The ability to live independently and access ones own community is a fundamental human right. For many people with disability taxi transportation is the safest and most accessible form of transport. However, taxi transportation is not without its problems. As public transport remains largely inaccessible to many people with disability they must therefore rely on taxi services for transport to get to work, socialise with family and friends, to shop, and to attend medical and other appointments. The cost of taxi transport is significantly greater than the cost of public transport. This results in the social isolation and impoverishment of people with disability.
Although the Taxi Subsidy Scheme is available to some people, many others who desperately require access to it are excluded by its unreasonably restrictive eligibility criteria.