Applications sought for rural wheelchair cabs

Life is about to get much easier for people with restricted mobility who live in 80 rural and regional Queensland communities.

Acting Transport and Main Roads Minister, Desley Boyle, said Queensland Transport was inviting applications from taxi licence owners prepared to operate wheelchair cabs in small communities where the service does not currently exist.

“The Beattie Government is delivering on its election promise to people in the bush to provide wheelchair accessible taxis for rural and regional communities,” Ms Boyle said.

“The State Government will pay $4.8 million over two years to buy the vehicles and have them modified for wheelchairs – we are aiming for about 30 to be on the road by June 30 this year.

“This will put accessible cabs on the streets of places like Tully, Kilcoy, MissionBeach, Cloncurry and Weipa.

“We want existing taxi licensees to come forward and commit to operating the wheelchair cabs in their communities and surrounding districts.

Of course, the accessible cabs carry extra people and can be used for other fares and services when not needed by wheelchair passengers,” Ms Boyle said.

Ms Boyle said the rural accessible taxis project would provide accessible cabs in about 70 communities that have a taxi service, but no wheelchair cabs; and a further 10 towns where a taxi service had existed but been discontinued.

“For many Queenslanders living in rural and regional communities, the local taxi is the only form of public transport that is available," she said.

“Accessibility in these communities is vital to ensure that people can actively participate in their communities and not be forced to stay at home or move to larger provincial centres to access services.

“The Government will roll out the country wheelchair cabs progressively over the next 18 months,” Ms Boyle said.

She said application kits were being sent initially to existing taxi licensees in 36 areas across the state.

“Queensland Transport will work with existing licensees to help them make successful applications and to ensure that the wheelchair accessible vehicles are on the road as quickly as possible.

“The vehicles will be high occupancy and wheelchair accessible – this will ensure that local taxi operators can provide the widest possible range of services to the public, and will improve the viability of those operators into the future,” Ms Boyle said.

She said Queensland Transport will also work with rural and regional taxi operators to help them identify new business opportunities.

The rural accessible taxis project links with other Queensland Government initiatives to improve the overall provision of taxi services in Queensland, including:

• Provision of taxi security cameras
• Issuing more taxi licences throughout the State
• Working with industry and community representatives to ensure that the Queensland taxi industry is well placed to meet its obligations under the Commonwealth Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002.

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 3237 1942