Road Transport Award, explained for shift work.
Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 · Reviewed July 2026 by the MyGig compliance team
Road freight transport and the distribution operations tied to it: drivers, yard staff, and distribution-facility employees in transport-driven businesses.
Penalties and loadings to know
- Casual loading of 25% on the ordinary hourly rate
- Saturday penalties, with Sunday and public holidays higher again
- A distinctive casual overtime rule applies (overtime rates plus a fixed additional percentage, in place of the casual loading during overtime)
Roles typically covered
Casual hourly rates under the Road Transport Award
| Classification | Casual $/hr |
|---|---|
| Transport worker grade 1 | $33.59 |
| Transport worker grade 2 | $34.39 |
| Transport worker grade 3 | $34.79 |
| Transport worker grade 4 | $35.40 |
| Transport worker grade 5 | $35.84 |
| Transport worker grade 6 | $36.25 |
| Transport worker grade 7 | $36.78 |
| Transport worker grade 8 | $37.85 |
| Transport worker grade 9 | $38.48 |
| Transport worker grade 10 | $39.44 |
Adult casual hourly rates including the 25% casual loading, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, covering all 10 casual classifications in MyGig's award engine. Source: MyGig award engine, built from Fair Work Commission pay guides. Penalties, overtime, and allowances apply on top per the award.
Free download:the 2026 Casual Rates Card puts every award’s entry casual rate on one printable sheet.
Get the rates cardCurrent minimum rates
Entry-level adult casual: $33.59/hr as at 1 July 2026, from MyGig's award engine (the same data that prices every shift). Award rates change with every annual wage review (first full pay period on or after 1 July). For the full classification tables, use the official pay guide, or let MyGig apply them for you: every shift estimate uses current rates, penalties included, clause cited.
Road Transport Award FAQs
Road Transport or Storage Services: which award applies to my site?
It turns on whether the operation is transport-driven (road freight and its distribution facilities: Road Transport Award) or warehousing-driven (Storage Services Award). Getting this wrong is a common underpayment source; MyGig’s engine makes the call per site and cites it.
How does casual overtime work under this award?
Unusually: casuals receive overtime rates plus a fixed additional percentage of the minimum rate, rather than the 25% loading, during overtime hours. It is exactly the kind of clause automated award interpretation exists for.
Where are current transport rates published?
In the official MA000038 pay guide linked on this page, refreshed after each annual wage review.
General information only, not legal advice. The award itself (Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020, MA000038) and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay tools are the authoritative sources: read the award. Back to all award guides or MyGig compliance & EOR.
Stop interpreting awards by hand.
MyGig employs your casual workers as EOR and applies this award automatically: rates, loadings, penalties, and super, with the clause cited.