Our Auckland Tours Mini Bus - Pick up

OUR PICK-UPS ARE FROM INNER AUCKLAND CITY

We DO NOT advocate “Child under 5 years free if not occupying a seat” as brochured by some tour companies. Certificate of Fitness (COF) Passenger Service vehicles, have an allotted amount of passengers they are allowed to carry; i.e. one passenger per one seat-belt, (be the passenger 1 day old or 200 years old!). A COF vehicle that has seat-belts fitted (nowdays what vehicles don’t??) cannot exceed this number. You find this number on the little metal plate inside such vehicles.

The operation of giving free transport to under 5 year-olds if “not occupying a seat” is ILLEGAL .

It absolutely horrifies us to see tour companies openly state “free transport to under 5 year-olds if not occupying a seat”, especially when many of these companies are Qualmark Endorsed & Tourism Industry members! …(see NZ Law below)

Our Auckland sightseeing tours is via our luxurious air-conditioned mini coach. Our vehicles are serviced regularly [and locally], and we are Registered with the Auckland Council to legally enter Parks and Reserves. We do carry coats, but advise you to bring your own personal extras, and for comfort it is best to wear comfortable walking shoes.

Here is the New Zealand Child Restraint Law

Children under 5 years old

- Must be properly restrained by an approved child restraint.
- They must not travel in the car if you can’t put them in an approved child restraint.
- Must be properly restrained in an approved child restraint.

Children 5 to 7 years old:

- Must use a child restraint if available.
- If there is no child restraint available, the child must use a safety belt if available
- If there is no safety belt available the child must be in the back seat.

Children 8 to 14 years old:

- Must use safety belts if available
- If there is no safety belt available, the child must be in the back seat.

People over 14 years old

- Drivers and passengers must wear safety belts when available.

Exemptions to NZ law

A child doesn’t have to be in an approved child restraint if they’re travelling in a:

- vintage vehicle (first registered before 1955) that isn’t fitted with safety belts
- goods service vehicle (eg, a truck, van or utility) with an unladen weight over 2,000 kg that isn’t fitted with safety belts
- passenger service vehicle (eg, taxi, shuttle, bus) that isn’t fitted with safety belts.

However, where a safety belt is available in any of these vehicles, the child must be restrained, and where an approved child restraint is available, it must be used (where appropriate for the child’s age and weight). Taxi companies will probably provide child restraints if you give them reasonable notice.

Note: that the driver of a passenger service vehicle, such as a bus or taxi, is not legally responsible for ensuring seat belts are used (if fitted). It’s up to the person in charge of the child to make sure they are used.