Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award pay rates
Award code MA000039, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 24 adult classifications under the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $1,057.60 to $1,198.80 a week before tax.
Lowest adult rate
$1,057.60a week
For 3. Up 4.75% from $1,009.60.
Its lowest adult rate is $1,057.60 a week, 5.2% above the National Minimum Wage of $1,004.90 a week. Of the 25 awards that set weekly rates, 3 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars a week, from 1 July 2026- 3$1,057.60
- 4$1,076.20
- 5$1,089.60
- 6$1,102.00
- 7$1,118.00
- 8$1,150.50
- 9$1,169.70
- 10$1,198.80
- 3$1,057.60
- 4$1,076.20
- 5$1,089.60
- 6$1,102.00
- 7$1,118.00
- 8$1,150.50
- 9$1,169.70
- 10$1,198.80
- 3$1,057.60
- 4$1,076.20
- 5$1,089.60
- 6$1,102.00
- 7$1,118.00
- 8$1,150.50
- 9$1,169.70
- 10$1,198.80
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at 3.
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Public holiday | 20%$211.52 |
| Christmas or Good Friday | 30%$317.28 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours.
Minimum weekly rateClause 16.1(a)
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| 3 | $1,057.60 |
| 4 | $1,076.20 |
| 5 | $1,089.60 |
| 6 | $1,102.00 |
| 7 | $1,118.00 |
| 8 | $1,150.50 |
| 9 | $1,169.70 |
| 10 | $1,198.80 |
Minimum cents per kilometerClause 16.4(a)
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| 3 | $1,057.60 |
| 4 | $1,076.20 |
| 5 | $1,089.60 |
| 6 | $1,102.00 |
| 7 | $1,118.00 |
| 8 | $1,150.50 |
| 9 | $1,169.70 |
| 10 | $1,198.80 |
Minimum per hourClause 16.5(b)
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $1,057.60 | $41.25 |
| 4 | $1,076.20 | $41.97 |
| 5 | $1,089.60 | $42.49 |
| 6 | $1,102.00 | $42.98 |
| 7 | $1,118.00 | $43.60 |
| 8 | $1,150.50 | $44.87 |
| 9 | $1,169.70 | $45.62 |
| 10 | $1,198.80 | $46.75 |
Loading or unloadingClause 16.6
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Loading or unloading3 | $34.37 |
| Loading or unloading4 | $34.98 |
| Loading or unloading5 | $35.41 |
| Loading or unloading6 | $35.82 |
| Loading or unloading7 | $36.34 |
| Loading or unloading8 | $37.39 |
| Loading or unloading9 | $38.01 |
| Loading or unloading10 | $38.96 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Full-time employees and part-time employees: ordinary rates, loading and unloading rates and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at 3
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Public holiday | 20%$211.52 |
| Christmas or Good Friday | 30%$317.28 |
Casual employees: ordinary rates, loading and unloading rates and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at 3
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Public holiday | 20%$211.52 |
| Christmas or Good Friday | 30%$317.28 |
| Hourly driving method | 115%$47.44 |
| Kilometer driving method | 115%$0.63 |
| Loading or unloading | 125%$42.96 |
Allowances paid on top
7 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 2 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary transfer of duties, local driver (under terms of Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020)Clause 18.2(c)(i) | $13.66 each time | |
| Motor vehicle | ||
| Length in excess of legislated limitClause 18.2(c)(ii) | $4.85 a day | |
| Width (and/or load) in excess of 3.5 metresClause 18.2(c)(iii) | $4.85 a day | |
| Furniture carterClause 18.2(c)(iv) | $26.67 a week | |
| Livestock carterClause 18.2(c)(v) | $26.67 a week | |
| Bulk dangerous goods allowanceClause 18.2(d)(i) | $25.02 a day | |
| Packaged dangerous goods allowanceClause 18.2(d)(ii) | $10.47 a day | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Travelling allowanceClause 18.3(c)(i) | $57.80 each time |
| Housing allowanceClause 18.3(d)(ii) | $4.16 amount less than rental |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $1,057.60 a week, for 3. The highest adult classification is $1,198.80 a week.
- How does the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $1,057.60 a week, 5.2% above the National Minimum Wage of $1,004.90 a week. Of the 25 awards that set weekly rates, 3 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.75%, from $1,009.60 to $1,057.60 a week, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What allowances are paid under the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award?
- 9 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a temporary transfer of duties, local driver (under terms of Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020) of $13.66 each time, a motor vehicle, length in excess of legislated limit of $4.85 a day and a motor vehicle, width (and/or load) in excess of 3.5 metres of $4.85 a day. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.