Emergency driver authorisation

Purpose of emergency driver authorisation

Emergency driver authorisation is a temporary driver authorisation issued during emergencies at the request of an operator. If issued, it is valid for a maximum of 14 days.

An insufficient supply of appropriately authorised drivers during an emergency poses a safety risk. Operators should take reasonable steps to ensure an adequate supply of appropriately authorised drivers is available for emergencies.

Further information on identifying hazards and addressing risks can be found on the Safety obligations for road-based public passenger services webpage.

Conditions of emergency driver authorisation

To meet the conditions of emergency driver authorisation, the circumstances must meet the definition of an emergency. For this purpose, an emergency is an unforeseen event or a sudden and urgent situation requiring immediate action, where the unavailability of the service would negatively impact the community or compromise community safety due to the absence of equivalent passenger transport alternatives.

Therefore, to meet the conditions of emergency driver authorisation an operator must reasonably demonstrate that no alternative solutions exist and that:

• they have taken reasonable steps to maintain an adequate supply of authorised drivers
• they attempted to find an authorised driver outside their usual supply, and none were available
• the circumstance was unforeseen, and they were only aware of the driver’s unavailability within 48 hours of the service
• passenger safety is at risk due to the absence of equivalent passenger transport alternatives
• an essential public transport service cannot operate due to the absence of equivalent passenger transport alternatives.

Emergency driver authorisation should not be relied on for fast tracking recruitment processes or to cover shortages caused by poor planning.

Determining the absence of equivalent passenger transport alternatives

Booked hire or taxi services

Operators of booked hire or taxi services are typically not eligible for emergency driver authorisation due to the abundance of vehicles and drivers available to provide their services and availability of equivalent transport services.

Taxi services may be eligible for emergency driver authorisation in specific cases such as:

• a wheelchair-accessible taxi is required for special education transport, and no driver is available
• the service is in an exempt taxi area, and the community would be negatively impacted.

Accredited operators

The following public passenger services are more likely to lack equivalent transport options, and a shortage of authorised drivers may put the community members who depend on them at greater risk. This makes these services more likely to qualify for emergency driver authorisation.

Scheduled services:

• urban scheduled services
• long distance scheduled services
• school scheduled services
• special education services provided in buses and taxis.

Pre-booked services:

• charter services
• tourist services
• accommodation or tourist transfer services
• other pre-booked public passenger services that require operator accreditation.

Applying for emergency driver authorisation

As part of the emergency driver authorisation process, operators must ensure the driver submits the Driver authorisation application form (F2978). This is the formal approval required to provide public passenger services in Queensland. Driver authorisation ensures that drivers meet and maintain the necessary safety, medical, and legal standards to operate passenger transport vehicles.

Operators must complete the Emergency driver authorisation request form (F5442) and email it to their local Passenger Transport Office for assessment. Wherever possible, the request should be submitted before the driver provides a service. If this is not possible, it must be sent as soon as reasonably practical after the emergency.

Process for applying:

1. Driver applies for driver authorisation
   • The driver must lodge a Driver authorisation application form (F2978) with the department as soon as possible.
   • If the driver authorisation has already been lodged, the operator must confirm this with the driver.


2. Operator confirms driver’s suitability to hold emergency driver authorisation
   The operator must check if the driver has declared any medical conditions, criminal or traffic history on the driver authorisation application.
   
   • If the driver declares a medical condition that affects safe driving:
     • the driver cannot hold emergency driver authorisation unless they submit a Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver (Form F3712) showing that they meet the commercial standards of the Austroads Assessing Fitness to Drive standards.
   • If the driver declares criminal history that could affect their suitability to hold driver authorisation:
     • they cannot hold emergency driver authorisation.
   • If the driver does not hold an appropriate driver licence or declares traffic history that could affect their suitability to hold driver authorisation:
     • they cannot hold emergency driver authorisation.


3. Operator seeks consent and signature from requested driver
   
   • If the requested driver meets the suitability requirements above:
     • the operator ensures the driver understands the privacy statement and signs the Emergency driver authorisation request form (form F5442)


4. Operator submits the emergency driver authorisation request
   • The operator must complete the Emergency driver authorisation request form (form F5442) and email it to their local Passenger Transport Office before using the driver.
   • The request should be submitted before the driver provides a service, but if that is not possible, it must be sent as soon as possible after the emergency.


5. Department assessment
   • The department may conduct licence and traffic history enquiries to assess requested driver’s suitability to hold emergency driver authorisation
   • If suitable:
     • the department will issue the operator with a copy of the endorsed emergency driver authorisation
     • the driver must carry a copy of the emergency driver authorisation at all times while driving.
   • If not suitable:
     • the department will inform the operator that the requested driver was not suitable
     • the operator can inform the driver of the outcome
     • the operator can advise the driver to wait for the outcome of their driver authorisation application, if they haven’t already received it.

Withdrawal of emergency driver authorisation

If a driver has been issued emergency driver authorisation and their application for driver authorisation is subsequently refused, the department will immediately withdraw the emergency driver authorisation, and the operator will be instructed not to use the driver.

Requesting emergency driver authorisation outside of business hours

If emergency driver authorisation is required outside standard business hours, for example a Saturday, the operator must complete and email your local Regional Passenger Transport Office a copy of the completed Emergency driver authorisation request form (form F5442) prior to using the driver.

All conditions of emergency driver authorisation outlined above must be complied with.

References

Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994

• Section 24: Requirements for driver authorisation.
• Section 30: Provisional driver authorisation.

Read the full Regulation on the  Queensland Legislation website.

Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Regulation 2018

• Section 30(4): Emergency driver authorisation criteria and conditions.
• Section 23: Application for driver authorisation.
• Section 24: Standards and requirements for driver authorisation.

Read the full Regulation on the  Queensland Legislation website.