Home › Drivers Info ›

Drivers Log Books

[ w h o r e q u i r e s a l o g b o o k ]

All drivers of commercial buses with more than 12 seats, or heavy vehicles with a GVM * over 12 tonne are required to comply with the national driving hours regulation... but... drivers who are on journeys wholly within 200km of their base are not required to use a log book. Records are still required to be made by employers for journeys within 200km of the Driver Base. Drivers must give the duplicates of their Daily Sheets to their employers within 21 days.

The National Log Book is available for a small fee from Queensland Transport Customer Service Centres and authorised agencies. For the location of your nearest Queensland Transport Customer Service Centre, please call 132380. Drivers must apply in person and present a current driver's licence.

[ c o m p l e t i n g a l o g b o o k ]

Full instructions for completing the National Log Book are provided in its introductory pages.

[ a c t u a l d r i v i n g h o u r s ]

In any period of... a commercial bus driver must not drive/work for more than... ...and must have a rest period of no less than...
HEAVY VEHICLE & COMMERCIAL BUSES
5 hours & 30 mins 5 hours 30 minutes, either as one continuous period or as two periods of 15 consecutive minutes each
24 hours (see note 1) 14 hours (maximum 12 hours driving) 10 hours, including one period of 6 consecutive hours (see note 2)
168 hours (7 days) 72 hours (work) Commercial Buses: 96 hours
Heavy vehicles: 96 hours including one period of 24 consecutive hours (see note 3)
COMMERCIAL BUSES ONLY
672 hours (28 days) 288 hours 384 hours, including four periods of 24 consecutive hours (see note 3)
  1. For enforcement purposes the 24 hour period means any period of 24 hours but is usually taken as the 24 hours up to the time of the interception. It does not necessarily mean midnight to midnight.
  2. Continuous rest period must be taken away from the vehicle unless the vehicle is fitted with an approved sleeper berth.
  3. Rest period of 24 hours or more must be taken away from the vehicle.

[ d e f i n i t i o n s ]

GVM: 'Gross Vehicle Mass' ie. the total weight of the vehicle when loaded, including fuel and passengers.

Heavy vehicle:a heavy truck; or commercial bus; or a bus with a GVM of more than 12 tonne.

Heavy truck: a motor vehicle (other than a motorhome or bus), with  a GVM of more than 12 tonne.

Bus: a motor vehicle built mainly to carry people which seats more than 12 adults (including the driver).

Commercial bus: a bus used for hire or reward; or in the course of carrying on a business(eg. a courtesy bus or a school owned by a private school); or by a community organisation.

[ m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n ]

Further information on the National Fatigue Management Hours Regulation and the National Log Book can be obtained by contacting Queensland Transport on 132380.

The information provided here represents a very brief summary for use as a GUIDE ONLY, and should not be used as a reference to any point of law. Reference must be made to the Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Fatigue Management) Regulation 1998 for a precise interpretation of legal obligations and if necessary consultation with your legal practitioner.