Review of the Total Mobility scheme

We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views. 

Proposals being progressed  

Four of the six proposals will be progressed: 

• A clear, national purpose statement – NZTA will embed a national purpose statement into NZTA’s Total Mobility Requirements for public transport authorities. The purpose statement will be: 
  • “to provide subsidised, accessible transport options to disabled people, and people living with long-term impairments, who are unable to access public transport, to live their lives and participate in work, education, and their community.” 
• Stronger incentives for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) – NZTA will be asked to review the current incentive settings including the per-trip WAV payment (unchanged since 2005) and grant Funding Assistance Rates. NZTA is responsible for investment decisions in the National Land Transport Fund, which funds these incentives. 
• A review of standards and safeguards for Total Mobility providers – NZTA will be asked to review current standards, safeguards and procurement guidelines for Total Mobility providers. Standards and safeguards will be reviewed to consider whether they are fit for purpose for a wider range of Total Mobility providers, including ride-hail services, to provide Total Mobility services where public transport authorities choose to contract them. 
• Work on a national public transport concession for Total Mobility users, including considering a free companion fare – this would address a practical barrier to using public transport where it is a realistic option and reduce the current regional inconsistency in concessions. 

Alongside the changes above, NZTA will also further update its Total Mobility Requirements for public transport authorities to support more consistent assessment practice of Total Mobility users across the country.

Proposals not being progressed 

After considering the consultation feedback, costs, and likely benefits, Ministers decided not to progress any further: 

• mandatory documentary evidence requirements of impairment for all new Total Mobility applicants and/or mandatory periodic reassessments for all existing Total Mobility users 
• nationally mandated caps on the number of subsidised Total Mobility trips. 

Consultation feedback was clear that these options would add administrative burden and costs for disabled people, assessors and public transport authorities, and risk limiting essential travel for those who rely on Total Mobility most. 

Next steps

The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) will now work with the NZTA and the Ministry of Disabled People to implement the package of improvements. The work will happen in stages over time and progress into 2027: 

The revised purpose statement will be incorporated into NZTA’s Total Mobility Requirements for public transport authorities. 

Further work will be carried out on WAV incentives, Total Mobility provider standards and a national public transport concession for Total Mobility users.  

We will continue to communicate with the disability community, public transport authorities and Total Mobility providers as this work progresses.