Passenger transport driver authorisation
To operate a vehicle providing a public passenger service the driver must have current driver authorisation.
The purpose of driver authorisation is to ensure the driver of a public passenger vehicle is a suitable person to drive the vehicle, having regard to:
- the safety of children and other vulnerable members of the community
- the personal safety of the public, passengers, and their property
- the act of driving and capability to safely operate the vehicle
- the reputation of public passenger transport
- conducting themselves responsibly with passengers and the public
- being aware of their customer service responsibilities
- being held accountable for complying with appropriate standards.
To obtain a driver authorisation, an applicant must meet certain requirements specified in the passenger transport legislation. The requirements include:
- having an entitlement to work in Australia (PDF**, 35KB)
- passing traffic and criminal history checks
- having the appropriate driver licence
- being of sound medical fitness
- having an appropriate driver authorisation history
- having three years driving experience (or passing an equivalent driver competence test)
- having held an Australian issued driver licence for two years (for 'general' driver authorisation)
- completing a training course (taxis only)
- speaking and understanding English (taxis only).
For further information concerning driver authorisations, please click on the links below or contact your nearest passenger transport office.
Further information:
- application forms
- information bulletins
- traffic history checks
- criminal history checks
- medical requirements.
**While this department has taken every possible precaution with the creation of these files, they are downloaded and used at your own risk. Adobe Reader is needed to open and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files and is free to download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Various tools to enable access to these files for people using a screen reader can be found at http://access.adobe.com. Further information is available from the "Help with downloading, reading and printing PDF".
Last updated 17 December 2008
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