PROGRAM PERIOD: 8 March 2026 - 30 September 2026
1. What is the Top Up Hours Incentive?
It is a payment that can top your pay up to 61 hours in a fortnight, subject to conditions being met as per the information below.
2. Who is this for?
It applies to approved Blank Line roster Driver Assistants and Drivers Under Instruction at Greta, Gunnedah, Willow Tree, Mudgee and Narrabri who have successfully passed their VOC with Pacific National.
3. How is it worked out?
It is calculated each fortnight.
If you are eligible, Trojan Rail will top your hours up to 61 for that fortnight.
Example:
If you work 50 hours, you may receive 11 top up hours.
4. What rate are top up hours paid at?
Top up hours are paid at your base hourly rate (plus casual loading)
Top up hours do not include penalties, loadings, overtime or allowances, e.g. Aggregate Penalty Multiplier (APM), Aggregate Allowance.
5. What do I need to do to qualify?
You must:
be on the approved eligible list
be employed for the full fortnight being assessed
be on a Blank Line roster
have successfully passed your VOC with Pacific National
be available for at least 80% of the days in the fortnight
have no more than one CNAR / SNP and have zero AWOL in that fortnight
not have more than 1 approved full weekend off within 2 pay cycles
have all required licences, certificates, inductions and documents current
6. Do I automatically get it?
No. You must meet all eligibility, availability and compliance rules for that fortnight.
7. What does 80% availability mean?
You must be available for at least 80% of all days in the fortnight.
This includes:
weekdays
weekends
public holiday
8. Can I work Monday to Friday only?
No. This incentive does not support a Monday to Friday availability pattern where the role requires weekend and public holiday availability.
You must remain genuinely available across the normal roster pattern for your depot.
9. What is a full weekend off?
A full weekend off means both Saturday and Sunday.
A single Saturday or single Sunday does not count as your approved full weekend off.
10. Does a full weekend off still count in the 80% calculation?
Yes. Employees must be available for weekend work, as weekends form an important part of operational coverage and contribute to meeting the 80% availability requirement under this program. As a general guide, employees should plan on having 1 weekend off in every 4.
11. Do I need approval first?
Yes. The full weekend off must be approved in advance.
Any other weekend unavailability will count under the normal rules and may affect your eligibility.
12. Do public holidays count?
Yes. Public holidays count in the 80% availability requirement.
If you are unavailable on a public holiday, it will usually count as unavailable unless it is a shutdown day.
13. What days count as available?
These days count as available:
Not Required (NR) days
shutdown days
duty free fatigue periods
14. What days count as unavailable?
These usually count as unavailable:
CNA
CNAR
Sick
AWOL
15. What happens if I say I am available and then refuse a shift?
That day may be treated as CNAR. If that happens, you may lose the top up if you have more than one CNAR for that fortnight.
16. What happens if I say I am available but do not answer?
That day may be treated as CNAR or AWOL. If that happens, you may lose the top up for that fortnight.
17. What if my compliance is not current?
If your Driver Licence, First Aid, inductions, or other required documents are not current at any time during the fortnight, no top up is paid for that fortnight.
18. What if I am on workers compensation or stood down?
No top up is paid for that fortnight.
19. Can roster codes be changed to help me qualify?
No. Roster codes must reflect what really happened.
They cannot be changed to improve eligibility or increase payment.
20. Can Trojan Rail review patterns?
Yes. Trojan Rail may review patterns such as repeated weekend unavailability, public holiday unavailability, repeated sick leave, non-response while marked available, or repeated correction requests.
If misuse is identified by Trojan Rail Management, the employee may be removed from the incentive.
CONTACT US:
If you have an enquiry regarding the Driver Assistant and Drive Under Instruction Top Up Hours Incentive Program, please click on the link below:
https://form.jotform.com/260777213040046
A Trojan Rail representative will respond during business hours, Monday to Friday.
Please be advised that participation in this program for eligible employees is automatic. Fortnightly hours for eligible employees will be topped up if they meet the requirements of the program.
![Blog [07 July] 6 Tips To Help Your Dollars Stretch Further](/rails/active_storage/representations/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBNmgvR0E9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--c8b3c628fb98398f919fb1309685c521f77807b8/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdDVG9MWm05eWJXRjBTU0lJY0c1bkJqb0dSVlE2QzNKbGMybDZaVWtpRFRVd01IZzFNREJlQmpzR1ZEb01aM0poZG1sMGVVa2lDME5sYm5SbGNnWTdCbFE2Q1dOeWIzQkpJaEExTURCNE5UQXdLekFyTUFZN0JsUT0iLCJleHAiOm51bGwsInB1ciI6InZhcmlhdGlvbiJ9fQ==--a3d4e58f1ec1cc5958960b603b5787f494682e15/Blog%20%5B07%20July%5D%206_Tips_To_Help_Your_Dollars_Stretch_Further.png)