The Rockliff Liberal Government is taking action to improve the availability of wheelchair taxis in Tasmania.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael Ferguson said that wheelchair accessible taxis were an important lifeline for Tasmanians with mobility issues.
“Whether it is getting to work or school or to important appointments or just doing the shopping, these taxis can sometimes be the only option for those in wheelchairs to be able to go about daily life with independence,” Minister Ferguson said.
“Wheelchair accessible taxis are capable of doing all taxi work, not only trips for wheelchair users.
“But it is necessary to make sure that those needing wheelchair accessibility aren’t being left in a queue of bookings.
“To ensure more wheelchair accessible taxis are available when needed by wheelchair reliant passengers, I am proposing new rules to mandate a minimum of 30 wheelchair passenger trips be provided by each wheelchair accessible taxi per month. There is currently no minimum at all.
“Recognising that there is a greater loading and unloading time for passengers in wheelchairs, we will also increase the current subsidy for every wheelchair trip in a WAT to $20, to be split equally between the driver and the operator to help cover this time.
“To keep wheelchair accessible taxis on the road for longer we are also proposing to remove the mandatory retirement age of the vehicles which is currently 10 years, as long as annual safety checks are kept up.
“This combination of measures will make it easier for those in wheelchairs to book a taxi and provide more incentive for drivers and operators to be available where and when they are needed,” Minister Ferguson said.
Minister for Disability Services Jo Palmer said this is great news for the Tasmanian disability community and comes after extensive consultation with WAT users who have shared their lived experiences of transport challenges.
``I would like to thank those people with disabilities who have contacted me directly to share their experiences and the impact not having a reliable service can have on their lives.
“The proposed reforms will provide greater opportunities for all Tasmanians to choose how and when they travel and to participate more freely in every aspect of life,’’ Minister Palmer said.
The proposed Taxi and Hire Vehicle Industries Regulations 2023 and associated Regulatory Impact Statement have been released for industry and public comment, at www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au until Tuesday, 16 May 2023.