Transport for people with disability

Information for people with disability, including taxi identification for people with vision impairment, travelling with an assistance animal, travelling with a wheelchair or mobility device and more.

  Taxi identification for people with vision impairment or low vision

Image of taxi ID plate
Image of taxi ID plate

It is a Commonwealth Government requirement that taxis are recognised by people with vision impairment or low vision.

Raised taxi registration numbers are placed on the exterior of all taxi passenger doors, forward of the handle (as pictured).

  Transporting an assistance animal

Assistance animals come in all shapes and sizes and are highly trained to meet behavioural and hygiene standards. 

Under the law, passenger transport drivers in WA must not refuse to carry an assistance animal or an assistance animal in training. 

Refusing to carry an assistance animal is an offence. You can be issued an infringement of $9,000 if you refuse to carry an assistance animal in your passenger transport vehicle.

Partnering with assistance animals helps many people with disability to live independently and provides a range of physical and emotional benefits. We all have a responsibility to ensure people who partner with assistance animals are supported in accessing transport that meets their needs.

For further information, visit the Australian Human Rights Commission website (below).
 

Australian Human Rights Commission website

  Wheelchair and mobility device accessible transport

Wheelchair accessible rank or hail vehicles (WAVs) are specially equipped to provide essential transport for people with disability or mobility difficulties. WAVs are available in metropolitan and regional areas throughout Western Australia.

The dedicated WAV on-demand booking service, Black and White Cabs, is appointed to provide reliable and consistent service for passengers using wheelchairs or mobility devices.

To book a WAV in the metropolitan area contact Black and White Cabs. To book a WAV in regional areas, contact your local on-demand booking service to discuss your transport needs.

Opens in a new window Black and White Cabs

  Guidelines for passengers with a wheelchair or mobility device

Man in a wheelchair hailing a taxi
Man in a wheelchair hailing a taxi

It is important to familiarise yourself with how you and your wheelchair should be restrained to be transported safely.

Where practical, it is preferable that passengers transfer out of their wheelchair when being transported. If you require transportation while seated in your wheelchair, you should seek your own advice to determine the most appropriate type of wheelchair for you for this purpose. 

Please note: wheelchair accessible taxis are only designed to transport people seated in wheelchairs. It is not safe to carry, load or unload passengers while seated on a mobility device/gopher. Passengers who use a mobility scooter must transfer from their scooter before it is loaded into the vehicle. A mobility scooter cannot be used as a seat while people are being transported.

If you have any concerns about your safety while travelling, you should contact the on-demand booking service you travelled with. You can also contact On-demand Transport for support.

  Travel subsidies - Taxi User Subsidy Scheme (TUSS)

The Taxi User Subsidy Scheme is available for people with a severe permanent disability, which prevents them from using public transport services or accessing standard on-demand transport such as taxis, charter vehicles or regular passenger transport vehicles (for example, a bus on a regular public transport route or an airport shuttle bus).

For more information, visit Travel subsidies.

  Making a complaint

Service complaints

If you believe you have been overcharged or have experienced poor customer service during your trip, you should make a complaint directly to the relevant on-demand booking service.

This may include issues relating to:

  • service delivery;
  • failure to pick up passengers;
  • failure to accept or use TUSS vouchers correctly;
  • driving ability, including not following road rules and traffic laws;
  • inappropriate driver conversation or behaviour;
  • driver attitude or hygiene;
  • over charges or fare discrepancies;
  • condition of the vehicle; or
  • lost property.

If you are unsatisfied with the response you receive from the booking service, you may wish to investigate your options with the Consumer Protection branch at the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. 

On-demand booking services are required to accept and work towards resolving your complaint within a reasonable timeframe. If the on-demand booking service has not responded to your complaint in a timely manner (usually 10 working days), then you can lodge a separate complaint with the Department of Transport regarding the lack of response. You will need to provide information about when and how your complaint was lodged with the on-demand booking service.

If you are unable to identify the on-demand booking service, you can email the details of the incident to the Department of Transport. DoT will strive to identify the on-demand booking service and provide you with their details so you can lodge a complaint.

Criminal and traffic offences

Criminal offences such as physical or sexual assault and traffic related offences must be reported to WA Police. If required, the Department of Transport will assist with any police investigation.

Reporting other offences

On-demand Transport receives and manages reports about the passenger transport industry (including taxi, rideshare and charter companies), where the reported issue relates to possible offences under sections of the following legislation:

  • Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018; and
  • Transport (Road Passenger Services) Regulations 2020.

To make a report related to the above legislation, email On-demand Transport.

For further information, contact On-demand Transport.

Opens in a new window Department of Commerce: Consumer Protection Division
WA Police
Opens in a new window Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018
Transport (Road Passenger Services) Regulations 2020
Page last updated: Thu Mar 7 2024 10:55:57 AM