← Certificate III qualifications
Certificate III in Driving Operations
TLI - Transport and Logistics
Industry qualification for professional truck and bus drivers. Covers fatigue management, chain of responsibility and load restraint.
Entry requirements
- Open driver licence
- Heavy Rigid licence on commencement
What you will learn
The TLI31222 covers the regulatory and safety knowledge required for professional driving roles. Core units include the Heavy Vehicle National Law, fatigue management and work-diary record keeping, chain of responsibility duties, load restraint to the National Transport Commission Load Restraint Guide, dangerous goods awareness (Class 3, 8 and 9), pre-trip vehicle inspection, and fuel-efficient driving techniques. You learn to operate Electronic Work Diaries or paper log books, complete pre-trip checks against AS 4801 safety procedures, and handle customer interactions at depot and delivery points.
Skills you build
- Heavy Vehicle National Law compliance
- Fatigue management and work diary record keeping
- Pre-trip vehicle inspection
- Load restraint to NTC Load Restraint Guide
- Chain of responsibility documentation
- Defensive and fuel-efficient driving techniques
- Customer interaction at pick-up and delivery
How the course runs
Most trainees complete TLI31222 over six to twelve months while working in a driving role, with the RTO delivering theory online and at workshops, plus on-job evidence collection. Classroom and online components total around 200 hours, with the balance gathered on-job through driver mentoring and supervisor sign-off. Some RTOs offer block-release intensive courses combined with workplace evidence.
How you will be assessed
- Written and online knowledge tests per unit of competency
- Practical driving observations by an assessor
- Third-party reports from your supervising driver or transport manager
- Workplace document portfolios (work diary, pre-trip checks, run sheets)
- Scenario-based assessment of fatigue and load restraint decisions
Workplace and placement
The qualification is built around current employment as a heavy vehicle driver. You hold the relevant licence class (HR, HC or MC) before or early in the course, and the on-job hours form the bulk of the evidence. Driver wages are set under the Road Transport and Distribution Award. Some segments such as long-haul interstate, dangerous goods and mining pay well above award with shift loadings.
Typical employers
- Major transport companies (Linfox, Toll, Cleanaway, Followmont)
- Bus and coach operators (Transdev, Kinetic, ComfortDelGro)
- Mining haulage contractors in WA, QLD and NT
- Waste and recycling collection contractors
- Concrete and quarry haulage businesses
- Local council fleet operations
Pay after this qualification
$60,000 - $95,000 per year
Source: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/explore-careers/occupation/truck-drivers. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
Is this the right course for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You handle long days on the road without losing focus
- You can follow strict legal procedures (fatigue, chain of responsibility)
- You like a degree of independence at work
- You can deal with customers at depots and delivery points
- You can manage paperwork and work diaries consistently
It is probably not for you if
- You have a medical condition that affects driver fitness
- You struggle with shift work, early starts or weekend rosters
- You cannot pass a fatigue or drug and alcohol screening
- You find paperwork and compliance tedious
After you finish
After the Cert III you can progress to higher licence classes (Heavy Combination, Multi Combination) and add endorsements like dangerous goods (HVNL Class), tilt-tray and tow truck. Certificate IV in Logistics (TLI42221) and the Diploma of Logistics (TLI50221) open warehouse and fleet supervisor pathways. Many drivers progress into owner-driver contracts after several years and ABN registration.