Queensland Rail's highest paid driver earned almost $200,000 last year, but the state's transport minister says that isn't the norm as the organisation grapples with a staffing shortage.
State government figures show drivers worked hundreds of hours in overtime in the 2016/17 financial year.
Some worked the equivalent of more than 20 average working weeks on top of their normal shifts.
The five highest-paid drivers pocketed between $53,200 to $75,900 over and above their salaries, while the average driver took home an extra $511 a week.
The top earner did 18 months' worth of hours in a year, notching up 25 weeks worth of overtime, while the other four worked between 17 and 22 weeks of overtime.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey played down the revelations, saying those examples were well above the average.
"That referred to the top five drivers, not the average, not the mean, so let's be very clear," Mr Bailey told state parliament on Tuesday.
"They are the kind of workers who have to work night time, on weekends and public holidays and they naturally use a fair bit of overtime."
But opposition transport spokesman Steve Minnikin put the blame for the staff shortage on a union-driven ban on external recruitment of drivers.
"We've had rail fail going-on now for a couple of years. It's out of control, the passengers of southeast Queensland are suffering because we have a restrictive recruitment practice," Mr Minnikin told reporters.
"I urge the minister to get on top of his brief. Get on and get the trains running on time."
Mr Bailey says 69 new drivers are now on the job, with 77 in training, and 168 new guards hired.
Australian Associated Press
