Getting your traffic control ticket
In short: To work as a traffic controller in Queensland you need accreditation under the Department of Transport and Main Roads' Traffic Controller Accreditation Scheme, delivered through a TMR-approved registered training organisation, plus a White Card. New South Wales runs its own SafeWork NSW card scheme, which is separate and not interchangeable. East Coast Traffic Control is not an RTO; it employs people once they hold a current licence.
What the Queensland licence involves
Queensland traffic controllers are accredited under the Traffic Controller Accreditation Scheme (TCAS), administered by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). The course is delivered by TMR-approved RTOs and covers three nationally recognised units: RIIWHS205E (control traffic with a stop/slow bat), RIIWHS201E (work safely and follow WHS policies) and RIICOM201E (communicate in the workplace). You also complete a supervised practical placement on a live site, currently 20 hours, and you need a White Card (CPCWHS1001 construction induction) before you can set foot on any site.
Course fees, dates, locations and the classroom and assessment components are all matters for the RTO. Traffic Management Implementer (TMI) and Traffic Management Designer (TMD) are further accreditations you can work towards once you are a licensed controller.
What the New South Wales licence involves
New South Wales uses the SafeWork NSW Traffic Control Work Training card, with separate classes for Traffic controller (TCR), Implement traffic control plans (IMP) and Prepare a work zone traffic management plan (PWZ). The training is delivered by SafeWork NSW approved RTOs and the requirements differ from Queensland's. A Queensland TC ticket does not let you work in NSW and a NSW TCR does not let you work in Queensland; Queensland is excluded from the Automatic Mutual Recognition scheme, so the two cards do not transfer. Choose the state you intend to work in before you book a course.
Registered training organisations that run traffic control courses
These are the RTOs ECTC refers people to. ECTC has no commercial arrangement with them; contact the one nearest you for dates and fees.
| RTO | Phone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AATS Training | (07) 4067 1019 | aatstraining.com.au | admin@aatstraining.com.au |
| Link Resources | (07) 5491 2144 | link-resources.com.au | admin@link-resources.com.au |
| Global Training Services | (07) 3274 4888 | globaltrainingservices.com.au | admin@globaltrainingservices.com.au |
| DTC Training | 1800 795 502 | dtctraining.com.au | admin@dtctraining.com.au |
| All State Training | (07) 4123 0415 | allstatestraining.qld.edu.au | info@centralsafetytraining.com |
| Traffic Management Training (TMT) | 1300 699 644 | tmttraining.com.au | admin@tmttraining.com.au |
| Advanced Certified Training Australia (ACTA) | 1300 011 144 | actagroup.com.au | traffic@actagroup.com.au |
| SWQ Training | (07) 4617 7800 | swqtraining.com.au | admin@swqtraining.com.au |
| RudTek | (07) 3275 2039 | rudtek.edu.au | admin@rudtek.edu.au |
| Upskills Qld | 1300 627 681 | upskillsqld.com.au | trainingcoord@upskillsqld.com.au |
About the practical placement
The Queensland course includes supervised practical hours on a live site. The RTO arranges or confirms where that placement happens. ECTC sometimes hosts trainees for placement when a local crew has the capacity and a suitable job, but this depends on the depot's workload at the time and is not an offer we can make to everyone who asks. Placement does not involve payment and does not lead automatically to a job.
Once you have your card, apply through the employment questionnaire. Applications are reviewed against each depot's needs, and if yours is in order the local Area Manager reaches out.
Register your interest
If you are starting the course and want ECTC to know you are coming, use the short form below: name, email, mobile, your location and a message. We will note your interest for the depot nearest you. This is not a job application and not a course booking; book the course with the RTO directly.
Already hold a ticket?
Apply to ECTC with your licence details.
Common questions
Does ECTC provide traffic control training?
No. ECTC is a traffic control company, not a registered training organisation. The Queensland and NSW accreditation courses are delivered by approved RTOs, and the cards are issued by the state schemes. The RTOs listed on this page run the courses; contact them directly for dates, locations and fees.
How long does it take to get a traffic control ticket?
It depends on the RTO and the state. In Queensland the three units are usually delivered over a few days, followed by the supervised practical placement, and the accreditation is issued once everything is complete. Ask the RTO for their timeframe and whether they arrange the placement or you need to find a host.
Will ECTC host my 20-hour practical placement?
Sometimes, when a depot has a suitable job and crew capacity at the time. It is at the discretion of the local Area Manager and depends on workload, so ECTC cannot promise placement to everyone who asks. Your RTO is responsible for arranging placement. Placement is unpaid and does not create a job offer.
Is a traffic control ticket from another state valid in Queensland or NSW?
Not between Queensland and NSW. Queensland work requires TMR Traffic Controller accreditation and TMR does not recognise interstate cards. NSW work requires a SafeWork NSW card; NSW accepts regulator-issued cards from other states under Automatic Mutual Recognition, but not Queensland's. If you are moving, speak to an RTO in that state about what you need to complete.
Will I have a job with ECTC when I finish the course?
Finishing the course does not create a job. Once your licence is current, apply through the employment questionnaire. Applications are reviewed against the needs of the depot nearest you, and if yours is in order and your accreditation is current, the local Area Manager reaches out. Demand varies by region and season.
Need crews on site?
Send the job and your local Area Manager takes it from there, day or night.