Frequently asked questions

To comply with the regulations you will need to:

• develop a fatigue management plan
• request or provide fatigue management training from all commercial vehicle drivers
• ensure that all your drivers are medically certified fit to operate commercial vehicles
• establish accurate and current records of work time, breaks from driving and non-work time
• have a checking system to ensure the commercial vehicle drivers have complied or been able to comply with the operating standards outlined in the regulations.

Work time is all work. It includes driving and all the activities that are associated with driving a commercial vehicle.

Examples of work time is time spent:

• loading and unloading
• completing any paperwork related to picking up and delivering the load
• checking the load
• refuelling
• checking tyres
• maintaining and cleaning the vehicle
• talking to supervisors and other drivers about the work arrangements

 Work time also includes breaks from driving of less than 30 minutes.

Non-work time means more than 30 minutes time off at home, away from the vehicle, or, if on a trip in the vehicle, it includes sleep in an appropriate sleeper berth. It does not include driving or work incidental to driving.

At least 7 consecutive hours of non work time in any 24-hour period. A commercial vehicle driver must have 27 hours of non work time in any 72-hour period and includes a minimum of 3 x 7 hour continuous period of non work time.

No more than 17 hours of elapsed time regardless of whether the driver worked for that whole period.

Example:

A commercial vehicle driver has worked for 10 hours. The vehicle then breaks down for 4 hours, and the driver climbs into the bunk to rest,  when the driver resumes work, they are only allowed to work for an additional 3 hours before the maximum of 17 hours has elapsed.

No. It is a rolling clock, which starts when the driver starts work.    

When he or she starts working, and this included incidental work and not just when the physical driving starts.

Example: 

A driver will carry out a pre-start check and fuel the vehicle before starting to drive the vehicle. Work time starts when the commercial vehicle driver does the pre-start check, not when the driving commences.

Yes. For every 5 hours of work time, a commercial vehicle driver must have a 20-minute break from driving. This means the driver can only drive for a maximum of 5 hours before the 20-minute break must commence.

A break from driving is a break from the physical task of driving. It is a break of less than 30 minutes, so the driver is still considered to be working. A break is still considered work time, as a driver can attend to non-driving tasks. These tasks may include: the driver loading, unloading, refuelling, completing paperwork, checking the load restraints etc.

No. Each user must have their own email address. The platform only allows one account per email address.
If a driver does not have an email address, there are many free email providers available.

If you have not received your confirmation email:

• Check your junk or spam folder.
  
• Allow up to 24 hours for the email to arrive.
  

If you are using a work email address, your organisation’s email settings may be preventing delivery.

Some email systems may break long links.
If the link is not clickable or appears incomplete, copy the entire link and paste it into your browser’s address bar, then press Enter.

Select the “Forgot Password” link on the login page and follow the instructions.
You will need access to your registered email address to reset your password.

You can use your registered email address to log in.

 

The WorkSafe fatigue management course is a free educational resource designed to help drivers and supervisors understand fatigue risks and ways to manage them.
Whether you need to complete this course depends on your workplace requirements. You may also choose to complete fatigue management training through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

The certificate shows the date it was issued but does not display an expiry date.
The program does not determine how long a certificate remains valid. Any requirements relating to refresher training or certificate validity are determined by your workplace, employer, industry or accreditation requirements.

We aim to make the information as clear and practical as possible.
Some content is based on legislation, regulations and industry requirements, which means certain terms and concepts must be included. While we cannot change these requirements, we continually review the content to improve clarity and readability.