September 13, 2024 by Frank Burns
FIFO and Crew Transport: Planning Around the Roster
Resources transport is judged on one thing: whether the crew is at the gate on time. Everything else — vehicle comfort, cost per seat, contract structure — matters only after that is reliably true.
Plan backwards from gate time
A late bus means a late shift start, and a shift start missed at the gate costs many multiples of the charter itself. Crew movements are therefore planned in reverse: from the gate time, back through the drive, back through terminal clearance, back to the pick-up.
The margin in that calculation is the whole job. Too little and you are relying on nothing going wrong. Too much and you are paying for a bus full of people sitting in a car park at 4am.
Charter flights slip, and fixed-time bookings do not cope
A bus booked for a fixed time either leaves a crew standing at the kerb or leaves a driver waiting on the meter. Neither is acceptable on a recurring contract. The workable arrangement is for the operator to track the inbound flight and hold the vehicle against actual arrival — which requires somebody actually watching, not a booking system.
On the outbound leg, build in real clearance time at the terminal. A crew sprinting through check-in at the end of a swing is a bad end to a fortnight and an avoidable one.
Compliance is part of the deliverable
Most sites require documentation before a vehicle comes through the gate: driver authorisations, inductions, medicals, PPE, sometimes site-specific training. All of it should be complete before mobilisation, not negotiated at the gate at 5am on the first morning.
Driver fatigue management under the Heavy Vehicle National Law is also directly relevant here. Early gate times, long remote drives and night movements are exactly the conditions the rules exist for, and an operator who treats them as flexible is an operator to avoid. Ask what fatigue documentation they can supply for your compliance file.
Contract shapes
Rostered — fixed pattern over a roster cycle, priced per cycle. Cheapest per movement, and the crew sees the same vehicle and driver each swing.
Ad hoc — individual movements as required. Flexible, most expensive per seat.
Surge — additional capacity for shutdowns and turnarounds, held against a known window.
Price these separately. A common frustration is a shutdown repricing the standing runs; that should be settled in the contract rather than argued about at month end.
Shutdowns and turnarounds
A shutdown can triple headcount on site for a fortnight, and it does so on a known date. The difference between a smooth shutdown and a scramble is almost always how early the transport capacity was reserved. Tell the operator the window as soon as it is set — capacity in a regional market is finite, and everyone needs it at once.
Continuity is worth paying for
On a rostered contract, having the vehicle and driver allocated for the duration means the driver learns the route, the gate procedure and the crew. It removes a category of small failures — wrong gate, missed muster point, unfamiliar road — that a rotating roster of subcontractors reintroduces every swing.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the charter flight is delayed?
The vehicle should be held against actual arrival rather than the booked time. Confirm how the operator tracks this before you contract.
Can you meet site induction requirements?
Ask specifically which inductions, medicals and PPE your site requires and confirm they will be completed before mobilisation. It is a normal request and should get a straight answer.
How is rostered crew transport priced?
Usually per run and per roster cycle, with vehicle class, driver hours, standby and repositioning itemised. Surge and ad hoc work should be priced separately from the standing runs.
How much notice do you need for a shutdown?
As much as you have. Capacity in regional markets is limited and shutdown windows tend to cluster, so early notice is the difference between holding capacity and competing for it.
