NZ driver work time rules, checked when tomorrow is planned

If you carry paying passengers in New Zealand, your drivers are covered by the work time rules. DayRunner checks them every time it plans tomorrow, and tells you which rule a run would break and what you could do about it.

What it checks

DayRunner counts each driver's whole shift: prep at each end, the pickup run, the trip and the drop-offs. Then it checks the NZ rules in the Land Transport Rule: Work Time and Logbooks 2007:

• 30-minute break after 5½ hours of work time. It shows where the break goes.
• 13 hours of work time in a cumulative work day at most.
• 10 hours' continuous rest after a work day, using yesterday's finish time.
• 70 hours in a cumulative work period before a 24-hour break.

It also checks the maximum hours you set for each driver, which can be lower than the law.

What you see

When it allocates, the planner prefers a driver who stays legal. If nobody does, the run goes into Decide before the day with the rule named and options, like swapping for a driver with hours left or pairing a second driver for the return leg.

Going over your own limit, but not the law, shows as a Check rather than a Decide.

Why it matters

The NZTA work time factsheet says an employer held responsible for a driver's breach can be fined up to $25,000 on conviction. Most breaches aren't planned. They happen when someone covers a sick mate after a late finish. DayRunner catches that before you ring them.

Our guide to the NZ work time rules has the detail, with sources.

Questions