If you have never claimed the Transport Allowance (GTRP) but believe you are/were entitled to it, submit a claim for GTRP here.
If you regularly claimed GTRP via your timesheet, you do not need to do anything to be part of the remediation process – you will be included in the remediation exercise. Payroll is currently working on the issue.
Please note that the remediation process is complex and time consuming. We do not anticipate being in a position to pay any remediation payments before early 2025. Please also note that these payments, unlike those in the Holidays Act remediation, are not likely to be large for the individuals due them.
What are the issues relating to the Transport Allowance (GTRP) payments?
KiwiRail has agreed a settlement with the RMTU in relation to the way the transport allowance under the KR-RMTU MECA clause 33.5 (known by its payroll code as GTRP) is paid.
The Transport Allowance (GTRP) will change from being a reimbursement to a taxable allowance.
This means that the allowance is not only paid when you work a qualifying shift, but is also payable when you take some forms of leave (and would otherwise have worked a qualifying shift).
In other words, your pay will be remediated if you took any of the following types of leave – family violence, bereavement, alternative holidays (days earned for working on a public holiday), public holidays, sick leave (including sick leave debited for a worker as a top up of ACC payments), sick leave of less than 4 hours under clause 26.16, fatigue leave, jury leave, education leave (EREL) – and would otherwise have worked a qualifying shift (any portion of the shift is between 2000 and 0600, you live more than 2kms from work and you are not provided with a work vehicle by KiwiRail).
The agreement applies to all RMTU members covered by the collective agreement, current and former.
What is the Transport Allowance Remediation process about?
Previously, the Transport Allowance (GTRP) was treated as a re-imbursing allowance. In other words, it was paid only when staff worked a qualifying shift (see FAQ ‘I am unsure if I am eligible to claim’).
The GTRP allowance is now being treated as a taxable allowance. This means that it is payable when staff would otherwise have worked a qualifying shift but for taking one of the following forms of leave.
We will review our payroll records from 2 August 2015 and if you took one of the above forms of leave when you would otherwise have worked a qualifying shift (see below), you will receive a remediation payment.
Who is entitled to claim the Transport Allowance?
You worked between 2000 and 0600 hours.
You reside more than 2km from your place of work.
You have not been provided with a KiwiRail vehicle to travel to/from work.
What is GTRP?
GTRP is a payroll code used for claiming a Transport Allowance under clause 33.5 of the KiwiRail and Rail & Maritime Transport Union Multi-Employer Collective Agreement 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2025.
The Transport Allowance is payable if the following criteria are met:
When can I expect to get my payout?
We are still in the initial stages of evaluating the process for payment of the Transport Allowance remediation. At present, our current timeframe for payment is early 2025.
What if I moved during the duration of my employment?
If during your employment you moved further than 2km away from your place of work, please complete the Transport Allowance Remediation Claim Form providing us with the details of your move and we will evaluate your claim with this information.
I occasionally worked night shifts, but these were not my normal hours and I never claimed GTRP at the time. Am I eligible to claim?
If you have worked between 2000 and 0600 hours, you will be eligible to claim the allowance even if these are not your regular hours.
Please complete the Transport Allowance Remediation Claim Form and provide us with as much detail is possible regarding these qualifying shifts.
What period will the Transport Allowance be paid out for?
The remediation period for the Transport Allowance is 2 August 2015 to 22 June 2024.
From 23 June 2024, the Transport Allowance (GTRP) will be paid as a taxable allowance and should also be claimed on certain types of leave which are listed below. If you would have been entitled to claim GTRP on the shift, had you worked it, then you should also claim when on leave.
The leave types where you should now claim GTRP are:
If the Transport Allowance is taxable, will the rate in the KiwiRail and Rail & Maritime Transport Union Multi-Employer Collective Agreement remain the same?
No, the rates have been grossed up as follows:
| Effective date | GTRP Rates per qualifying shift |
| 21 June 2015 | $8.04 |
| 3 July 2016 | $8.21 |
| 2 July 2017 | $8.37 |
| 1 July 2018 | $8.58 |
| 30 June 2019 | $8.82 |
| 14 November 2021 | $9.52 |
| 13 November 2022 | $9.91 |
| 25 June 2023 | $10.51 |
| 23 June 2024 | $10.93 |
I am unsure if I have claimed the allowance in the past
If you are unsure if you have previously claimed the Reimbursement Allowance, check that you have worked a shift that meets the following criteria:
If you meet the above criteria, please complete the Remediation Claim Form.
We will validate your claim against your historical pay slips to determine if the reimbursement allowance has been claimed or not.