Truck driver who worked 23 hours in one day ‘had no option’

between the South Island and North Island. Shortly afterwards, Davies’ partner became ill, so he hired someone to drive his truck for him. That person failed a drug test, and as a result, the truck sat idle for a while.

Davies, who lived in Picton at the time but has since moved to North Canterbury, was unable to find a replacement driver, so did the work himself, the summary said.

Between November 15 and December 2, there were only two days when Davies complied with the appropriate rest required for a truck driver. Drivers cannot exceed 13 hours a day behind the wheel.

The summary said Davies’ work day breaches ranged from 14 hours and three minutes, to 23 hours in a single day.

Between November 15 and November 23, 2019, Davies worked 179 hours in excess. Between November 23 and December 2, 2019, he worked 158 hours in excess.

The summary said that when GPS data was lined up with his logbook entries, the two did not match.

In explanation, Davies told the investigator that he repeatedly falsified the logbook so that if he was stopped, it would look like he was doing the right thing.

Davies said he chose to drive the truck because he ‘‘wanted to avoid going broke’’. After being let down by the relief driver, he felt he had no other option.

Ruth Harcourt, representing NZTA, said the agency was satisfied that Davies had since made contingencies so the same thing would not happen again.

Lawyer Kent Arnott, acting as agent, said Davies had since hired two drivers and described himself as semi-retired, which meant he did not drive often. ‘‘He’s not under the same pressure he was before.’’

Davies appeared in the Blenheim District Court on Monday for sentencing on one charge of making a false statement in a logbook, two charges of driving over 13 hours without a rest, a charge of driving without 10 hours of continuous rest, and a charge of omitting a logbook entry.

Judge Jo Rielly said the offending was serious, and the excessive hours placed the community at significant risk.

‘‘You worked very long hours, in excess of work time restrictions,’’ she told Davies. ‘‘To be quite blunt, I don’t know how you functioned without having a crash.

‘‘That said, as the prosecutor has acknowledged, you are a person who has done everything you can to cooperate with the investigation, to comply, and to ensure further offences won’t occur.’’

Judge Rielly fined Davies $900 for the period November 15 to November 23, 2019, and a further $720 for the period November 23 and December 2, 2019, a total of $1620. He was also disqualified from driving for two months.