Tougher Covid-19 restrictions causing frustrations for freight industry

September 7, 2021

Freight companies claim there’s been no consultation, and Northlanders face being cut off.

The tougher Covid-19 restrictions are causing confusion and frustration within the freight industry, as all regions aside from Auckland move into Level 2 late Tuesday night.

From Friday, those eligible to cross Auckland’s border for essential work will be required to be tested for the virus every week.

The freight industry claims there's been no consultation on this, or much thought put into how they're supposed to fulfill weekly testing requirements.

“What we did hear which is of real concern is that the police plan to stop one in 10 trucks at the border and that doesn’t mean one in 10 trucks will be pulled aside to see if the truck has been tested, it means the truck will stop and all trucks behind will stop,” says Nick Leggett of the Road Transport Forum.

Though Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has confirmed saliva testing will be an option, it’s not available just yet.

“If saliva testing or something we could administer with our team members was in place, then this would make this a whole lot easier and probably more reliable to be honest,” says Blake Noble, Transcon managing director.

In the meantime, workers will need to line up at community testing centres like everyone else.

Alan McDonald, head of EMA Advocacy has suggested dedicated testing stations near the border, not at the border, for those moving through.

A truck driver (file).

“There's nothing in place, so it's caught everybody out. You can't just do this sort of policy on the fly. It just creates more frustration, more annoyance and a bit of anger coming into the business community. So we would urge them to delay it, say until Monday.”

Those with exemptions to cross the border for personal reasons are also being asked to get tested when possible.

Police Tuesday night confirmed travel in and out of Auckland will remain highly restrictive with checkpoints at the northern and southern boundaries remaining in place under Alert Level 4.

Moving through by car or air will only be allowed for permitted personal reasons or for work. Without relevant evidence for travel, police say people will be turned around.

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