Tanker Truck Driver

A tanker truck driver operates large articulated or rigid vehicles carrying bulk liquid or gas commodities such as fuel, chemicals, milk, or water across Australia. The role involves safe transport of hazardous and non-hazardous liquids, compliance with dangerous goods regulations, and management of loading and unloading operations at customer sites. Drivers work independently or in small teams, managing route logistics, vehicle maintenance checks, and customer service delivery.

Operate articulated or rigid tanker vehicles under Australian Road Rules and state-based traffic legislation. Conduct pre-trip and post-trip vehicle safety inspections including brakes, tyres, lights, and tanker structural integrity. Comply with dangerous goods transport regulations under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code and maintain required documentation (consignment notes, dangerous goods manifests). Monitor load security, weight distribution, and centre of gravity during transit to prevent spillage or vehicle instability. Perform safe loading and unloading procedures using pump systems, hoses, and valves while wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. Navigate routes using GPS and transport management systems to meet delivery schedules and comply with road access restrictions for heavy vehicles. Record vehicle logbook entries, fuel consumption, and delivery details in accordance with National Heavy Vehicle Regulator standards. Communicate with loading facility operators, customers, and dispatch centres via radio or mobile phone to coordinate timing and address safety concerns.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). 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 10 to 12 hours alone in a cab most days, often with early starts and irregular schedules that mess with sleep and family time. The dangerous goods paperwork and compliance rules are strict: one mistake or spillage can mean a fine or losing your job. Long-haul routes mean weeks away from home.

High concentration around fuel terminals, chemical plants, and dairy distribution hubs. Regional and remote areas have fewer positions but sometimes offer better money for longer hauls. The work follows where refineries, ports, and manufacturing are located. Automated driving technology may change this work over time, but the timing is uncertain.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 7331, 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
• Adhere to transportation work schedulecore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Delivery Schedulingcore
• Dispatch Documentationcore
• Driver and Courier Liaisoncore
• Freight Coordinationcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Customer Needs Assessment
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Problem Solving
• Record Management
• Supplier Communication
• 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