Crossing Supervisor

A Crossing Supervisor manages pedestrian and vehicular traffic at level crossings, school crossings, or controlled intersections in Australian roads and rail environments. They direct traffic flow, ensure compliance with road rules and safety protocols, and respond to incidents or congestion to maintain safe passage for all road and rail users. This role operates in outdoor settings and may involve coordination with transport authorities, schools, and emergency services.

Monitor pedestrian and vehicular traffic at designated crossing points and direct traffic flow using hand signals, stop signs, and two-way radios. Operate crossing control equipment including boom gates, traffic lights, and warning signals in accordance with Australian Road Rules and crossing operating procedures. Conduct pre-shift safety checks on crossing equipment, signage, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and report faults to maintenance teams. Document traffic incidents, near-misses, and equipment failures in crossing logs and incident report forms. Coordinate with rail operators, transport authorities, and emergency services when trains approach or during traffic disruptions. Enforce compliance with road rules and crossing regulations by stopping non-compliant traffic and issuing warnings or infringement notices where authorised. Manage school crossing operations during peak times, ensuring safe passage for students and communicating with schools about traffic patterns. Respond to traffic congestion by adjusting crossing timing, liaising with traffic management centres, and implementing alternative traffic control measures.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate I or compulsory secondary education (ABS skill level 5). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll spend hours standing outside in all weather, managing impatient drivers and pedestrians who ignore safety rules. The pay is modest and unlikely to rise much without moving into management. There's also real risk of being verbally abused or confronted by angry road users, and you're partly responsible if something goes wrong at your crossing.

In reality, most jobs are in metropolitan areas near major rail lines, busy school crossings, and controlled intersections in cities. Some regional positions exist near country rail crossings, but the work concentrates where traffic volume justifies full-time supervisors.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8999, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Conflict De-escalationcore
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivitycore
• Disability Awareness and Inclusioncore
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Inclusive Practice
• Problem Solving
• Professional Boundaries Maintenance
• Workload Self-Management

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026