Disability advocates call for rideshare to be included in transport subsidy schemes
A national trial has reignited calls to include rideshare services in state-based taxi subsidy schemes. With 98 per cent of participants backing reform, advocates say a provider-neutral model would give people living with disability greater choice, flexibility and independence in how they travel.
Disability advocates are urging state and territory governments to reform transport subsidy schemes to include rideshare services, following a national trial that showed overwhelming support from participants.
Currently, Victoria is the only state operating a provider-neutral transport subsidy model that allows eligible people living with disability to use rideshare as well as taxis. Advocates say other jurisdictions are lagging behind.
A recent 12-week trial conducted by Uber in partnership with disability inclusion consultancy Get Skilled Access tested a provider-neutral approach. Participants were given Uber credits equivalent to their existing state-based taxi subsidy and were free to use them as they wished.
The results were decisive.
- 98 per cent of participants supported including rideshare alongside taxis in subsidy schemes.
- 95 per cent said Uber met their transport needs.
- 97 per cent said it met their access needs.
- 96 per cent reported feeling safe.
- 92 per cent said they felt more independent and empowered in their daily lives.
Access beyond taxis
For many people living with disability, limited taxi availability remains a barrier to participation.
Cheryle Lapthorne, a small business owner and carer living in regional Tasmania, described the challenges of securing reliable transport for her daughter Matilda, who uses a wheelchair and is neurodiverse. Lapthorne also lives with multiple sclerosis and mobility challenges.
She said taxi supply in their region does not meet demand, and navigating public transport can be cognitively exhausting.
“When you’re a young person with a wheelchair that can be really difficult to manage and the cognitive load on the caregiver, to try and sort that out, particularly when you’ve got children that are disabled, you never quite know what card to buy, where to top it up, what tram system to get on, does it work, how far do I have to walk,” she said.
“(The trial) was just a reminder that travel can be accessible and functional.
“It has just really given us back the choice and control about how we travel.
“People don’t understand the functional impact that being denied transport has on someone who may no longer have any spoons left for the day or may not have another accessible way to get home.”
For Matilda, who is almost 13, Lapthorne said access to rideshare could significantly improve independence, particularly as she grows older.
Uber’s teen accounts allow supervised access for young people with guardian consent. Lapthorne said the visual interface of rideshare apps can also reduce anxiety for neurodiverse users.
“She’s able to pick where she wants to go and she’s able to have a visual example of what that might look like on the screen, which is really accessible for her and calms the anxiety around ‘where am I going?’ and ‘what am I doing?’ for a neurodiverse person.
“As she grows, it will allow her to access the community in a meaningful way for her.”
Matilda’s wheelchair folds and fits into smaller vehicles, meaning she does not always require a larger wheelchair-accessible taxi. Lapthorne said flexibility in vehicle choice ensures larger vehicles remain available for those who need them most.
“Not every disability is the same, so being able to have that choice and control about the need that meets you in that moment would probably be life-changing for a lot of people.
“Everybody should have the right to travel in the way that best suits them and allows them to join in the community.”
A modest reform with significant impact
The trial was supported by Vision Australia, Disability Voices Tasmania, Carers Australia and Children and Young People with Disability Australia.
Vision Australia research indicates almost 60 per cent of people living with disability would be more likely to use transport subsidy schemes if rideshare were included.
“For people with disability, travel is often complex, stressful and requires a level of planning that most people never think about,” Vision Australia’s general manager of corporate affairs and advocacy Chris Edwards said.
“When choice is limited, that burden increases.
“That’s why we are calling for the urgent expansion of state subsidy schemes — a modest reform that would deliver life-changing impacts for our community.”
Uber’s general manager for Australia and New Zealand said state-funded taxi subsidy schemes have not kept pace with changing travel habits.
“This trial shows what happens when people with disability get genuine choice.
“Victoria’s provider-neutral model is a strong blueprint, and this trial adds to the case for other states to back funding that follows the person, not the transport mode.”
The broader policy question
At its core, the debate is about whether public funding should be tied to a specific transport provider or follow the individual.
Advocates argue that a provider-neutral approach better reflects contemporary transport systems and gives people living with disability greater autonomy, flexibility and independence.
With trial participants overwhelmingly backing reform, pressure is mounting on state governments to modernise subsidy schemes and expand transport options.
For many, the issue is simple: transport is not just about getting from A to B. It determines whether people can access healthcare, education, work and community life.