In some places in Australia, loading zones are usually located quite close to restaurants or merchants. This makes some gig drivers from Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Menulog tempted to use them as a spot to stop or even park their vehicles. With such a strategic location, loading zones can save drivers time and energy when picking up orders.
Loading zones can be an efficient option when carrying multiple orders at once or when the areas around restaurants are overcrowded with other vehicles. However, behind these advantages, loading zones have strict rules regulated by local governments, and violations can lead to hefty fines.
Can Delivery Drivers Park in a Loading Zone?
Loading zone rules in Australia are not entirely the same across every state and territory. Generally, these areas are only allowed for use by commercial vehicles that are actively loading or unloading goods within a certain time limit. The challenge is that almost all gig delivery drivers use passenger vehicles for their deliveries.
Here are the rules regarding stopping and parking in loading zones across several Australian states in relation to on-demand delivery services (like DoorDash, Uber Eats, Menulog, etc).
Victoria
Delivery drivers in Victoria, including Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, and other cities, may only park in a loading zone if their vehicles are equipped with a sign.
The sign can be the name of the company or a courier sign. Signs must be in letters at least 50 mm high, with proportional width, and must be displayed on both sides of the vehicle.
Only signs with permanent adhesive are allowed. Magnetic signs or signs placed on the car’s windows or roof racks are not permitted.
So, if your vehicle doesn’t have a proper sign, you should park in a standard parking area. Violating this rule can get you fined for unlawful parking in Victoria with a penalty of $110.12. It’s equivalent to a gig driver’s earnings from 7–15 deliveries.
Read more about the rules at transport.vic.gov.au.
New South Wales
In Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong, and other cities across NSW, loading zones can only be used by goods vehicles designed to carry freight.
Vehicles considered as goods vehicles include trucks, vans, and station wagons. So, if you’re delivering with a sedan, you can’t park in a loading zone.
There are no legal alternatives for gig drivers in NSW other than using standard parking areas. Parking in a loading zone without authorisation is considered a parking offence and comes with a penalty of $235.
That’s a big amount for a gig delivery driver, equivalent to a full day’s earnings (or even more) after completing 20–30 deliveries.
Read more about the rules at www.nsw.gov.au.
Queensland
Gig delivery drivers in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and other areas of Queensland can’t simply park in a loading zone. These are only for trucks and commercial vehicles, and they can use them for up to 30 minutes.
Passenger vehicles can be considered commercial if they carry a commercial vehicle identification label issued by the local government in that area. Your vehicle may also qualify as commercial if the back seats and seatbelts are removed.
So, if you’re using a passenger vehicle (without commercial identification) and stop in a loading zone without authorization in Queensland, you’ll be fined $166. It’s about the same as a gig driver’s earnings from 15–20 deliveries.
Read more about the rules at www.qld.gov.au.
Western Australia
In Western Australia, loading zone rules may vary depending on the local council. However, state law states that loading zones can only be used by commercial vehicles that are actively loading or unloading goods. In Perth, even utes and station wagons are prohibited from stopping.
I strongly recommend avoiding parking in loading zones. Because if you stop or park unlawfully in a loading zone around Perth or other WA cities, you’ll face a $120 fine, roughly equal to the earnings from 10–15 deliveries.
Read more about the rules at parliament.wa.gov.au
South Australia
In Adelaide and other cities across South Australia, not only commercial vehicles allowed to stop or park in a loading zone for up to 30 minutes.
Other types of vehicles, such as passenger cars, may also use a loading zone for up to 10 minutes if loading or unloading items that are difficult to handle due to their size or weight.
Ten minutes might be enough if the restaurant is quiet and not too crowded, but during peak hours with long queues of drivers, it’s almost impossible to fit within that time. Watch out, a $129 fine awaits if you break the rule. That’s about the same as completing 10–17 deliveries.
Read more about the rules at mylicence.sa.gov.au
Tips for Finding Parking in the City
At a glance, parking in a loading zone seems like a quick fix to cut down on daily parking costs for a delivery driver. But, using this area without really understanding the rules can actually hurt the driver themselves, including suspension or revocation of their driver’s license.
One solution that many delivery drivers use is to find parking in the city. I now rely on the EasyPark app, which helps me find parking spots and manage payments directly through my phone.
One of its most useful features is the option of 15 minutes of free parking at certain locations, especially in city centres. However, it’s important to note that this doesn’t apply to every bay.
Here’s how it works: when a driver checks in through the app, the system calculates the parking fee immediately. If the parking duration is 15 minutes or less, the app will display $0, meaning the parking is free.
Many couriers and delivery drivers have experienced significant savings from using EasyPark. For example, one courier in Melbourne CBD shared that he used to insert $1 coins into parking meters at every stop, sometimes up to 30 times a day. With EasyPark, his weekly parking expenses, which could reach dozens of dollars, have dropped dramatically to just a few dollars — thanks to the combination of 15 minutes free parking at many spots and light fees of around $0.20 at others.
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