What is the road transport and distribution award?
The road transport and distribution award is a set of rules that outline the minimum employment conditions for workers in the road transport and distribution industry in Australia.
The road transport and distribution award covers different job roles such as driver’s assistants, truck, forklift, concrete mixer and crane drivers, and ensures that employees are treated fairly and in accordance with Fair Work regulations.
It includes details on minimum wages, working hours, and leave entitlements for both employers and employees.
Who is entitled to the Road Transport and Distribution Award?
The road transport and distribution award covers employers and employees working in the road transport and distribution industry across Australia.
Examples of employees covered by the Road Transport Award include:
- yardpersons, general hands, driver’s assistants and loaders
- truck, forklift, concrete mixer and crane drivers
- transport riggers
- distribution facility employees
- furniture remover’s assistants.
Drivers are also covered by the Road Transport Award for the time they are performing shorter distance work if they:
- normally work as a long distance driver under the Road Transport (Long Distance) Award, and
- sometimes do short distance work.
The Road Transport Award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees who are placed with an organization in the road transport and distribution industry.
To determine whether your staff fall under the Road Transport and Distribution Award, it’s recommended to visit the Fair Work website.
Road Transport and Distribution Award rates
Workstem has developed a comprehensive guide to help compliance with the road transport and distribution award.
If you’re uncertain about the applicable classifications, this guide can help you understand how to comply with Fair Work legislation, classify your employees correctly, and pay penalties and allowances in accordance with the road transport and distribution award.
Full-time and part-time employees
- Ordinary and penalty rates (other than shiftworkers)
|
Transport employees |
Oil distribution employees |
Distribution facility employees |
||
|
% of ordinary hourly rate |
||||
|
Ordinary hours |
100% | 100% | 100% | |
|
Early morning* |
130% |
/ | / | |
|
Saturday |
150% |
150% | 150% | |
| Sunday | 200% | 200% |
200% |
|
| Public holiday | Good Friday & Christmas Day | 200% | 200% |
200% |
| Any other public holiday | 150% | 150% |
150% |
|
*Newspaper, meat, live poultry delivery employees or drivers employed at a fish, fruit or vegetable store – where ordinary hours commence between 12.01 am and 6.00 am, Monday to Friday.
- Ordinary and penalty rates (shiftworkers)
| Transport employees | Oil distribution employees | Distribution facility employees | ||
|
% of ordinary hourly rate |
||||
|
Ordinary hours |
100% | 100% |
100% |
|
|
Afternoon |
117.5% | 117.5% |
117.5% |
|
|
Night |
130% | 130% | 130% | |
|
Non continuous afternoon or night |
First 3 hours |
150% | 150% | 150% |
|
After 3 hours |
200% | 200% |
200% |
|
| Saturday | 150% | 150% |
150% |
|
| Sunday | 200% | 200% |
200% |
|
| Public holiday | 250% | 250% |
250% |
|
- Overtime rates ( other than shiftworkers)
| % of ordinary hourly rate | |
|
First 2 hours |
150% |
| After 2 hours |
200% |
| Public Holiday |
250% |
| Good Friday & Christmas Day |
300% |
- Overtime rates ( shiftworkers)
| % of ordinary hourly rate | |
| First 2 hours |
150% |
|
After 2 hours |
200% |
Casual employees
- Ordinary and penalty rates (other than shiftworkers)
| Transport employees | Oil distribution employees | Distribution facility employees | ||
|
% of ordinary hourly rate |
||||
|
Ordinary hours |
125% |
125% | 125% | |
| Early morning* | 155% | / |
/ |
|
| Saturday | 175% | 175% |
175% |
|
| Sunday | 225% | 225% |
225% |
|
| Public holiday | Good Friday & Christmas Day | 325% | 325% |
325% |
| Any other public holiday | 275% | 275% |
275% |
|
- Ordinary and penalty rates (shiftworkers)
| Transport employees | Oil distribution employees | Distribution facility employees | ||
|
% of ordinary hourly rate |
||||
|
Ordinary hours |
125% | 125% | 125% | |
|
Afternoon |
142.5% | 142.5% | 142.5% | |
|
Night |
155% | 155% | 155% | |
| Non continuous afternoon or night | First 3 hours | 175% | 175% |
175% |
| After 3 hours | 225% | 225% |
225% |
|
|
Saturday |
175% |
175% |
175% |
|
| Sunday | 225% | 225% |
225% |
|
| Public holiday | 275% | 275% |
275% |
|
- Overtime
| Transport employees | Oil distribution employees | Distribution facility employees | ||
|
% of ordinary hourly rate |
||||
|
First 2 hours |
160% | 160% |
160% |
|
| After 2 hours | 210% | 210% |
210% |
|
How to make payroll efficient with Workstem?
Simplify your payroll processes with Workstem’s all-in-one platform, handling onboarding, time and attendance, award interpretation, payroll, STP 2, superannuation and more.
Customise attendance entitlements, auto-track attendance data, streamline the payment process and keep compliance with Fair Work award through our AI Engine. Workstem provides a complete solution for efficient payroll management and regulatory compliance.
FAQs
Q:Do Road Transport and Distribution Award employers be required to pay Award minimum wage?
A: Yes, the Award minimum wage is the minimum legal requirement that an employee must be paid if they are covered through the Road Transport and Distribution Award. Employers are legally bound to comply with this.
Q:How do employers pay employees not covered under an Award?
A: If a business owner is in the road transport and distribution industry, but a particular employee is not covered by the Road Transport and Distribution Award, then either the FWC’s national minimum wage or the state minimum wage applies.
Read More: Road Transport and Distribution Award Guide