Road Worker Safety and TTM Update

TTM Planner Update

The TTM Planner role was introduced at the end of December 2019 with the intent of the role taking the responsibility for preparing traffic management plans from the existing STMS role.

The uptake and success rate for the TTM Planner qualification has not achieved what anyone wanted.

In order to increase the pass rate, we have made a variety of changes including:

• Requirement notes in the marking schedule now have clear intent description;
• Provision of a detailed marking schedule, available to all workshop attendees and their employers, which clearly sets out the assessment process and expectations for submission of an acceptable traffic management plan for assessment;  
• Introduction of a coversheet for the TTM Planner assessment which includes a checklist for the documents to be submitted;
• Conducted a peer-review day for our TTM planner assessors. Outcomes include:
  • Assessments with 3 or fewer non-safety critical Not Yet Achieved [NYA] should have those NYAs peer reviewed for appropriateness of a pass or fail; and
  • The assessor can call the TTM Planner to gather more information about their assessment which will be counted as valid evidence towards a pass/fail
• Communicated the option to appeal a decision result;
• Included a 30-minute phone call to discuss results, next steps, and coaching needs after a NYA result. Coaching has the highest impact and results in a higher pass rate on the second attempt.

• Subsequent assessment submissions are sent to the same assessor for marking to maintain a consistent relationship, unless a request is made to appeal.

Despite these additions, and three extensions to implementation, we have not managed to get the numbers of planners successfully though the training that are needed on the ground. We are also aware that we need a better distribution of planners across the country.

The Waka Kotahi TTM Steering committee recently approved the following change that should help alleviate some short-term and longer-term challenges with the availability of TTM Planners.

Effective immediately:

Anyone will be able to write and submit TMP’s without requiring the endorsement of a qualified TTM planner if:

• they have attended the TTM Planner training; and
• have submitted at least one TMP for assessment

This change will stay in place, at least until the end of the summer sealing season.

Please email copttm.quals@nzta.govt.nz to confirm a planners qualifications.

This change will immediately allow almost 500 people to submit plans - doubling the number currently available. These additional planners are also spread across the country.  

There are also around 500 additional people who have attended the training who, if they submit a plan for assessment, will be able to write and submit TMP’s without requiring the endorsement of a TTM Planner.

We are aware that this is a short-term fix, and we need to do more to alleviate the shortage of TTM Planners. In conjunction with CCNZ we are also implementing some steps to make it easier to qualify as a planner.

We are working on a discussion document, outlining the proposed requirements for a TTM career pathway. The document will combine the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) criteria with learning outcomes that have been adapted in Australia based on the implementation of a risk-based approach.

We will be inviting feedback on the discussion document. Once feedback is collated, the discussion document will become the draft TTM Designer Career Pathway and required unit standards will be developed through Connexis, our industry training organisation.

We are currently reviewing COPTTM and aligning it with Austroads and the draft WorkSafe Good Practice Guide. This will move the sector significantly towards a risk-based approach to temporary traffic management, creating a concise risk-based guidance, enabling safe and appropriate temporary traffic management. We will review what training is required, who does it, and how qualifications are managed as we work through the guide.

We are moving away from creating content and will continue to develop and strengthen partnerships to better support the needs of the sector. 

Vanessa Browne

National Manager, Programme and Standards
Transport Services