Taxi Subsidy Scheme

• Unable to walk or stand. Mobile only in a wheelchair due to a physical disability or
• Restricted to walking inside the home. Mobile outside of home only with a wheelchair due to a physical disability or
• Severe and permanent ambulatory problem that cannot functionally be improved which limits walking to a distance of 20 meters or less without rest and also:
  • necessitates permanent use of a walking aid for all mobility or
  • necessitates the constant assistance of another person for all mobility or
  • is unable to independently ascend or descend three or more consecutive steps of 350mm height.
• Total and permanent functional loss of both upper limbs which renders the person incapable of travelling on public transport without the constant assistance of another person

• Total loss of vision in both eyes or severe permanent impairment of 6/60 or less in each eye or
• Field of vision reduced to 10 degrees or less all round or
• Total loss of lower half field of vision which cannot functionally be improved by corrective lenses or other treatment or
• Homonymous hemianopia with significant mobility limitations

• Severe and uncontrollable epilepsy
  • Must experience more than 12 episodes a year
  • Longest period between consecutive seizures must be 2 months or less
  • Approved applications are subject to review every 2 years

• Severe permanent intellectual disabilities which render the person incapable of travelling on public transport without the constant assistance of another person or
• Severe cognitive or memory impairment such that the applicant:
  • is unable to be aware of or communicate destination or
  • is unable to manage the payment of fares or
  • exhibits socially unacceptable behaviour.

• Severe and permanent communication difficulties necessitating the constant assistance of another person to use public transport

You can book conventional taxis by calling a local operator, online or in the street. To book a wheelchair accessible taxi for the Sydney metropolitan area call 13 9000 or book online at the Wheelchair Book & Ride website.

Each book of travel dockets contains either 20 (interstate) or 50 dockets.

A green re-order form for travel documents is located in the middle of each book.

All orders for a book of travel dockets must include your full name, address, TTSS account number and date of birth.

If you need to order a new book of travel dockets, you may:

• Complete the re-order form supplied and return it to the address shown on the book re-order form; or
• Write to the Scheme’s administrative office requesting a new book of travel dockets. If able, you must sign this request. If you are unable to write you can ask someone to write and sign on your behalf; or
• Order your book of travel dockets online;
• Telephone orders are only accepted from participants with a visual impairment.

A Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) has been modified to safely accommodate at least one wheelchair. If you are a TTSS participant and need a wheelchair at all times for mobility away from home, you may travel by WAT.

Participants who have been approved for travel in their wheelchair in a WAT have M50 on their TTSS Smartcards.

TTSS travel dockets that permit travel by WAT have an account number starting with either “08” or “09” (for example, 08123123). The account number is located at the bottom of each docket.

If you need to change your smartcard or dockets so you can use a WAT, contact the scheme's administrative office to get a mobility change request form.

You can order interstate travel dockets for travel in other states and territories. Allow at least 2–3 weeks turnaround when ordering.

Please Contact TTSS to order your interstate docket book.

Regular TTSS travel dockets cannot be used outside of NSW except for the border towns of Albury-Wodonga, Echuca-Moama, Tweed Heads-Coolangatta, Cobram-Wahgunyah and Queanbeyan-Canberra.

If your name or address changes, advise TTSS of your new details by mail or online. See Contact TTSS.

Please include details of both your old and new name and/or address, date of birth, TTSS account number and a contact phone number.

If you are changing your name, you should also send a copy of a deed poll or a certificate of marriage issued by the NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages.

You may submit a complaint about the administration of the Scheme by contacting the Concessions Manager using our feedback form. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you may write to the NSW Ombudsman.

If you have a complaint about the use of travel dockets you should contact the Scheme’s administrative office using our feedback form.

To complain about the quality of a taxi service you can call the Point to Point Transport Commission Industry Contact Centre on 131 727. For most taxi complaints you will be asked to provide:

• Your details;
• The date and approximate time of the incident;
• The taxi plate number;
• The taxi driver’s authority number (the photo authority is normally located on the taxi’s dashboard or window);
• The taxi network (usually located on the outside front doors of the taxi).

Contact TTSS

Mail: PO Box K659, Haymarket NSW 1240
Phone: 131 500
Online: via our feedback form

If you are deaf, or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, you may contact us through the national relay service:

• TTSS users phone 1800 555 677 then ask for 1800 623 724
• Speak and Listen users phone 1800 555 727 then ask for 1800 623 724
• Users of NRS Chat (previously known as Internet Relay) connect to the NRS then ask for 1800 623 724

By applying for admittance to the Scheme and by using the smartcard or Travel Dockets, you agree to observe the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme applicable at the time of use. You acknowledge that you may be suspended or removed from participation in the Scheme and/or be prosecuted if you breach these Terms and Conditions. You are responsible for remaining aware of the provisions of the Terms and Conditions, as they apply at the time of travel, as published on the Transport for NSW website or provided to you.

1. The TTSS provides a subsidy of up to half the metered fare, to a maximum of $60 subsidy per trip. Only one Smartcard or Travel Docket can be used per journey.
2. When you travel, you must hand the driver either your TTSS Smartcard or a completed Travel Docket (only if the Smartcard cannot be accepted) for 50% of the fare up to $60. You are required to pay for the remaining fare.
3. A Smartcard or Travel Docket may only be used in a taxi within NSW. A Smartcard or Travel Docket cannot be used in a Hire Car, Bus or any other type of vehicle that is not a taxi.
4. A Smartcard or Travel Docket can be used only by the participant whose name appears on the Smartcard or Travel Docket. The participant must be in the vehicle for the entire duration of the subsidised trip.
5. Your Smartcard or Travel Docket must always be used with your payment to the driver for the subsidised travel. If the Smartcard reader is unavailable the driver may use a Travel Docket for you to claim the subsidy.
6. Once you have been issued a Smartcard you must only use a Travel Docket in the instance where the taxi is not enabled to accept the Smartcard. On all other occasions you must use your Smartcard.
7. You must not sell, exchange, lend or give away your Smartcard or Travel Dockets to any other person. You are responsible for the safe keeping of your Smartcard or Travel Dockets and you must not leave your Smartcard or blank Travel Dockets with a taxi driver.
8. Your issued Smartcard will detail the expiry date of the card. The Smartcard will be valid for use until the final day of the month shown on the card.
9. You must provide proof of your identity if requested by a taxi driver and the taxi driver may refuse to provide you with subsidised travel if you are unable to do so. Your Smartcard can be used as proof of identity in this instance
10. Travel Dockets or interstate travel vouchers must be fully completed. Wherever possible, you must complete the relevant sections such as date, time, trip details, total fare, the proportion of the fare you pay, the amount of the subsidy (up to a maximum subsidy limit of $60 per trip) and your signature. On interstate travel vouchers, the State or Territory in which the voucher has been used must also be completed. If you are unable to complete a Travel Docket or interstate travel voucher yourself:
    a. an accompanying person can complete it and sign on your behalf. The person’s relationship to you should also be recorded.
    b. if you do not have a carer or other person accompanying you, the driver can complete the details on your behalf. The driver should indicate “P.U.T.S.” (Passenger Unable To Sign) in the passenger’s signature box.
11. If you lose or have your Smartcard or Travel Dockets stolen, you must notify Transport for NSW as soon as possible. You may notify Transport for NSW via the online Concessions Enquiry form or by contacting 131 500 Transport Info, and we will arrange for a replacement Smartcard or Travel Dockets to be sent to you.
12. Transport for NSW is not responsible for reimbursing to you any taxi fare expenses where you have been unable to provide your Smartcard or Travel Dockets. Where a Smartcard is faulty or the payment system is unavailable, you should consult with the driver around your options for an emergency Travel Docket.
13. If you change your name or address, you must notify us and advise us of your new details via the online Concessions Enquiry form or by contacting 131 500 Transport Info.
14. If you change your name, you must send to us a copy of the relevant documents regarding your name change, e.g. marriage certificate, copy of change of name certificate. We will then issue you a new Smartcard or book of Travel Dockets in your new name. You must return to us your Smartcard or any unused Travel Dockets issued under your previous name.
15. If your medical condition improves so that you may no longer meet the eligibility criteria you must advise us so your participation in the Scheme can be reviewed.
16. If your medical condition changes so that you now travel in a wheelchair in taxis you must advise us so that your account details can be updated and you can be provided a new Smartcard or different Travel docket book.
17. If you are provided with a new book of Travel Dockets for use when travelling in a wheelchair accessible taxi you must return any unused Travel Dockets from your old book(s) to us.
18. You must co-operate with and respond to a request from us for an eligibility review or an independent medical eligibility assessment.
19. You must co-operate with and respond to a request from us to provide information to verify that your use of the Scheme is authentic, such as when subsidy payments generated on your account appear to be abnormal or to exceed reasonable use.
20. You must co-operate with and respond to a request from us for an update of your personal details.
21. Your Smartcard or Travel Dockets must not be used:
    a. for trips for any purpose when you are not in the taxi
    b. by your family or friends or any other person.
22. You must not collude with a taxi driver or any other person to provide false trip details in order to increase the subsidy payable or to avoid or reduce payment of your proportion of the fare.
23. If using Travel Dockets you must not use more than one Travel Docket for a single continuous journey to avoid paying or to reduce the fare.
24. You must not use your Travel Dockets to pay a taxi driver a tip or gratuity.

If your participation in the Scheme is cancelled for any reason, your Smartcard and all unused Travel Dockets must be returned to us.

1. Transport for NSW retains the right to regularly review and revise the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme as required.
2. We may warn you or we may suspend or remove you from the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme in cases, where:
   2.1 TfNSW is satisfied that you have misused, or have allowed others to misuse, your Smartcard or Travel Dockets. Examples of misuse include (but are not limited to) increasing the metered fare value to claim a higher subsidy value, allowing others to use your Smartcard for travel; or exchanging Travel Dockets when no valid taxi journey has been taken;
   2.2. you fail to comply with a request to undertake an eligibility review or an independent medical eligibility assessment within a stated period of time (usually 6 weeks but dependent on such matters as availability of doctors, etc)
   2.3. you fail to respond or to respond meaningfully to a request to verify your use of Travel Dockets within a stated period of time (usually 21 days)
   2.4. you fail to comply with a request for updated personal details within a stated period of time (usually 4 weeks).
   2.5. you fail to comply with a request for information within a stated period of time (usually 4 weeks)
   2.6. we are unable to contact you because you have not informed us of your change of address or 
similar or
   2.7. you have not used your Smartcard or a Travel Docket for a period of three (3) years.
3. You may be suspended for a period of up to 12 months or removed permanently from the Scheme depending on the circumstances, which gave rise to the suspension or removal.
4. We reserve the right to extend a suspension for a period of up to a further 12 months or remove you from the Scheme if you continue to fail to respond completely to a request from us.
5. If subsequent to being suspended, you do not satisfy a request from us by providing all relevant information within the period of suspension you will be removed from the Scheme without further notice.
6. Notwithstanding that you may meet the medical criteria for admittance to the Scheme, we may decline your application or remove you from the Scheme on the basis that you have previously been suspended or removed from the Scheme, or have been suspended or removed from an equivalent Scheme of another State or Territory, for a breach of the Terms and/or Conditions of the relevant scheme.
7. You or your delegate may seek a review of a decision to suspend or remove you from the Scheme or to decline your application on grounds of a previous suspension or removal from this or an equivalent scheme by writing to the Secretary, Transport for NSW.

We may require you to verify your use of your Smartcard or Travel Dockets when subsidy payments generated on your account appear to be abnormal or exceed reasonable use.

If you require assistance in responding to a request regarding your use of the Scheme you or your delegate may contact us through the contact details on this form. One of our Customer Service Officers will assist you or your authorised delegate to provide the requested information.

Any information you provide is governed by the Privacy & Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and NSW Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 and may be used only in connection with the purpose for which it is collected or as provided by law.

We may require you to undergo an independent medical assessment or an eligibility review to determine whether your disability meets or continues to meet the Scheme’s eligibility criteria. Your application for, or continued participation in the Scheme is subject to your cooperation with our request for you to undergo such an assessment or review. You are responsible for any medical fees associated with an eligibility review which involves your doctor completing a new application form. We are responsible for any medical fees associated with an independent medical assessment by a doctor nominated by us.

By making an application for or using the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (the Scheme) you will provide personal information to TfNSW including: your photo, your name, date of birth, address, contact details, alternate contact details, Medicare number, health information and information about your trip.

There is no requirement for you to provide your personal information to TfNSW because applying for the Scheme is voluntary. However, if you do not provide the personal information requested TfNSW will not be able to process your application.

TfNSW collects your personal information to administer and manage the Scheme. TfNSW collects your personal information using the application form and through your use of your TTSS Smartcard or Travel Dockets.

Applicants and participants

In administering and managing the Scheme TfNSW may use your personal information to:

• assess the eligibility of applicants to the Scheme;
• issue Smartcards or Travel Docket books;
• conduct eligibility reviews of participants, if required – to determine your disability meets or continues to meet the Scheme eligibility criteria;
• investigate and handle non-compliance with the Scheme Terms and Conditions;
• audit your use of Smartcard or Travel Dockets, especially when subsided payments generated on a participant’s account appear to be abnormal or exceed reasonable use;
• use travel history to review calculations of subsidies paid to taxi operators; and
• undertake transport planning and develop transport policy.

If you become a participant in the Scheme, then TfNSW will collect the travel history of your trips for these purposes.

Alternate contacts

If you are completing the application on behalf of an applicant, then TfNSW may collect your personal information for the purpose of contacting you as the authorised alternate contact.

Medical practitioners – collection and purpose

If you are a medical practitioner providing health information about your patient then you will also provide certain personal information to TfNSW including: your name, AHPRA registration number, qualification, address and contact details. TfNSW collects this information for the purpose of verifying that you are a qualified medical practitioner and contacting you if further health information about your patient is required.

TfNSW staff who administer and manage the Scheme will use your personal information for administering and managing the Scheme.

TfNSW also engages contractors to assist in administering and managing the Scheme. Each contractor is required to comply with the PPIP Act and HRIP Act as though they were TfNSW. For example, your photo and name will be used by a contractor in order to produce the Smartcard on TfNSW’s behalf.

TfNSW’s contractors only use your personal information to provide the services TfNSW is paying them to provide – this is a use of your personal information by TfNSW. The contractors are not permitted to use your personal information for any other purpose.

To administer and manage the Scheme TfNSW may disclose your personal information to third parties in limited circumstances:

• Your Medicare details are disclosed to the Department of Health Services for the purpose of verifying the validity of the information; and
• Your personal details are disclosed to the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the purpose of verifying your continuing eligibility for the Scheme; and
• Your personal details and details of your Scheme account are disclosed to interstate taxi subsidy schemes for the purpose of verifying you have not been suspended or removed from an interstate Scheme or to arrange for interstate taxi vouchers to be issued to you.
• Your personal details are disclosed to the Department of Communities and Justice for the purpose of verifying if you are a participant of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
• If you are a participant of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, your personal details are disclosed to the National Disability Insurance Agency, for the purpose of ensuring the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in accordance with section 55 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth).

TfNSW may also disclose aggregated and de-identified information for the purposes of transport policy and planning purposes, transport public funding and passenger transport services safety.

Otherwise, TfNSW will not disclose your personal information without your consent or unless permitted or required to by law.

You may access any personal information that TfNSW has collected about you. You may also have your personal information corrected if you can establish that it is not accurate, complete or up to date.

If you wish to access, correct or remove your personal information held by TfNSW then please contact the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme on www.transportinfo.nsw/concession-feedback.

TfNSW collects and holds your personal information.

TfNSW’s head office address is:

Transport for NSW

231 Elizabeth Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Your information will be managed by TfNSW in accordance with the PPIP Act and HRIP Act. For further information, please go to;

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/about-us/transport-privacy.

If you have a concern or complaint about the way your personal information has been collected, used or disclosed you should contact:

Privacy Team

Legal, Privacy & Information Access Unit

Transport for NSW

PO Box K659

Haymarket NSW 1240

Email: privacy@transport.nsw.gov.au