Civil construction and mining employers usually ask for a dump truck ticket or moxy ticket in their job ads, which both refer to the articulated dump trucks they use. The average dump truck operator salary is between $125,000 and $145,000 a year, so it’s one of the better-paid entry level mining jobs you can apply for.
At Civil Safety (RTO 32381), we deliver the dump truck ticket in Queensland and WA through our Conduct Articulated Haul Truck Operations course. We’ll explain what the job involves, how to get your ticket, what it costs and where it can take you.
What does a dump truck operator do?
A dump truck operator moves bulk materials like soil and rock around civil construction and mine sites in an articulated dump truck. Site workers often call this machine a moxy, after the Norwegian company that sold its first articulated dump truck in 1972.
On a regular shift, you’ll normally:
Plan the job and check the site’s traffic rules before starting.
Carry out pre-start checks on the truck.
Line up under an excavator or loader while its operator fills the tray.
Haul the load along site roads and dump it where the supervisor directs you to.
Clean up and park the truck safely at the end of the job.
Do you need a licence to drive a dump truck on site?
You’ll need a dump truck ticket to work on site, which is a Statement of Attainment for RIIMPO337 Conduct articulated haul truck operations. An RTO issues this certificate when you pass a nationally recognised unit of competency, which you can earn once you complete our Conduct Articulated Haul Truck Operations course. Dump truck operators don’t need a high risk work licence in Queensland or WA.
Besides this qualification, you’ll need the right driver licence class to drive a dump truck on a public road. Check the class you’ll need with Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) or the WA Department of Transport, since Queensland trucks may also need conditional registration before they leave site.
How to get your dump truck ticket
You can get your dump truck ticket by completing our Conduct Articulated Haul Truck Operations course, which combines online theory with hands-on training on a haul truck. You won’t need any previous experience to enrol, though you do need to complete a short language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) check when you sign up.
These are the steps you need to follow to complete the course:
Enrol online and choose a practical date at one of our training centres.
Complete the online theory within 30 days, including quizzes and written tasks.
Attend one day of practical training in WA or two days in Queensland, where your trainer will assess you on the truck.
Receive your Statement of Attainment for RIIMPO337 once you’ve passed both the theory and the practical.
Funding and cost
Our Conduct Articulated Haul Truck Operations course costs $550 to $950 depending on location, with Afterpay available if you’d like to split the fee into instalments. You may be eligible for construction industry funding, although neither fund covers workers heading into mining roles:
Queensland: Workers currently or recently employed in Queensland’s building and construction industry may be eligible for Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) funding. CSQ can cover most or all of the fee, though you’ll usually pay a small co-contribution.
WA: WA construction workers may be able to save up to 70% on metro courses and 80% on regional courses with Construction Training Fund (CTF) funding. We’ll claim the funding for you at enrolment, so you’ll only pay the remaining fee.
Getting a dump truck job in the mines
You’ll need to meet a few extra site requirements to get a job in the mines:
Standard 11: Queensland coal mine workers can’t carry out a task at the mine until they’ve finished their induction under the Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017. You’ll complete this induction through our Standard 11 course.
Verification of competency: Mine operators will check that you can safely drive their own trucks before you start, which the industry calls a verification of competency (VOC). WA mine operators must assess every worker as competent under regulation 675BB of the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022.
Rigid haul trucks: Operators of the rigid haul trucks on large open cut mines need a separate ticket. You can earn it through our Conduct Rigid Haul Truck Operations (RIIMPO338) course.
Where to next after your dump truck ticket?
Many dump truck operators add tickets for other machines on site so they can take on more work during a shift. You could start with an excavator ticket, since you’ll already have spent plenty of time watching an excavator load your truck. You can also book several tickets together through our plant and machinery bundles.
These tickets pair well with your dump truck ticket:
Ticket | Unit | What you’ll do |
RIIMPO320 | Load and drive trucks | |
Conduct Civil Construction Wheeled Front End Loader Operations | RIIMPO321 | Scoop material into trucks and stockpile it around the site |
RIIMPO323 | Push and spread material at the dump area after trucks tip their loads | |
RIIMPO326 | Spray haul roads with a water cart to keep dust down |
Get your dump truck ticket with Civil Safety
You can start working as a dump truck operator on civil and mining sites without any previous machinery experience. Book our Conduct Articulated Haul Truck Operations course today to lock in a spot at an upcoming session in Townsville or Bunbury before the dates fill up. Our team can also help you check your funding eligibility, so contact us if you’d like a hand before you enrol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. RIIMPO337 replaced RIIMPO337E on 2 September 2026, but the two units are still listed as equivalent, so you won’t need to retrain.
Yes. You can enrol in our Conduct Articulated Haul Truck Operations course without any machinery experience, although mine sites will also ask for their own inductions and a VOC before you start.
No. Rigid haul trucks need a separate ticket, which you can earn through our Conduct Rigid Haul Truck Operations (RIIMPO338) course.