New wheelchair-accessible taxi measures

In November 2008, the Victorian Government recently announced a reform package, which includes a number of wheelchair-accessible taxi initiatives that will affect taxi owners, operators and Network Service Providers.

As part of the announced measures, the lifting fee increased from $10 to $14 per trip across Victoria, while the lifting fee paid for wheelchair-accessible taxi work for conventional taxis where wheelchairs can be stowed in the boot rose to $7.

Effective 1 September 2009, driver lifting fees have increased in line with the Consumer Price Index from $14 to $14.20 for Wheelchair Accessible Taxis across Victoria and from $7 to $7.10 for conventional taxis outside Melbourne metropolitan area.

In addition, a $5 payment will be made to Network Service Providers for each successful wheelchair-accessible taxi booking.

To improve services outside the metropolitan area, a six month trial of a performance based booking system, which is designed to better manage wheelchair-accessible taxi bookings, was undertaken and is now offered as an ongoing program to non-metropolitan Network Service Providers.

Taxi operators and Network Service Providers must also abide by new strict conditions, including quotas for wheelchair-accessible taxis in metropolitan Melbourne, outer suburban and urban taxi zone.

The quote will set a minimum number of wheelchair trips to be done by each wheelchair-accessible taxi vehicle per quarter. It will be the responsibility of the operator to ensure quotas are met and sanctions will apply for non-compliance.

Other conditions include reporting on the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis on the road at any one time, call centre performance data including “on-hold” waiting times for phone bookings and the number of wheelchair-accessible taxi bookings, and complaints handling data including complaint numbers and resolution times.