whos getting rich here....

[CLUMZ1]

My cruiser got a 1 tonne sticker Any two axle single tyred vehicle under 3.5 tonne pays the same rate anyway.

this is only since august 1 2012 eh?

10 units @ 2 ton = $452.88 (Incl GST)
10 units @ 3 ton = $474.88 (Incl GST)

[Big]

I was under the understanding that you had to have a weight sticker for all ocupants + vehicle.. so if you had a pootral (around 2.5t + 4 passengers) then a 3t sticker is what would be required by law otherwise you would be classed as overweight and fined hard..

[KiwiMoose]

Hm, I just checked both my Safari and Mistral online and they have both been changed to 2T sticker from the 3T sticker they have now. Saves me a few bob I suppose, quoting "Please Note: any weight entered is ignored, as the system generated weight is used. "

[kbushnz]

Just checked mine....Online too...
Was running a 3T sticker since when I purchased it 13 years ago...
Now its dropped to 2T...
I used to weight in at 2.2T with 33's on steel rims and with a full tank of diesel.....Hate to think what it is now
Hmmmmmmm
Checked out the web site info... and found this
The last line is the interesting one.(http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/registr ... c-faqs.pdf)
Labels on light diesel vehicles under 3.5 tonnes
The weight shown on the label is the RUC weight for the vehicle. The RUC weight is the
lesser of the – gross vehicle mass (GVM), or the maximum allowable mass for the vehicle
under the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002 (VDAM Rule 2002). For
light diesel vehicles the RUC weight will usually be the GVM.
For vehicle type number 1 there are 3 weight bands. For vehicles in the first weight band –
those vehicles with a RUC weight of not more than 3.5 tonnes, the weight is rounded down to
the nearest tonne. So, for example, a vehicle with a GVM of 2.7 tonnes would be shown on
the label as 2 tonnes.
For vehicles in the second weight band – those vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes and
not more than 6 tonnes, the weight is rounded up to the nearest tonne. So, for example, a
vehicle with a GVM of 3.8 tonnes would be shown on the label as 4 tonnes.
The weight shown on the label is the RUC weight that determines which band the vehicle falls
into. Under the RUC Act 2012 there are no RUC weight based infringements so you cannot
be fined for carrying too much weight on your light diesel vehicle.

[CLUMZ1]

Under the RUC Act 2012 there are no RUC weight based infringements so you cannot
be fined for carrying too much weight on your light diesel vehicle.

Well at least something good came of it

[Dirtydog]

so if my 4x4 is weighted at 2995 it is labled as a 2T?

thats just rediculous.

[doddzee]

My cruiser got a 1 tonne sticker Any two axle single tyred vehicle under 3.5 tonne pays the same rate anyway.

this is only since august 1 2012 eh?

10 units @ 2 ton = $452.88 (Incl GST)
10 units @ 3 ton = $474.88 (Incl GST)

Yip, rates can be found here http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/registr ... -fees.html

[wjw]

With the extra seats I put in and the kids, with trailer I'm 3.2T unladen Without 2.46.. but hey if I don't have to worry about the weight

[Crash bandicoot]

Hm, I just checked both my Safari and Mistral online and they have both been changed to 2T sticker from the 3T sticker they have now. Saves me a few bob I suppose, quoting "Please Note: any weight entered is ignored, as the system generated weight is used. "

mistrals no where near two tonne anyway. glad its gone down.