Home>National Heavy Vehicle Driver Action Plan
National Heavy Vehicle Driver Action Plan
Developed in partnership with industry leaders and informed by sector-wide consultation.
Action Plan
Explore the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Action Plan.
Summary
Snapshot of the key priorities and actions.
Program of Work
Status of actions.
Developed by Industry, for Industry
What is the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Action Plan?
The National Heavy Vehicle Driver Action Plan (Action Plan) was developed in partnership with industry leaders, and its Program of Work validated by broader stakeholder consultation.
An enduring challenge for the road transport industry in Australia has been a shortage of heavy vehicle (HV) drivers. Despite the efforts of the industry, peak bodies, associations, unions and government, the shortages persist and will critically impact the ability of Australia’s supply chains to meet demand if not addressed.
Purpose of the Action Plan
- Bring industry, government and key stakeholders together to identify shared priorities.
- Develop coordinated actions and advocacy efforts to address heavy vehicle driver shortages.
- Support a collaborative, industry-led approach to workforce planning and development.
Driving Industry-Led Solutions
A Collective Commitment to Action
The Action Plan is owned by the Transport and Logistics industry. Responsibility for the Program of Work sits with a range of stakeholders based on their remit and area of influence.
The Action Plan aims to identify and build upon local initiatives achieving good outcomes, trial new approaches, and identify where advocacy is required to ensure State and Commonwealth Government programs can better support this integral sector of the Australian economy.
A Framework for Change
Four Priority Areas for Action
The Action Plan and its program of work are organised around four priority areas, providing a framework for industry-led initiatives, collaboration and advocacy.
1
Elevate perceptions of the profession
Public perception of HV Driving as an attractive and rewarding career must be elevated.
Redefining the industry’s image will allow a broader range of potential candidates to be aware of the significance of the driving role in Australia’s supply chain, and the breadth of opportunities available to talented and ambitious individuals.
HV Driving should be seen as a professional career requiring highly skilled individuals, and an attractive alternative to professions requiring a university education with equivalent earning potential, no HECS debt, and rewarding future opportunities.
The program of work aims to build public awareness of HV driving as a highly skilled and rewarding career and includes development of a national communication strategy to build broad community engagement and positively influence the public perceptions of the profession.
2
Improve the supply of HV Drivers
The road transport sector has an ageing workforce. An adequate pipeline of new recruits is required to replace retiring HV Drivers.
There is a significant gender imbalance in the HV Driver workforce, with only slow improvement in female representation over time. Women made up only 6.4% of truck drivers and 16.2% of bus and coach drivers in 2025. Age restrictions currently prevent employers attracting younger workers. Pathways facilitating the entry of 18-year-olds to the driving workforce should be established.
Other under-represented cohorts in Australia could also be targeted.
Skilled migration is an option to address driver shortages; however, migration settings/agreements, licence recognition schemes and programs to support transition must be improved.
The program of work for Priority area 2 builds upon Priority area 1, and considers how to attract new entrants from under-represented labour pools or cohorts that could be more effectively targeted. It explores how to maximise benefits from skilled migration, support employers with recruitment, and development of high-quality resources to facilitate work readiness and transition programs for use with a wide range of different target groups.
3
Improve training/licensing pathways
Training and assessment requirements to obtain an HV Driver’s licence can be a disincentive for potential new entrants, and a substantial investment for employers. Regional access to training and licensing is also a challenge.
Holding a licence alone does not meet industry expectations of what defines a safe and productive HV Driver. A broad range of skills and knowledge must be developed through additional training, mentoring and experience.
Employer confidence in the consistency and quality of licensing and training systems remains a concern. As a result, some licensed HV Drivers are not employed because employers cannot be certain candidates have the necessary skills needed to operate heavy vehicles safely and efficiently.
VET funding and employer incentives vary across jurisdictions, as do designations of traineeships and apprenticeships. This makes implementation of initiatives such as a HV Driver apprenticeship difficult.
Emphasis must be placed on increasing driver trainer and mentor numbers, and a complementary program of professional development designed with this cohort in mind.
The program of work for this priority area focuses on improving access to career and learning pathways for new and existing supply chain workers. It also includes actions to improve the quality and consistency of training, assessment and licensing for HV Drivers. Specific areas of focus include a national HV Driver apprenticeship, and building the driver trainer workforce so it can meet demand in terms of number of people trained, and the quality of the training they receive
4
Retain the Drivers we have
The first three priorities in the Action Plan aim to improve attraction and development of a safe and efficient HV Driving workforce. However, drivers often leave the industry due to a range of issues that must be addressed to support improved retention.
Mental health is a major issue for young drivers, with 1 in 5 truck drivers under the age of 35 reporting severe psychological distress, compared with 1 in 9 Australian men in the same age group. Issues HV Drivers encounter in their work include, but are not limited to: aggression and violence, psychosocial challenges, discrimination and bullying on worksites, poor rest stop facilities (including their appropriateness for women), stringent compliance obligations that can lead to fines for minor administrative errors, turnaround and waiting times, access to facilities at load/unload points and, the treatment of drivers by customers and others.
Actions for this priority include improving access to and the quality of facilities for HV Drivers; and developing resources to support HV Driver wellbeing, continuing professional development, career planning and satisfaction with employment.
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