Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award

If you engage drivers in long distance road transport in Australia, broadly where the vehicle travels beyond a set radius from its base or between distant points, the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award 2020 (MA000039) generally applies to that work. Local pick-up, delivery and distribution driving falls under the Road Transport and Distribution Award instead. Because the line between local and long distance work matters, confirm which award covers each driver's work on the Fair Work source before setting pay.

Long distance work can be paid on a cents-per-kilometre basis tied to the distance travelled and the vehicle's load capacity. The award sets the rate bands, and the driver must still receive at least the relevant minimum for the work however it is calculated. The figures are reviewed each year, so use the current cents-per-kilometre rate for the right vehicle band from the Fair Work Pay Calculator, and check the result against the minimum, rather than relying on a remembered number.

Yes. As well as the cents-per-kilometre method, long distance work can be paid on an hourly or trip basis built from the driver's classification rate, with the award again requiring at least the relevant minimum. Which method suits depends on the operation, but whichever you use, the driver must not end up below the award minimum. Confirm the current classification rate and the rules around each payment method on the Fair Work source before structuring pay.

Driver classifications under MA000039 are generally tied to the type and size of vehicle operated, with higher-capacity combinations attracting higher rates. Place each driver at the classification matching the vehicle they actually operate, then apply the relevant cents-per-kilometre or hourly rate. Because the underlying rates change each July, read the current figure for the classification and vehicle type from the Fair Work Pay Calculator rather than from memory.

Casual long distance drivers are paid a loading on top of the applicable rate to compensate for the paid leave and other entitlements casuals do not receive. This award sets its own casual loading on the driving and cents-per-kilometre rates, which differs from the figure common to other awards, and how it interacts with the cents-per-kilometre and trip-based methods is specific to this award. Confirm the current casual loading and how it applies to the payment method used on the Fair Work Pay Calculator before running pay.

Public holiday work is still recognised under MA000039 and can attract a premium that as a guide can reach up to 150%, though the way it applies depends on whether the work is paid on a cents-per-kilometre, trip or hourly basis. Public holidays vary by state and territory and may differ along an interstate route. Confirm how the public holiday entitlement applies to the relevant payment method, and the current rate, on the Fair Work source before processing pay that includes one.

The cents-per-kilometre and trip-based methods are designed to compensate for the nature of long distance work, so overtime does not always apply in the same way as for local driving, but where hourly-based arrangements are used, overtime and related provisions can come into play. The position depends on how the work is paid and on driving-hours law. Confirm whether and how overtime applies to your drivers' arrangements on the Fair Work source before paying.

Long distance driving is governed by heavy-vehicle driving-hours and fatigue-management law, which sits alongside the award and sets limits on work and rest. The award itself deals with related matters such as travelling, waiting and loading or unloading time. These obligations are separate from, but interact with, how pay is calculated. Make sure rosters comply with driving-hours law and that the award's travelling and waiting-time entitlements are paid, confirming current amounts on the Fair Work source.

MA000039 provides allowances relevant to drivers spending time away from base, which can include a living-away or travelling allowance and meal-related payments, along with provisions tied to loading, unloading and waiting time. Which ones apply depends on the trip and the driver's arrangement. Because the amounts are reviewed each year, identify the allowances relevant to each driver and confirm their current values on the Fair Work Pay Calculator rather than relying on remembered figures.

Annual leave loading is an extra payment on top of base pay when an employee takes paid annual leave, and where it applies under this award it is 17.5% of the relevant rate. It is paid to full-time and part-time drivers; casuals do not accrue annual leave. Because long distance pay can be structured in different ways, the calculation of the period's pay can need care, so apply the loading at pay time and confirm the treatment on the Fair Work source.

The cents-per-kilometre rates, minimum classification rates and allowances are reviewed each year in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 review increased modern award minimums by 4.75%. To stay compliant you must apply the new figures from that pay period, not the calendar date, so verify the current rates and cents-per-kilometre figures on the Fair Work Pay Calculator every year.

Where two drivers operate a vehicle together so it can keep moving, the award has provisions for how that work is paid and how time is treated between the drivers. The arrangement interacts with the cents-per-kilometre or trip-based pay method and with driving-hours law. Make sure each driver in a two-up operation is paid at least the relevant minimum for their share of the work, and confirm the specific two-up provisions and current figures on the Fair Work source.

Start by confirming each driver's classification and which payment method applies, calculate cents-per-kilometre or hourly pay using current figures, check the result against the relevant minimum, pay travelling, waiting and public holiday entitlements, and refresh every rate from the Fair Work Pay Calculator after each 1 July increase, while keeping rosters within driving-hours law. Accurate trip and time records are essential. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for transport operators, mapping work to the correct classifications, rates and allowances so drivers are paid correctly every cycle.