Passenger service vehicles

Passenger service vehicles (PSVs) are:

vehicles used in a passenger service (no matter how many seating positions they might have)
vehicles with more than 12 seating positions (whether they’re used for hire or reward or not)
(for vehicle design and standards purposes) heavy motor vehicles with more than nine seating positions (whether they’re used for hire or reward or not).

PSVs are vehicles used in an operation where carrying passengers is an integral part of the business. The most obvious passenger service vehicles are buses, taxis and shuttles.

Rental vehicles are PSVs only if they have more than 12 seating positions, or if they’re hired by a passenger service licence holder to operate as a PSV.

What is a passenger service?

Passenger service is defined in the Land Transport Act 1998 (as amended by the Land Transport Amendment Act 2005). It means carrying passengers in a motor vehicle for hire or reward. It includes situations where the vehicle is hired out and a driver is provided.

The definition of passenger service also includes carrying passengers in a vehicle that can carry more than 12 people, including the driver, whether you’re carrying those passengers for hire or reward or not.

Please note that the definition of a passenger service doesn’t include any service exempt from requiring a transport service licence under the Act or Land Transport Rule: Operator Licensing 2007.

The PSV Rule

All passenger service vehicles have to meet the requirements of Land Transport Rule: Passenger Service Vehicles 1999 ('the PSV Rule'). It covers the design, construction and maintenance of all passenger service vehicles in New Zealand.

The purpose of the Rule is to ensure that all PSVs meet general safety requirements and vehicle standards. It covers in some detail, for example, emergency exit requirements and measures to prevent overloading.

The PSV Rule covers both light PSVs (those with a gross vehicle mass of 3500 kg or less) and heavy PSVs (ie those with a gross vehicle mass over 3500 kg).

The Rule specifies the legal requirements for PSV design and construction (eg structural strength and roll-over protection, audible reversing alarms and safety requirements for special equipment such as wheel chair hoists and ramps).

If you want to operate a passenger service vehicle, we strongly recommend you read the PSV Rule. If you don’t read it, you may face some unexpected requirements — and therefore expenses. Printed copies of the Rule are available in some libraries and in bookstores that sell legislation.

Certificates of fitness

PSVs have to be inspected to make sure they meet the requirements of the PSV Rule before they can be registered. The initial inspection to make sure the vehicle is up to the required level of safety before it can be registered is called certification, and the on-going regular checks are certificate of fitness (CoF) inspections. All PSVs must have a CoF.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has appointed Transport Service Delivery Agents (TSDAs) to carry out certification for registration and CoF inspections. The agents are:

When the vehicle is inspected it must meet two sets of requirements. The first are the vehicle standard and other safety requirements that apply to any vehicle of its class. The second are the requirements in the PSV Rule.

If you want to start using your own vehicle as a taxi it will already be registered, but it will still have to undergo a change of use certification. The vehicle will also need to meet CoF and PSV Rule requirements.

The PSV Rule includes some requirements for specialist certification. For instance the roll-over strength requirement and the safety of any equipment for people with special mobility needs must be checked by specialist certifiers appointed by the NZTA.

Operating a passenger service

Please note that if you want to operate a passenger service, making sure your vehicle complies with the PSV Rule is just one part of the process. In the interests of public safety there are requirements for the vehicle, and a range of different requirements for you, too.

You’ll need to complete at least one approved course in order to get a passenger endorsement on your driver licence (a P endorsement). You’ll probably need to obtain a transport service licence as well.

You will need to read:

The NZTA offices have information kits on transport service licences, too.

Where you can find out more

Contact the NZ Transport Agency:

Email us: info@nzta.govt.nz.
Phone our contact centre: 0800 699 000.
Write to us: NZ Transport Agency, Private Bag 6995, Wellington 6141.