The TWU's primary focus areas include road transport, commercial aviation, and more recently, gig economy workers.

A self-employed carrier could set himself up with a basic horse and cart for a relatively small sum of money, and drivers, too, were in chronic oversupply.

Numbers of wage-earning drivers increased in the major cities during this period as carrying firms grew in size, stimulated by growth in manufacturing.

Growth in the transport sector provided a stimulus for carters' unions to reorganise themselves to make them a stronger force.

Their bargaining power won improvements in pay and conditions which in turn benefited union members in other sectors.

[5] World War II saw major changes within the road transport industry, with acute labour shortages resulting in long hours and high wages for drivers.

After the war the road transport industry was rationalised as smaller operators were forced out of the business by larger, more efficient firms.

These larger companies introduced new methods of work, using specialised bulk tankers, forklifts and pallets to lower costs and increase productivity.

By this time waves of takeovers had reorganised the industry with small local firms being taken over by large national transport companies.

This rationalisation meant that the union also had to reorganise itself into a strong federal body, capable of operating in a nationally co-ordinated way.

Forced to negotiate individually with the large prime contractors, they found themselves progressively squeezed throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s as operating costs rose far more than rates.

From the early 1970s, the TWU became a cohesive, centrally directed force with a substantial presence, actively recruiting members and training job delegates.

This downturn stimulated a major restructuring of the Australian transport industry as retailers and manufacturers turned to a system of contract distribution rather than maintain their own truck fleets or engage owner drivers.

Large companies used economies of scale, mechanised and computerised warehouses and close control of their workforce, to reduce costs and the number of employees and vehicles required.

In 1987 the TWU amalgamated with Motor Transport and Chauffeurs Association, which gave the union coverage of the private bus industry in Victoria.

National Secretary Sheldon led the union to success in the 'Safe Rates' campaign[7] with the passing of legislation to establish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal in 2012.

In 2021, the Transport Workers Union took Qantas to court over the dismissal of 1685 baggage handlers and cleaners during the COVID-19 pandemic, whose roles were later outsourced.

[8] The TWU argued that the airline’s actions contravened the Fair Work Act, while Qantas claimed it had to make the cuts to ensure the company's survival during the pandemic.