Transport Planning Society - New Zealand

Kia ora,

Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome.

Our aim is to facilitate, develop and promote best practice and innovation in transport planning here in Aotearoa New Zealand. We aim to create a Society that provides an open, diverse and inclusive transport planning community, which represents and champions the transport planning profession.

Regardless of your background, we want to support you through structured training, assessments and qualifications to promote your career progression and professional development as a transport planner.

If you are interested in joining us or would like further information about us, please send an e-mail to newzealand@tps.org.uk.

History

The branch formed on 4 February 2022, when a small group of transport professionals formally requested to the Transport Planning Society (UK) for recognition of the Transport Planning Society Aotearoa New Zealand.

A number of committee members participated in the Transport Planning Professional Pilot from 2022, and past and present committee members Sarah Loynes, Jo Draper, Alan Kerr, and Gemma Dioni all gained their TPP through the Senior route pilot scheme.  

The inaugural meeting of the TPS ANZ was chaired by Gemma Dioni (Christchurch City Council), with members in the organisations they were employed in at the time:

• Ben Ormsby - Ministry of Transport
• Sarah Loynes - Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
• James Llewellyn – Bay of Plenty Regional Council/Chair Transport Special Interest Group (TSIG)
• Pete Moth - Auckland Transport
• Jo Draper - Abley

We received acceptance by TPS UK the following month.

Board Members

The current composition of the Society's Committee is as follows:

News

Second TPS NZ Awards!

To celebrate Transport Planning Day, TPS NZ facilitated four awards for 2025 to celebrate transport planning in NZ.

The winners are below:

• Transport Planner of the Year: Debajeet Baruah (AT)
• Emerging Transport Planner of the Year: Jointly awarded to Flynn Roser (NZTA) and Zoe Chen (BECA)
• Student Transport Planner of the Year: Joseph Young
• Project of the Year: Auckland Rapid Transit Pathway
• 2025 Award and TPD

Whakamihi to all winners!

AGM 2026

We held our 2026 AGM on 6 March.

• Minutes can be found here.
• 2025/26 reports can be found here:
  TPS Chair's Report 2026
  TPS Membership Report 2026
  TPS Treasurer's Report 2026

TPP Webinar

On Thursday 21st September 2023, the TPS held their first webinar introducing the Transport Planning Professional qualification. You can watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHzXAZDS9EUIf you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at newzealand@tps.org.uk.

Working with the education sector

The TPS NZ committee are engaging with the education sector to help raise the profile of Transport Planning in New Zealand. This will help to encourage people at the beginning of their career to pursue transport planning as a profession:

• We have a regular slot with third year urban planning undergraduates at the University of Auckland
• We are working with University of Canterbury (UoC) to establish a Transport Planning course for undergraduates. The plan is for a 180 point Masters of Transport Planning. Options would include
  • 120 pts of courses (a standard year) and a 60 pt stakeholder engaged project.
  • 120 pt Postgrad Diploma in Transport Planning (taught courses only) with a 60 pt Postgrad Certificate in Transport Planning

The paperwork is currently (as of March 2026) working its way through UoC for approval.