The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) calls on the next government to provide financial support to apprentice and trainee truck drivers and their employers.
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ATA chair Mark Parry released the first of the ATA’s policy initiatives for the 2025 federal election campaign with a plan to fix Australia’s truck driver shortage.
“Trucking is one of Australia’s essential industries. We deliver every item at your local supermarket, every litre of fuel at the service station and every medicine at the chemist, but we face a shortage of truck drivers,” he says.
“Truck driving is one of the top five occupations with a skill shortage. More than 26,000 positions are unfilled.
“The Australian Government provides financial support to apprentices in priority occupations such as electricians and mechanics. But it does not support people who want to work as truck drivers, even though driving operations can be an apprenticeship.”
Parry says apprentices should receive $5,000 in support over their apprenticeship and employers should receive $2,000 after six months and a further $3,000 after twelve months.
He says several registered training organisations ran short truck driving courses that went beyond getting a licence to include other skills that drivers need to succeed.
“These short courses are supported by state governments, trucking industry associations or major companies, but there are no federal incentives for potential drivers to give them a go,” he says.
“The next government should pay a completion bonus of $1,500 to drivers who complete one of these short driver training courses. The driver’s first employer should receive a $1,500 hiring bonus.”
Parry says the next government should launch a national skills passport to make it easier for drivers and other workers to demonstrate their skills and qualifications.
“Our 2024 Workforce and Driver Training Summit called for the creation of a passport system so truck drivers could easily show they had the licences and qualifications they need, such as holding a dangerous goods licence or completing an NHVAS fatigue course in addition to their driver’s licence,” he says.
He says articulated truck drivers and tanker drivers should be added to the skilled occupation list for migration to Australia.
“It is extremely difficult for truck drivers to migrate to Australia, except under very narrow circumstances,” he says.
“Last year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics recognised that articulated truck and tanker driving required a similar level of skill to a trade certificate.
“We welcome skilled tradies to Australia. We should welcome safe, experienced drivers from overseas too, although the overseas driver licensing system needs to be fixed first. We’ll discuss how to do this at Trucking Australia 2025 in April.”
The ATA will be releasing more policy proposals as the federal election gets closer.
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