Rideshare services serve an increasingly important role in Australia's transport system. Like taxi services, rideshare services provide a flexible, on-demand form of transport and is particularly important in providing first and last-mile connections and where alternative forms of public transport are unavailable or more limited. People with disability have the right to use rideshare and taxi services with the same level of service as users without disability.
To improve the accessibility of rideshare and taxi services for people with disability, the Australian Government is undertaking an impact analysis process to assess reform options. Further information will be published on this webpage in due course.
Background
The Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards), made under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, provide requirements for public transport operators and providers, including taxis, to make their services accessible and remove discrimination against people with disability. While taxis are included in the list of conveyances covered by the Transport Standards, there is uncertainty about whether rideshare is a 'public transport service' as defined by the Transport Standards. People with disability have also reported experiencing discrimination when using rideshare and taxi services.
In 2024, the government convened a working group tasked with reviewing the accessibility of point-to-point transport services, including rideshare, and identifying recommendations for the Australian Government's consideration. The working group included representatives from disability representative organisations, the rideshare and taxi industry, and state and territory governments. The working group's paper is available below:
To progress the working group's recommendations, the government must undertake an impact analysis process. This process ensures decision‑makers understand the wider impacts of proposed reform options, including the intended and potentially unintended effects of proposals, and make evidence‑based decisions considering trade‑offs.
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