About the TUSS reform

Please note: the timeframes outlined below are provided as a guide and may change. Any major changes will be communicated with TUSS participants and the taxi industry.

In early December 2024, DoT will commence a small pilot of the new digital PTSS system, with participating on-demand booking services (ODBSs), drivers and participants. 

DoT will start posting the new PTSS card to existing participants in January 2025. Participants should make sure their contact details are confirmed with DoT, to ensure we can send their participant card to the correct address – see Confirm your TUSS participant details below for more information.

It is anticipated that the new digital PTSS system will be rolled out to all existing participants and the taxi industry by March 2025. ODBSs will need to register to access the digital PTSS system via their DoTDirect accounts. 

There will be a transition period from March 2025, where old TUSS cards and vouchers may be accepted by taxi drivers. DoT will advise when the transition period has ended.

From 2–13 December 2024, DoT ran a pilot of the digital PTSS system in the Perth metropolitan area, with a small number of taxi drivers and TUSS participants.

In early 2025, the PTSS pilot will expand to several areas in regional WA with participating on-demand booking services.

Don’t worry if you’re not involved in the early stages of the pilot – existing TUSS participants and the taxi industry will still be transitioned to the new digital system by March 2025.

During the pilot, other TUSS participants will still need to use their previous card and vouchers to access their subsidy, and taxi drivers must continue to accept TUSS vouchers.

Find out more about the Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) pilot.

The new participant card will be a smartcard that is scanned by the driver to start and end the taxi trip. The card features:

• the participant’s name and number;
• the card number and expiry date;
• a photo of the participant;
• the letters “PTSS” in braille and a round notch cut out of the bottom right side, to assist people with vision impairment to locate the card; and
• the subsidy type.

DoT will continue engaging with key disability organisations to ensure the PTSS card is accessible.

Example of the new PTSS card

See below for an example of the new PTSS card design. Note: this example is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not reflect all card security features and available subsidy levels.

The new PTSS system will provide a smoother journey experience for both passengers and drivers, streamlining the process for drivers and helping ensure accurate subsidy calculations and fare amounts for passengers.

The below steps outline the process of a PTSS journey.

1. The PTSS participant books a trip or hails a taxi from the street or a rank.
2. The taxi driver scans the PTSS card at the beginning of the trip.
3. Taxi trip occurs.
4. The PTSS card is scanned again by the taxi driver at the end of the trip.
5. The taxi driver’s mobile phone app will calculate the amount of the fare to be paid by the PTSS participant. The app will audibly read out the fare amount and display it on screen.
6. The PTSS participant will pay the remainder of the fare, after the subsidy is calculated.

There will also be functionality for the mobile phone app to record trip details if the internet connection drops, to ensure no journey data is lost.

From 2 December 2024, new regulations that support the digital PTSS system have been published (below). These changes in legislation are available to view in the Transport (Road Passenger Services) Amendment Regulations (No. 3) 2024 (below), outlining: 

• the amended regulations that support PTSS;
• offences related to PTSS; and
• when the changes will apply.

The Transport (Road Passenger Services) Regulations 2020 will be updated as each stage commences. 
Read below for a summary of the PTSS responsibilities for on-demand booking services (ODBS) and drivers of on-demand rank or hail (taxi) vehicles.

ODBS responsibilities

Under the regulations, ODBSs must ensure all drivers they dispatch taxi work to can:

• accept PTSS cards and make electronic subsidy claims for all eligible journeys. This may be through using the PTSS mobile app or integrating their own digital systems (like dispatch software) with the PTSS application programming interface (API); and
• continue to accept TUSS vouchers until advised by DoT.

ODBSs must also provide DoT with the aggregated journey data of all PTSS journeys at the end of each month, including:

• date and time the booking was taken/facilitated;
• date and time the journey started and ended;
• location the journey started and ended;
• driver’s passenger transport driver (PTD) authorisation number;
• vehicle plate number;
• booking reference number (allocated by the ODBS);
• number of passengers carried who were seated in a wheelchair (if any);
• total fare amount; and
• the subsidy amount for the fare.

ODBSs must ensure false or misleading information is not entered for PTSS journeys or subsidy payments.
See “Key timeframes” below for details on when these regulations will be in.

Driver responsibilities

Under the regulations, drivers of on-demand rank or hail (taxi) vehicles must ensure:

• they accept PTSS cards and make electronic subsidy claims. This may be through using the PTSS mobile app or their ODBS’s digital systems (like dispatch software) that have been integrated with the PTSS application programming interface (API); 
• they continue to accept TUSS vouchers until advised by DoT;
• PTSS cards are scanned at the beginning and end of each subsidised journey;
• PTSS cards are not misused; and
• all submitted information connected to subsidy claims is accurate. 

See “Key timeframes” below for details on when these regulations will be in place.

Key timeframes

The PTSS regulations will be primarily in three stages, to allow for PTSS participants and industry to transition from the TUSS paper system to the new PTSS digital system.

2 December 2024

Taxi drivers will be able to accept subsidy payments using the PTSS card. This is to support drivers and ODBS providers participating in the PTSS pilot. During this time, offences regarding the misuse of PTSS cards or providing false information connected to the claim of subsidies will begin.

1 March 2025

Taxi drivers and ODBS providers must be equipped and capable of taking PTSS journeys and participating in the digital scheme, including the submitting of journey data. To support industry and participants to transition to the new scheme, TUSS vouchers may still be accepted. 

1 October 2025

From this time, only PTSS cards can be used on subsidised journeys. TUSS vouchers are no longer to be accepted.  Interstate paper vouchers must still be accepted.

In October 2023, we contacted all TUSS participants to request they confirm their contact details with DoT. 
If you haven’t returned your form yet, please complete it and send it to DoT. We cannot send your new participant card in January without your correct contact details.

How to confirm your details

Fill out the front and back of the form that was enclosed with your letter (also available below). Return your completed form to DoT:

• Mail your form to DoT using the enclosed reply-paid envelope; or 
• Scan your completed and signed form and email it to tussupdates@transport.wa.gov.au  

If you have any questions about how to confirm your details, please call 13 11 56 or email tussupdates@transport.wa.gov.au.

What’s coming up soon for participants?

In December 2024, we’ll be conducting a pilot of the new PTSS system with a small number of taxi companies, drivers and TUSS participants. Don’t worry if you’re not involved in the early stages of the pilot – existing TUSS participants and the taxi industry will still be transitioned to the new digital system by March 2025.

In December, we will also post you a letter to explain how your new PTSS participant card will work.

In January 2025, we will start posting new PTSS cards to all existing participants. It’s important that you confirm your contact details with DoT, to ensure we can send their participant card to the correct address – see Confirm your TUSS participant details above for more information.

It is anticipated that the new digital PTSS system will be rolled out to all existing participants and the taxi industry by March 2025.

Will participants need an app or smartphone to access the new system?

No, TUSS participants will not need an app or smartphone when the new TUSS system starts from late 2024. 
How will interstate travel work under the new TUSS system?

If you are a WA TUSS participant, you are entitled to access your normal subsidy when travelling in another state in Australia. Under the new TUSS system, you will still need to get a TUSS Interstate Voucher Book to access your subsidy in another state.

Visit Apply for TUSS for more information about interstate travel. 

Will subsidy amounts increase?

As part of the TUSS reform, DoT is reviewing subsidy caps and taxi driver co-payment amounts associated with the scheme. Any increases to subsidy caps that may be recommended as a result of that review would be subject to the normal government budget approval process and could not be implemented until after the new digital TUSS solution is implemented.

Do drivers still need to accept TUSS vouchers?

Drivers must continue accepting the current TUSS cards and vouchers until advised by DoT that the transition period has finished. DoT will continue communicating important dates and information with industry via the OdT Industry Newsletter.

How do drivers and ODBSs use the new digital PTSS system?

There will be two ways to use the digital PTSS system:

• drivers install and use the DoT PTSS mobile app on their mobile device; or
• ODBSs integrate their own digital systems (like dispatch software) with the PTSS application programming interface (API).

Both ways of accessing the digital PTSS system will collect journey details and send this information to DoT. ODBSs will decide which method they will use and communicate this information with their drivers. 

If you’re an ODBS and interested in integrating your systems with the PTSS API, please email us at tussupdates@transport.wa.gov.au for more technical information. 

What type of mobile device is compatible with the DoT PTSS mobile app?

As system testing of the PTSS app progresses, we’ll share the requirements required for mobile devices to be able to run the app. If your ODBS uses the API, you may not need a mobile device that meets the requirements. 

How will drivers get paid? 

A PTSS journey submitted via the DoT PTSS mobile app or the PTSS API, will be considered a claim for a subsidy payment. 

DoT will validate all journeys and pay the subsidy to the ODBS associated with the journey. Subsidy payments on behalf of drivers will be deposited in the bank account nominated by the ODBS. The ODBS will be able to view reports in DoTDirect that outline:

• the PTSS journeys included in the payment;
• the value of the subsidy for each PTSS journey; and 
• the driver that completed that journey.  

ODBSs are responsible for paying the correct amounts to their drivers. ODBSs and drivers will need to consider any financial arrangements regarding passing on subsidy payments – these are private commercial arrangements that DoT is unable to be involved with.

Drivers will have access to detailed records of their journeys and payments through their own DoTDirect account.

What records will ODBSs need to keep?

All ODBSs registered for PTSS will need to provide DoT with the records of all journeys for which a PTSS-subsidised fare was provided. DoT will use these records to validate subsidy and co-payment claims and ensure compliance with the Regulations and PTSS Guidelines for Industry. 

All ODBS registered for PTSS must keep the booking records of PTSS journeys and produce the records of bookings that took place in a calendar month within 7 days of that calendar month ending. 

Will there be changes to the TUSS Guidelines?

Later this year, we will release:

• the Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Industry, which outlines PTSS responsibilities for ODBSs and drivers; and
• the Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Participants, which will outline responsibilities for PTSS participants.

These documents will supersede the existing Taxi User Subsidy Scheme Guidelines.

We completed a lot of work during 2023 as we began to modernise and improve TUSS. Our main achievements included: 

• Enhanced systems for more efficient processing of TUSS applications.
   
• Developed a new online portal for occupational therapist assessments to submit their recommendations securely and electronically to DoT.
   
• Commenced confirmation of TUSS participant contact details to ensure they receive important information and updates about the new TUSS system. Read Confirm your TUSS participant details (above) for more information.
   
• Published an updated TUSS application form in accessible PDF format. Visit Apply for TUSS to find the application form.
   
• Started design work on a new, accessible participant card.
   
• Commenced work to develop a digital way to record TUSS trips, including:
  • a mobile application for drivers; and 
  • functionality to link taxi dispatch equipment to DoT systems via an application programming interface (API).
• Engaged with key disability and community stakeholders to discuss the planned changes.