Real estate agent’s stunning admission about his traffic control side hustle where some workers claim to earn up to $200,000 a year

A real estate agent who picked up a side hustle as a road traffic controller and described it as a ‘bludge job’ has been praised for his honesty on social media. 

The man from south-east Queensland said he landed a side gig as a traffic controller after completing a two-day course and was bringing in $35 an hour. 

He said he took on the extra job three years ago because he needed to pay bills. 

While the job requires no qualifications beyond the brief training, some traffic controllers have hit back at the common perception that ‘lollipop-holders’ make easy money. 

But this side hustler admitted it was an undemanding job.

‘Anyone who wants a sort of bludge job where you don’t have to do much – traffic control is definitely the way to go,’ he said in a TikTok posted by Getahead, an app that connects jobseekers with employment opportunities in Australia.

‘You literally get paid to stand here … there are definitely worse gigs out there.’

The man said the ‘flexible’ side job was an easy way to not only earn money but to ‘meet a lot of people’ – many who often asked him for real estate advice. 

He then explained that he had the freedom to ‘accept or decline’ shifts which were offered the day before.

The interview was then cut short by another worker who told him the ‘supervisor was getting a bit upset’ about him speaking on camera rather than concentrating on the job. 

Social media users praised the worker, thanking him for talking honestly about his pay and experience in the job – neither exaggerating the money that can be paid nor creating a false impression of its demands. 

‘Finally a traffic controller that isn’t making 10k a week,’ one person wrote.

‘Finally an honest traffic controller,’ another said.

‘He tells the truth,’ a third person said.

‘First one who hasn’t exaggerated,’ another wrote. 

Earlier this year, a traffic controller sparked a furious debate when she claimed to earn up to $200,000 a year.

Queensland woman Suzie Ross said she made ‘between $140,000 and $200,000 a year’  in the role.

Many commenters thought she was exaggerating.

‘I’ve owned a traffic control company in Sydney for 12 years and I’m sure she doesn’t make that much money,’ one user said.

‘It’s between 39k-80k depending [on] experience. But, traffic control is not a bed of roses. They have their favourites and you will be lucky to get 5hrs-to 40hrs [of work] a week,’ another commented.

‘I’ve been a traffic controller for 2 years while I’m studying, even doing 12-16 hour days the most I’ve made is 88k in a financial year.’ 

According to leading employment website Seek, traffic controllers earn an average annual salary of between $65,000 to $85,000 per year.