With over 26,000 positions unfilled, truck driving is one of the top five occupations with a skill shortage. The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) is calling on the government to do more to support up and coming drivers.
Ahead of the upcoming 2025 federal election, ATA Chair Mark Parry said the next Australian Government should provide financial support to apprentice and trainee truck drivers and their employers.
Today, Parry released the first of the ATA’s policy initiatives for the 2025 federal election campaign, highlighting its plan to “fix Australia’s truck driver shortage”.
The ATA is calling on Australia’s political parties to commit to:
- Providing financial support to driving operations apprentices and their employers;
- Paying a completion bonus to drivers who complete one of the short driver training courses run by RTOs with trucking industry associations, state governments and major companies;
- Launching a national skills passport so drivers and other workers can share evidence of their qualifications and skills; and
- Adding articulated truck drivers and tanker drivers to the skilled occupation list for migration to Australia, after overseas driver licensing is fixed.
“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,” Parry said.
“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.”
The ATA is calling on the next government to provide financial support to apprentices undertaking driving operations apprenticeships and to their employers.
“Apprentices should receive $5000 in support over their apprenticeship. Employers should receive $2000 after six months and a further $3000 after 12 months,” Parry said.
He added that a number of 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 said.
“The next government should pay a completion bonus of $1500 to drivers who complete one of these short driver training courses. The driver’s first employer should receive a $1500 hiring bonus.”
Parry said the next government should also launch a national skills passport to make it easier for drivers and other workers to demonstrate their skills and qualifications. The ATA believes a skills passport would also help businesses hire new staff with confidence.
“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 said.
Parry said that 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 said.
“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 says it will be releasing more policy proposals as the federal election gets closer.