Applications Open: Funding to Support Wheelchair Accessible Taxis in NSW

The number of wheelchair accessible taxis in NSW has dropped by more than one-third in just five years

From 941 vehicles on our roads in 2019, to just 625 wheelchair accessible taxis available in NSW today. For people who rely on accessible transport, this decline has made getting to work, appointments, or social activities harder than ever.

That’s why from Thursday 6 August 2025, the NSW Government is accepting applications under its $15 million emergency funding package to help bring accessible taxis back on the road.

The initiative aims to reduce the operating cost burden on taxi operators and ensure more wheelchair users can get where they need to go safely, reliably, and with dignity.

Applications are open now as of 6 August 2025.

What support is available?

This package is a direct response to calls from the disability community, advocates, and service providers to address critical access barriers across the transport system. The funding includes a mix of incentives, grants, and loans to support both existing and new operators of wheelchair accessible taxis in NSW:

• Operational support grants: Grants of $2,500 per vehicle are available to help with the day-to-day costs of running an accessible taxi.
• Interest-free vehicle loans: Operators can apply for up to $125,000 per vehicle to purchase, retrofit or modify vehicles to meet accessibility standards. This part of the Government’s Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Loan Scheme.
• WATDIS lift fee increases: Drivers will now receive $25 per standard accessible trip, $30 for night services, and $50 on public holidays. This is delivered through the Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Driver Incentive Scheme (WATDIS), designed to recognise the additional time and care required for accessible transport.
• Disability awareness training: A dedicated $750,000 will fund co-designed training for drivers, improving safety and service for passengers with disability.

What this means for providers and participants

This package is designed to benefit both sides of the transport system:

• For providers and taxi operators: it’s a pathway to either enter or continue operating in the accessible transport space with greater financial viability.

• For participants and people with disability: it signals a commitment to improving transport equity and ensuring vital services are not only available but sustainable.

At Mai-Wel, we know how essential accessible transport is to maintaining independence, accessing employment, and participating fully in community life.

If you’re a transport provider interested in applying for a grant or loan, you can find out more on how to provide wheelchair accessible taxi services in NSW via the NSW Government’s website.