Key takeaways
- Start from the traffic guidance scheme: it shows every position that needs a controller, and the crew can't be smaller than that.
- Add people for relief breaks, set-up and pack-down, pedestrian control, site access and any task the TGS assigns to a separate role.
- Stop/slow usually means a controller at each end; long shifts in heat or at night often justify a relief controller on top.
- Portable traffic lights, closures and better separation can reduce the number of people standing near live traffic.
- Ask your provider to explain their crew number position by position, so you can compare quotes properly.
How many traffic controllers you need depends on the traffic guidance scheme (TGS) for your job. Count every position on the TGS that needs a controller, then add people for relief breaks, set-up and pack-down, pedestrians and site access. A quiet driveway job might need one or two; a stop/slow usually needs at least two, often three.
Crew size is the biggest single driver of a traffic control bill, so it is worth understanding how the number is reached. This guide shows you how providers work it out, position by position, with worked examples for common jobs and a simple cost calculation. It is general guidance. The TGS must be prepared by a suitably qualified person, and the final crew number is set by the approved plan, your state's requirements and the provider's risk assessment, not by this article.
Start with the traffic guidance scheme
The TGS is the drawing that shows the signs, devices and controller positions for your job. Every position marked for a traffic controller needs a person in it whenever that arrangement is in use. So the minimum crew is the number of controller positions on the TGS.
Things on the TGS that commonly add a position:
- a controller at each end of a stop/slow
- a controller on a side street or intersection approach that feeds into the work area
- a controller managing pedestrians across a temporary crossing
- a controller at a site access where trucks enter and leave across traffic
If you do not have a TGS yet, the provider can only estimate. Our guide to traffic guidance schemes explains what they show and when you need one.
Then add people for the shift itself
The TGS shows positions. Running those positions all shift needs more than one person per position on many jobs.
| Reason | Why it adds people | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Relief breaks | Controllers must be relieved after long periods standing, and relief cannot be more traffic control | Shifts longer than a couple of hours with continuous control |
| Set-up and pack-down | Signs and devices need placing and removing, often while controllers hold traffic | Larger sign layouts, multiple approaches |
| Pedestrians | Footpath diversions and crossings need managing | Shops, schools, bus stops, busy footpaths |
| Site access | Trucks entering and leaving across traffic need control or a spotter | Deliveries, concrete pours, crane lifts |
| Supervision | A supervisor coordinates, inspects and changes the arrangement if needed | Larger jobs, night works, state roads |
| Specialist vehicles | A TMA or VMS board needs a trained operator | When the TGS requires them |
Austroads guidance says a controller standing continuously for more than two hours must be relieved for at least 15 minutes, and that relief cannot be more traffic control. Award meal breaks and the provider's own fatigue rules also apply. On a full-day stop/slow, this is often why the quote shows three people, not two.
Worked example: stop/slow on a two-lane road for a day
Here is how this plays out on a typical job. A council is replacing a section of kerb on a two-lane local road. One lane is closed, and the TGS shows stop/slow with a controller at each end. The shift runs eight hours.
Positions on the TGS: two, one at each end.
Relief: with continuous control, each controller needs a break at least every two hours, and that break cannot be spent doing more traffic control. The provider's options:
- Two controllers only. The works crew has to pause and the road reopen, or the job stops, every time a controller needs a break. Often impractical, and it puts pressure on controllers to skip breaks.
- Three controllers. The third person rotates: relieving end A, then end B, then doing set-up checks, sign inspections or pedestrian help between. This is the common answer.
Set-up: the advance signs, cones and stop points go out first thing. With three people, two hold traffic while the third places the far signs, or the supervisor briefs a set-up order where signs are placed before control starts.
What goes wrong: at 11 am the queue from one end grows past the PREPARE TO STOP sign, because it is near a school and pick-up started early. With three people, the third controller can move the advance signs as the TGS allows while the other two keep traffic moving. With two, nobody can leave their station.
What gets recorded: crew names and roles, start and finish times, break times, any sign adjustments and the reason, and the client's docket sign-off.
Example calculation (hypothetical rate): at an illustrative $85 per controller per hour, three controllers for eight hours is 3 × 8 × $85 = $2,040 before vehicle charges, travel or equipment. Two controllers would be $1,360, but only if the job could genuinely run with two. Real rates vary by provider, location, time of day and job, and minimum charges apply. Try your own numbers in the free shift cost calculator.
More worked examples: typical crew sizes
These are illustrations of how the reasoning works, not standard numbers. Your TGS and provider decide.
| Job | Typical positions | Often added | How the crew might look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driveway crossover on a quiet street | Footpath and truck access | Pedestrians during the pour | One or two controllers for a few hours |
| Footpath closure outside shops | Pedestrian diversion | Relief on a long day | One or two controllers |
| Stop/slow on a two-lane road | One each end | Relief and set-up | Two to three controllers |
| Stop/slow with a side street in the work area | Each end plus the side street | Relief | Three to four controllers |
| Concrete pour with trucks reversing in | Site access, footpath | Pedestrians, relief | Two to three controllers |
| Lane closure on a multi-lane road | Often none holding traffic | Set-up crew, TMA operator, supervisor | A crew for set-up and pack-down, vehicles and an operator |
| Full road closure and detour | Closure points | Detour points, residents' access | Several controllers, depending on access points |
Notice the lane closure: a closure with cones and signs may not need anyone standing in traffic once it is set up, but it still needs a crew to set up, inspect and pack down, and on faster roads the TGS may require a TMA. See the driveway crossover pour worked example for a small job walked through in detail.
Night works, long shifts and bad weather
The same TGS can need a bigger crew depending on when and how long the work runs.
- Night works. Visibility is lower, fatigue is higher, and set-up usually takes longer because signs, lighting and devices all need checking in the dark. Many providers add a supervisor or an extra controller on night shifts on busy roads.
- Long shifts. A ten- or twelve-hour shift needs more relief rotations than an eight-hour one. Company fatigue limits, set from their own risk assessment, may also mean the same person cannot work both your night shift and the next morning's shift.
- Heat. On hot days, controllers need shade, water and more frequent relief. A provider may add a person on a summer job they would run lean in winter.
- Rain, wind and fog. Signs blow over and visibility drops, so inspections become more frequent and someone needs to be free to fix the layout.
If your job is likely to run late or into bad weather, say so when you book. It is cheaper to plan an extra person than to stop works mid-shift because the crew has run out of hours.
Ways to reduce crew size safely
Fewer people near live traffic is good for safety and cost, as long as it comes from a better method, not from cutting corners. Options to discuss with your designer and provider:
- Portable traffic lights instead of manual stop/slow, where they suit the site and are allowed. Our guide to portable traffic lights vs stop/slow bats compares the two.
- A full closure and detour for a short period, instead of a long stop/slow.
- Working at a quieter time, when the TGS may allow a simpler arrangement.
- Grouping tasks, so deliveries arrive in one window rather than all day.
- Shorter work areas, which shorten the shuttle and may remove a side street from the zone.
What does not work: asking for fewer controllers than the TGS shows, or skipping relief. A provider should not agree to it, and a crew without relief is a fatigue risk.
How to check a quote's crew number
When quotes differ, crew size is usually why. Ask each provider to explain:
- which TGS they priced from, and its revision
- each position and the role in it
- how relief breaks are covered
- who does set-up and pack-down
- whether a supervisor, TMA operator or other specialist is included
- minimum hours per person and per vehicle
Our traffic control minimum hours guide explains why short jobs cost more than the hours suggest, and the indicative price ranges apply only as a guide. Always get written quotes.
Next steps
Get your TGS, count the positions, and ask your provider to explain their crew number role by role. For national guidance on traffic controllers and relief, see Austroads, and for safety duties, Safe Work Australia. If your provider uses TrafWise, you can book through their client link and receive signed dockets showing the crew that actually attended.
Frequently asked questions
How many traffic controllers do I need for a stop/slow?
Usually at least one controller at each end of the work area, as shown on the traffic guidance scheme. Longer shifts often need a third person to rotate relief breaks, and some sites need extra controllers for side streets, driveways or pedestrians. The approved TGS and your provider's risk assessment set the final number.
Can one traffic controller manage a site on their own?
Sometimes, for short, low-risk works where the traffic guidance scheme allows a single controller, such as a short driveway job on a quiet street. A lone controller still needs breaks, a way to call for help and a safe position. Many jobs that look small still need two people once set-up and relief are considered.
Why do traffic control companies send more controllers than I expected?
Usually because the TGS shows more positions than you counted, or because relief breaks, set-up and pack-down, pedestrian control or site access need extra people. Ask the provider to list each position and role. If a number still seems high, ask whether a different method, such as portable lights, would change it.
Do traffic controllers need breaks during a shift?
Yes. Austroads guidance says a controller standing continuously for more than two hours must be relieved for at least 15 minutes, and the relief cannot be more traffic control. Award meal breaks and the company's fatigue rules also apply. On longer shifts this is often covered by an extra crew member who rotates.
How much does a traffic control crew cost?
Indicatively, about $70 to $100 or more per traffic controller per hour, higher at night, on weekends and public holidays. Minimum charges of four hours per controller are common, with longer minimums for vehicles and operators. Travel, TMAs, VMS boards, plans and permits are often extra. Always get written quotes.