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Program overview
Find out more about the State Government’s plans to help disadvantaged learner drivers get their driver’s licence.
About the program
The Driving Access and Equity Program is funded by the State Government and managed by the Department of Transport. It helps disadvantaged learner drivers, particularly those in regional Western Australia, get their driver’s licence.
Many learner drivers struggle to access appropriately licensed driving supervisors, instructors and vehicles to complete their required supervised driving hours, making it difficult for them to get their driver’s licence.
The State Government has allocated more than $10 million to the Driving Access and Equity Program to achieve the following:
- Ensure appropriately licensed vehicles are accessible to learner drivers across WA
- Increase access to suitably licensed driving supervisors and instructors in areas of greatest need
- Help people overcome issues and costs that are preventing them from obtaining their licence; and
- Increase access to DoT services.
Program benefits:
- Increasing the number of people with a driver’s licence will help increase access to training, education and employment opportunities.
- The program will identify the barriers some people currently face that prevent them getting their driver's licence, while working on a range of initiatives to provide targeted solutions.
- The Department of Transport (DoT) will work closely with local stakeholders to determine which initiatives will most benefit different areas of the State
Grant support
Driving Access and Equity grants are available to eligible community-based organisations for initiatives that improve access to suitable driving services, instructors and vehicles.
Twelve community-based organisations in the Kimberley and Pilbara shared in nearly $3.5 million in grant funding through Round 1a and 1b of the program grants in early 2022.
In 2023, more than $3.3 million in program grants was delivered to 10 community-based organisations in the Mid West and Gascoyne (Round 2) and Goldfields-Esperance (Round 3) regions.
Please note: Currently there are no grant rounds open. This page will be updated with any future grant round information.
Successful applications
Kimberley - Round 1
| Organisation | Project location | Project name | Approved funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberley Group Training | Kununurra | Deadly Driver Program | $300,000 |
| Kullarri Regional Communities Indigenous Corporation |
Dampier Peninsula |
Driving Access and Equity – Kullarri Region | $554,000 |
| Mowanjum Aboriginal Corporation |
Mowanjum |
Driving Mowanjum | $151,200 |
| Nirrumbuk Aboriginal Corporation | Broome | Nirrumbuk Driver Training and Licensing Program | $172,265 |
| Western Australian Police and Community Youth Centres Inc. | Broome | Drive to the Future - Broome | $219,783 |
| Winun Ngari Aboriginal Corporation | Derby | Winun Ngari Driver Program | $224,000 |
| Wunan Foundation Inc | Kununurra, Halls Creek, Kalumburu, Balgo Mission, Wyndham | Driving Change Project East Kimberley | $773,000 |
| TOTAL | $2,369,865 |
Pilbara - Round 1
| Organisation | Project location | Project name | Approved funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation |
Port Hedland, Marble Bar, Newman, Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Onslow |
Learn to Drive | $310,000 |
| Bloodwood Tree Association Inc | Port Hedland, South Hedland, Tom Price, Newman, Marble Bar | Enhanced Driver Training and Education For The East Pilbara | $428,083 |
| Ngarliyarndu Bindirri Aboriginal Corporation | Roebourne, Wickham, Karratha | Teaching our Community to be Safe Responsible Drivers | $141,258 |
| Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation | Roebourne, Wickham, Karratha | Pilbara Ryde Program - Expansion Initiative | $141,788 |
| Shire of East Pilbara |
Newman |
Newman RYDE | $79,235 |
| Youth Involvement Council |
South Hedland |
Drive2Thrive | $300,000 |
| TOTAL | $1,400,364 |
Mid West and Gascoyne - Round 2
| Organisation | Project location | Project name | Approved funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEEDAC Incorporated | Kalbarri, Northampton, Mullewa, Yalgoo, Morawa, Three Springs, Carnamah, Coorow, Mingenew, Dongara, Leeman Green Head, Eneabba | Driving Access and Equity Program | $450,000 |
| Real Futures Pty Ltd | Carnarvon, Exmouth, Denham, Coral Bay, Gascoyne Junction, Burringurrah | Real Futures Driver Support Program | $645,150 |
| Western Australian Police and Community Youth Centres Inc. |
Geraldton |
Drive to the Future Geraldton | $247,224 |
| Yulella Aboriginal Corporation | Meekatharra, Cue, Mt Magnet | Yulella Driving Program – Meekatharra / Cue / Mt Magnet |
$294,986 |
| TOTAL | $1,637,360 |
Goldfields-Esperance - Round 3
| Organisation | Project location | Project name | Approved funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation |
Esperance |
Changing Lanes Changing Lives: Driver Education for Success and Empowerment |
$344,831 |
| Judumul Aboriginal Corporation |
Coolgardie |
Judumul Employment Tools | $176,700 |
| McGovern Foundation | Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Kambalda | Wanderer Program | $424,740 |
| Shire of Leonora | Leonora | Leonora Driver Education | $208,000 |
| Warakurna Local Drug Action Group | Warakurna | Nintirriwa yurritjingalKitjalu mutuka (NYM Project) |
$269,661 |
| Western Australian Police and Community Youth Centres Inc |
Kalgoorlie | Drive to the Future - Kalgoorlie |
$270,582 |
| TOTAL | $1,694,514 |
Media statements
Other program initiatives
The Driving Access and Equity Program has also supported the following initiatives:
- Funding for 8 additional Department of Transport Remote Services Officers to deliver more licensing services and education in regional and remote areas.
- Driver instructor training to increase access for learner drivers to qualified driving instructors.
- The development of learner driver publications to assist people where English is not their first language, or literacy is a barrier to obtaining their learner's permit or driver's licence.