Fatigue management
National reforms to combat heavy vehicle driver fatigue are now here. The new laws are about making the roads safer and fairer, not just for heavy vehicle drivers but for all road users.
Expiry of transitional fatigue arrangements
All transitional fatigue schemes ended on 29 September 2009. If operators do not have accreditation for Basic Fatigue Management or Advanced Fatigue Management, their drivers must now work to Standard Hours.
Work diary requirements
It is a legal requirement to complete a work diary if you are a driver of a fatigue regulated heavy vehicle:
- working further than 200 km from your base location
- working under any fatigue management accreditation or work and rest hours exemption.
Work diaries are available from Department of Transport and Main Roads customer service centres, Queensland Government Agent Program offices, and some regional police stations.
Additionally, a
sample of the national driver work diary daily sheet (PDF, 71 KB) and the
instructions for its use (PDF, 182 KB) are also available. A sample can also be found at the
National Transport Commission website*.
Please note that this sample diary page can be used as a supplementary work record. Supplementary work records can be used for up to seven business days in Queensland should the need arise.
Heavy vehicle driver fatigue information kits
Information kits about the heavy vehicle driver reforms are available by emailing the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Alternatively, if you do not require a copy of the DVD in these kits, you can download the fact sheets and other resources below.
Heavy vehicle driver fatigue fact sheets
- Chain of responsibility (PDF, 91 KB)
- Drivers (PDF, 116 KB)
- Transport operators (PDF, 93 KB)
- Schedulers (PDF, 112 KB)
- Consignors and consignees (PDF, 113 KB)
- Loading managers, loaders and unloaders (PDF, 89 KB)
- Bus and coach sector (PDF, 136 KB)
- Owner-drivers (PDF, 114 KB)
- Record keepers (PDF, 88 KB)
- Driver dashboard card (basic fatigue management) (PDF, 476 KB)
- Driver dashboard card (standard hours) (PDF, 466 KB)
- Work rest hours planner — Basic fatigue management (PDF, 68 KB)
- Work rest hours planner — Standard hours (PDF, 245 KB)
- Driver fatigue — Risk checklist for drivers (PDF, 147 KB)
- Driver fatigue — Risk checklist for operators (PDF, 157 KB)
- Fatigue options — Chart (PDF, 248 KB)
- Fatigue options — Driving hours table (PDF, 213 KB)
- Fatigue reform — Presentation (PDF, 276 KB)
Fatigue offence demerit points and penalties
On 1 March 2007, demerit points and fines were introduced for heavy vehicle drivers who commit logbook and driving-hour offences. Details of these demerit points and fines are contained in the document below.
Fatigue offence demerit points and penalties (PDF, 38 KB) National Driving Hours Policy
The Queensland Government implemented the National Driving Hours Policy on 29 September 2008 to better manage heavy vehicle driver fatigue. The policy was introduced through the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Fatigue Management) Regulation 2008 and makes use of work diaries, prescriptive driving, and work and rest limits.
The National Driving Hours Policy has also been implemented in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Western Australia and the Northern Territory have introduced 'fatigue management codes of practice' under occupational health and safety legislation.
The policy places direct legal requirements on the actions and instructions of consignors, employers and responsible employees. Responsible persons within the transport management chain will be subject to prosecution and substantial penalties where it can be shown their direction has resulted in a driver committing an offence.
For more information visit the National Transport Commission* website.
Other relevant documents
- The Fatigue Management Program Evaluation Report (PDF, 211 KB) is an evaluation of the Fatigue Management Program conducted over a six year period from 1996 to 2002. The report has shown positive results. Drivers surveyed in 2001–2002 while working under Fatigue Management Program conditions are exposed to significantly less fatigue-related risk than those drivers surveyed five years ago. The results also showed drivers were less likely to report speeding to meet a deadline, feeling tired, and experiencing difficulty concentrating. More drivers are using positive strategies such as rest breaks, improving their diet, drinking more water, and forward planning trips as a result of implementing the fatigue management program.
The Fatigue Management Program trial has received strong support from drivers involved and will be considered by the Australian Transport Council for adoption as part of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme.
- NHVAS Fatigue Management Module — Draft Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF, 397 KB)
†This information is a general interpretation of your legal obligations under the fatigue management regulation. It is a guide only and should not be used as a reference to any point of law. Reference must be made to the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Fatigue Management) Regulation 2008 for a precise interpretation of legal obligations. If necessary, consult your legal practitioner.
*The content found by using this link is not created, controlled or approved by this department. No responsibility is taken for the consequences of viewing content on this site. This link will load into a new window.
