For road transport businesses the new modern awards, known as the Road Transport and Distribution Award 2010 (RTD Award) and the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award 2010 (LDO Award), have been framed to cover respectively, the industry of the employers - that is, the industry of road transport and distribution, and the industry of private road transport that is engaged in long distance operations.

The LDO Award replaces 6 separate awards under the old system.  Because the (old) Transport Workers (Long Distance Drivers) Award 2000 was regarded to have the most influence and penetration for the long distance road transport industry generally, that award was used as the primary template for creating the LDO Award.

A list of the old awards that have been replaced in whole or in part by the LDO Award is at Appendix A of this Handbook.

Road transport companies (regardless of the location of yards, depots, garages or head office) that operate exclusively in long distance operations will apply the LDO Award for ascertaining the minimum wages and conditions of its employee drivers. Ancillary employees, such as general hands, yardpersons, greasers and cleaners, and radio operators come under the RTD Award.

Road transport companies (regardless of the location of yards, depots, garages or head office) will largely need to refer only to the RTD Award and/or the LDO Award for ascertaining the minimum wages and conditions of its operational employees.  For clerical and administrative employees the relevant award is the Clerks Private Sector Award 2010.