Program overview

Find out more about the State Government’s plans to help disadvantaged learner drivers get their driver’s licence.

Driving access and equity program 

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
Broome
Bidyadanga

Driving Access and Equity – Kullarri Region $554,000
Mowanjum Aboriginal Corporation

Mowanjum
Derby
Pandanus Park
Looma

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

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.
     

Contact

Phone: 0499 559 691

Email: Access.Equity.Program@transport.wa.gov.au

 

Page last updated: Wed May 3 2023 1:54:23 PM