ndis & transport

When it comes to people living with disabilities and the ndis there are numerous misconception's. Access to affordable transport for people with disabilities is the biggest barrier to community participation for those who cannot access public transport on their own or live in areas that are poorly serviced by public transport.

Here's a few facts:

# Myth if you can walk you can catch public transport independently or with a companion.

Fact 1 # there are many reasons why a person may not be able to use public transport even accompanied. They are on the autism spectrum, they have behavioural or mental health issues;  they have fatigue issues related to their disability, the area in which they live is poorly serviced by public transport or transport does not get them to the required destination.

# Myth - People who are supported by the ndis receive a mobility allowance that pays for their transport costs,

Fact # 2 - ndis participants only receive a mobility allowance if they are working, studying, volunteering or doing life skills training.  The amount they receive is determined by the hours per week they engage in the community and the highest level they receive is $132 per fortnight.  This would not cover someone working full time.  The allowance is design to be only an incentive to participate, actually locks people out of the community and leads to greater isolation. 

# Myth participants travel in transport provided by their service providers for free.  

Fact # Service providers charge for transport either to the ndis or the client directly.  The participants can not charge transport to the ndis if they receive a mobility allowance. In most cases participants pay 78 cents per km to be transported to and from their daily activities. 

# Myth Service providers transport every participant they support.

Fact #  - there are providers who don't provide transport and participants need to access a transport service or taxi to access activities offered  by service providers.

Myth # - TTS allows the participants to pay half fare. 

Fact #   The half fare only applies to the first $50 any travel over that amount is at normal price.  It costs more than $50 from North Ipswich to Springfield Orion. 

Fact #   The availability of affordable transport impacts on the choices the ndis participants make. 

Transport and the communication on true costs to participants has failed.  When I was mentoring artists with disabilities their transports costs were higher than the art classes I booked them in for.  I often travel to them  by cab although I was ineligible for a mobility allowance at the time.   I am sure you can do the maths on how far $132 got me. 

Current subsidies do nothing to encourage people to participate in the community.  They remain a deterrent to full participation in the community, even when those activities are offered by providers.  This does nothing to assist the participant to live a life of their peers.  Which was the original intention of the ndis. 

Assistance with transport costs for those who can only travel by taxi needs to be fully funded by the ndis.