Making Driving Safer – Warren Kendall

“As with all inspections, safety is our primary focus”, says Warren. With entry certification the inspections are far more detailed than WoF and CoF. #MakingDrivingSafer

“VINZ has always had a supportive environment and provided opportunities for progression”, says Warren Kendall Auckland Area Manager for VINZ, responsible for the company’s biggest region, with forty-seven staff in ten work sites.

Warren is always on the lookout for new business opportunities, and creative ways to enthuse his team, such as, entering in the annual Auckland Round the Bay’s event. “I am always motivated to learn and excite my team. I strongly believe, we can improve on things every day, and there’s always something you can do better from the previous day”, says Warren.

Working in operational management for the last 12 years, Warren’s “first stint with VINZ, was back in 1998, when I was employed as compliance inspector”. I was looking for something off the tools when I saw the advert – it was definitely different”.

This was near the beginning of the New Zealand compliance industry, and Warren drove around in S-Cargo vehicles, that had jacks, vinning gear, and computers in the boot for inspecting vehicles in locations all around Auckland.

In 2002, after living in Europe and taking in their strict road rules and regs Warren re-joined VINZ working as a Compliance Inspector for four years. After beginning his management career outside of VINZ, Warren later returned to take up a role as VINZ Mangere Branch Manager, moving through the Auckland Compliance Manager role to his current Regional Manager role.

Warren says, “I re-joined, because for me VINZ has always had a supportive environment and provided opportunities to progress. VINZ has given me, the opportunity to create a happy working environment for my team, and I enjoy looking for new opportunities to grow our business in any way”.

“As with all inspections, safety is our primary focus”, says Warren.  With entry certification the inspections are far more detailed than WoF and CoF. The vehicles need to stripped, measured and marked by the inspectors ensuring they’re safe to enter the New Zealand vehicle fleet. To ensure the inspectors continue to uphold a high standard, we have carry out regular internal audits, on the  inspection process, and each inspector must read and sign that they have understood all new NZTA rules or updates.

At VINZ we also have dedicated Health and Safety ‘champions’ that continually work to keep our workplace as safe as possible and ensure current health and safety standards are in place and front of mind.