Proposal to allow Wheelchair Accessible Taxis to use disabled parking bays to pick up and drop off wheelchair passengers

What is proposed?

It is proposed that owners/operators of Wheelchair Accessible Taxis (WATs) will apply for Australian Disability Parking Permits (ADPP) which will allow drivers to stop in a parking bay to pick-up or drop off eligible passengers only.
The applicant will need to make application to TMR and include details such as registration numbers and registered owner details of the WATs. As permits are issued for a period of 5 years, they will be required to re-apply after this time by completing the application form.
How will it work?

WATs will be subject to the same conditions applicable to other organisations (except for the time provisions for parking which will be excluded from S206). These conditions are legislated and basically include:

  • permit must be displayed by the WAT if accessing a disability parking bay
  • the individual being transported must meet the eligibility criteria - see below for more information
  • when parked in a disability parking bay, at some time while the WAT is parked, one or more eligible persons must either alight from, or enter, the WAT
  • the organisation must not allow the permit to be used by another person for a purpose for which the permit was issued
  • the permit cannot be used on a vehicle more than 4.5t gross vehicle mass.

What will be allowed?

WATs will be able to use parking bays signed for disability parking to drop off or pick up eligible passengers. Eligible passengers are those who would be eligible to receive an individual ADPP. The eligibility criteria for an individual ADPP are based on a person's functional impairment to their ability to walk.

The eligibility criteria state that:

  1. the individual is unable to walk and always requires the use of a wheelchair; or
  2. the individual’s ability to walk is severely restricted by a permanent medical condition or disability; or
  3. the individual’s ability to walk is severely restricted by a temporary medical condition or disability. A temporary condition/disability is for a minimum of 6 months duration.

Applicants with intellectual, psychiatric, cognitive or sensory impairment alone do not meet the eligibility criteria unless the applicant also has a mobility impairment that impacts on their functional ability to walk. So, for example, a person with vision impairment alone is not eligible for an individual permit, therefore, a WAT vehicle cannot use a permit to park in a disability parking bay to pick-up or drop off this passenger.

What won’t be allowed?

Currently, ADPP holders are entitled to parking concessions that allow access to on-street and off-street parking bays. On-street parking in local government metered and regulated parking areas is free of charge with the following time concessions:

  • where the time limit specified by a sign is less than 30 minutes, parking will be allowed for 30 minutes
  • where the time limit specified by a sign is 30 minutes or more, parking will be allowed for an unlimited amount of time.

One way to reduce the incidence of WATs using on-street parking is to exclude WATs from the above time provisions (under S206). In theory, this will mean that if a WAT is parked on-street for a length of time, and there is no passenger alighting from or entering the vehicle, they may be issued an infringement notice of up to $220 by either QPS or local government.
Off-street parking is more complex to manage as the time provisions under S206 do not apply to off-street parking (shopping centres, hospitals, entertainment areas etc).

TMR is proposing to have a standard condition added to the ADPP issued to WATs to reduce the incidence of WATs using park bays as taxi ranks.

How do I get a ADPP?

To apply for an ADPP, organisations must provide evidence of identity (for example a Certificate of Incorporation) and have a Queensland business address.

How much will it cost?

The application for a permit must be in the approved form and accompanied by the fee which is currently $14.85 for each application.

What else is required?

Organisations that are issued permits must maintain a register of permit use and produce these records on request. The register should include:

  • Total number of permits on hand
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Name of driver/name of permit user
  • Reason for transport
  • Time taken
  • Signature
  • Time returned
  • Signature

In the case of WATs, it may be either the registered owner or taxi licence holder, or it might be the actual taxi company. Either way, this person will need to maintain this register.

Other information

Transport Regulation Branch is progressing the consultation on this proposal and is interested to hear any suggestions on how the problem of WATs using disability bays for a length of time, for example, to ply for hire in areas such as shopping centrescould be addressed.