The NSW Taxi Council welcomes the commitment by the NSW Government of a “$15M Funding Package” supporting Wheelchair Accessible Taxis in NSW for the 2026-2027 Financial Year.
There are 661 Registered Wheelchair Accessible Taxis (WATs) in NSW, with an estimated 450 operating in Sydney alone.
With rising costs associated with operating a Taxi, we have seen a devastating impact resulting in over 650 Taxis coming off the road in the past 24 months alone. We understand that a number of these vehicles have been Wheelchair Accessible Taxis. Unfortunately, this has had a significant impact on the availability of wheelchair Taxis and service delivery for passengers using a wheelchair.
Taxis across NSW have been facing a significant crisis as a result of rising costs associated with operating vehicles. CTP (Green Slips) have been one of the major contributing factors towards Taxi Businesses either reducing their fleets, or shutting down their services all together. This has left many towns without a service.
The success associated with the measures from the $15M funding will be determined by the NSW Government urgently resolving the CTP inequities that currently exist between Taxis and Rideshare.
NSW Taxi Council CEO, Nick Abrahim said, “Wheelchair users rely heavily on the NSW Taxi Industry as their means of transport to get to important commitments – whether it be medical appointments, special events, or simply getting out and about to enjoy a better quality of life, Taxis play a vital role in transporting these passengers. For many of these passengers, they may not have any other transport options.
Nick added that, “We are totally committed to working with the Disability community and the NSW Government towards improving these services, particularly for those who rely on them the most. The announcement today by the NSW Government will be a further step in the right direction towards helping improve services for some of our vulnerable members within our community.”
Following the initial $15M emergency package released by the NSW Government in 2025, this next round of funding will be vital towards supporting the current fleet of Wheelchair Accessible Taxis, with a view to encouraging more WAT vehicles to be added.
The NSW Taxi Council will be working very closely with the NSW Government to ensure that these funds are directed towards the right measures, supporting Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Operators and Service Providers in meeting high costs of putting on a WAT as well as maintaining these vehicles.
The NSW Taxi Council continues to engage regularly with the Disability community through the Disability Reference Group (DRG) . A forum established by the NSW Taxi Council over 5 years ago, with the NSW Taxi Council CEO, Nick Abrahim being the Chair of the DRG. The DRG includes a number of Disability Advocates with lived experiences.
Nick added, “We are grateful for the commitment and efforts of all three Ministers - Graham, Aitchison and Washington, working towards achieving better transport outcomes for people using a wheelchair. We look forward to continuing our work with all three Ministers to ensure the longer term viability of Wheelchair Accessible Taxis continue, and we look forward to continuing to build on this with all key stakeholders involved.
