Starting a career as a truck driver is a new and exciting experience. Being out on the road each day is a job like no other, and you’ll never experience two days the same. Couple this with the huge opportunities available for truck drivers in Brisbane to enjoy successful careers, and it’s easy to see why driving a truck is an appealing job.
There are so many benefits to passing your test and becoming a truck driver. Truck driving Brisbane can offer a lucrative career with many opportunities to work throughout the city and beyond.
Whether you’re planning to pass your Light Rigid (LR) Test or have recently achieved your Heavy Combination (HC) Licence, right now, you’re probably hoping to get out onto the open road to start driving independently. However, to get your new career off to the best start, it’s vital that you’re aware of how to drive carefully and safely in your truck. Heading out on the road alone in a truck can be a steep learning curve if you aren’t prepared for what awaits you.
Familiarising yourself with the potential challenges you may face when driving your truck in Brisbane is an excellent way to avoid difficult situations. You can then take on your first truck driving jobs with added confidence.
1. Be Traffic Aware When Driving
Being stuck in traffic is a primary issue that many truck drivers face. Long tailbacks can cause delivery deadlines to be missed and cause havoc with your driving hours and time spent behind the wheel. No one wants to be working longer hours than needed, especially if this involves being stuck in long queues of traffic. So, being traffic aware is essential to avoid this frustrating situation.
For truck drivers in Brisbane, traffic is a particular concern. The city has the most congested roads in the whole of Australia. In fact, research shows that Brisbane ranks at number 10 in the world for its traffic delays. Congestion cost the city’s drivers a huge 84 hours in delays in 2024.
Taking action to limit the impact of traffic on your route is well worth it. Here are some practical ways you can avoid the traffic:
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Sign up for real-time traffic alerts.
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Familiarise yourself with the busiest times of day in the city.
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Understand which roads experience the highest levels of congestion, so you can avoid them.
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Use the above information to plan your routes carefully before you set off.
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Allow yourself plenty of time to complete each job to ensure you meet your deadlines without spending hours delayed and stuck in traffic.
While it’s impossible to avoid all traffic in a city as busy as Brisbane, these steps will help to minimise the chances of long delays.
2. Know Your Truck's Size
As a busy city, Brisbane has its fair share of narrow roads, difficult passing points, and low bridges that can cause challenges for truck drivers.
Difficult roads and infrastructure can make navigating some parts of the city especially difficult. In many cases, there are signs warning drivers of the maximum height, width, and weight limits. So, as a first step, it’s crucial to be aware of the dimensions and weight of the truck that you are driving. This will enable you to avoid these potentially challenging routes and plan your journey in advance.
Low road and rail bridges are a particular issue for truck drivers in Queensland, with more than one vehicle striking a low clearance bridge each day. With many low bridges in the state having a clearance of less than 5.4m, it’s especially important to understand the height of your truck. Striking a bridge can have serious implications for your career as a truck driver. You could be hit with a steep fine and points on your licence. If the case is taken to court, the penalty fine could be in excess of $25,000 and up to 11 demerit points.
In addition, it’s also crucial to look out for street signs that restrict truck access due to steep inclines. Gower Street in Toowong is famously considered Brisbane’s steepest street. Stoneleigh Street and Nott Street in Red Hill, and Reading Street in Paddington, are also known for being steep and challenging for drivers.
There are a few ways to reduce the chances of getting into difficult positions while driving your truck on Brisbane’s roads. These include:
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Keeping a note of your truck’s dimensions with you when you’re on the road is helpful. Having this information on hand will help you if you approach a sign with a height restriction.
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Planning your route in advance, so that you can spot the locations of low bridges, narrow turns, and further problematic road infrastructure is worthwhile. Spending ten minutes planning your route to avoid these potential issues can save you a lot of inconvenience.
3. Understand Truck Restrictions in Brisbane
Passing your test and gaining your truck driver’s licence is essential before you can get out on the road and start your new career. Your truck driver training and subsequent test will ensure that you’re qualified to legally drive a truck. However, as a new truck driver, it’s helpful to familiarise yourself with truck regulations that are specific to Brisbane so that you don’t fall foul of them once you’re out on the road and working on your own.
Looking out for ‘no trucks’ signs is essential. Driving into a no-truck zone can land you with demerit points and fines. Looking at your route in advance to identify these, and then planning your route to avoid them, will mean you don’t need to worry about making challenging last-minute manoeuvres to adjust your route.
If you’re travelling along one of Brisbane’s busiest roads, the M1 Pacific Motorway, there are some specific rules to be aware of. The Brisbane Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads has truck lane restrictions in place on the M1. These restrictions prevent trucks from driving in the right-hand lane on the M1 southbound between Rochedale and Currumbin and Underwood (northbound). Trucks should stay in the two left lanes, and this restriction is in place 24 hours a day.
To ensure you don’t unintentionally break restrictions, it’s helpful to:
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Read up on specific regulations relating to truck drivers in Brisbane.
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Stay up to date on restrictions, as these may change and be updated over time.
Be vigilant when driving and observe road signs specifically for truck drivers.
4. Prepare Thoroughly For Outback Trucking
So far, we’ve run through many tips related to driving your truck through Brisbane and navigating its busy city roads. However, as a truck driver, it’s likely that your job will take you beyond the confines of the city and on some bigger jobs from time to time. This may mean travelling into the bush to make deliveries.
While driving around the city brings challenges, these are very different from those that you may come across when driving your truck through the outback. So, it’s vital to be aware of the differences between driving through urban areas and navigating through the open space of the bush.
There are several things to be aware of when travelling through the outback. But the most crucial thing to do is to prepare well in advance of your journey.
The outback may be known for its arid climate. However, in the north of Queensland, the climate in the outback can be tropical monsoonal. This means that you will need to take care when driving through from November to May, as the rainfall can be extreme.
If the weather conditions are extremely hot, you will need to ensure you have enough drinking water with you to stay hydrated.
Stores and petrol stations are often few and far between, and many have limited opening hours. So, it’s crucial that you plan when you will need to refuel in advance. This will allow you to set your route around fuel stops to ensure you never run out of petrol during a long drive through the outback.
Planning your fuel and rest stops is vital, but it’s also crucial that you have a reliable way of navigating yourself along your route. Using satellite navigation is the most obvious choice, but it’s also helpful to bring along a physical map, in case your technology fails. Taking a satellite phone with you will ensure you can stay connected throughout the route and provide updates to the client if needed.
Here’s a summary of considerations to keep in mind when you’re driving your truck through the outback:
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Be prepared for extreme weather conditions in the outback, and check the forecast before you set off on your journey.
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Ensure you pack food and plenty of drinking water with you to stay nourished and hydrated while you’re travelling over a long distance.
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Plan your route and calculate where and when you will need to refuel so you don’t run out of fuel.
Stay connected by bringing along a GPS system to navigate through the outback, and if possible, bring a satellite phone, so that you can make calls if needed.
5. Avoid Fatigue When Driving
The jobs that pay best are often the ones that require the most time on the road. So, it’s essential to consider how many hours you will be driving before you start any delivery. Becoming fatigued is dangerous for any driver, but when driving is your livelihood and you’re in charge of a large vehicle, it’s even more vital to avoid becoming fatigued when you’re working.
Some routes through Brisbane are fatigue hotspots, where you’re more likely to find yourself feeling tired while driving. Monotonous stretches of highway that require you to drive through the same scenery for many miles can lead you to feel tired. So, being aware of these and scheduling your rest stops for these more monotonous parts of your routes is a helpful way to keep yourself alert as you drive.
Feeling tired is natural when you’ve been on the road for hours. However, it’s vital that you take steps to avoid becoming fatigued when you’re working. Here are some of the ways you can avoid fatigue as a truck driver:
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Plan your route so that you are aware where rest stops are located, and then factor these into your schedule.
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Becoming aware of the first signs that you’re starting to become fatigued is important. Once you notice these first signs, it’s vital to find a safe place to stop and rest.
Taking regular breaks while you’re driving is essential to ensure that you can concentrate and avoid becoming overcome with fatigue. It may be tempting to try and finish your deliveries as soon as possible and to power through the tiredness. However, the consequences of doing this can be devastating. So, always make time for breaks within your driving schedule.
Kickstart a Successful Career as a Truck Driver in Brisbane
Finding a career that pays well, provides job satisfaction, and brings you freedom isn’t an easy task. However, becoming a truck driver offers all three of these and more besides. Becoming a successful truck driver always starts with the right training. So, choosing Brisbane’s leading truck and heavy vehicle driving school is a great place to begin.
Taking a truck driving course gaining your licence are your first steps towards making your ambitions of becoming a truck driver a reality. Once you’ve gained your licence, you’ll be ready to venture out onto the open road yourself to start making money from your new qualification.
Officially becoming a truck driver and gaining your licence is a huge achievement. However, your learning doesn’t end there. The above tips provide valuable insights into truck driving in Brisbane that would usually require many months of experience behind the wheel.
Getting to know your vehicle’s dimensions and weight, taking regular breaks while driving, understanding the restrictions on truck driving in Brisbane, and being aware of traffic hotspots will provide you with the knowledge you need to kickstart your truck driving career and spend many successful years on the road.