Transport to activities and appointments

NDIS Core support

Help getting to and from activities and appointments, either by a support worker travelling with the person or through arranged transport.

The short answer

This support helps you get to and from activities and appointments, either with a support worker travelling with you or through arranged transport.

About Transport to activities and appointments

Getting to appointments on time can be stressful if you cannot drive or use public transport. Transport support provides a way to get there, whether that is a worker driving you, a booked car or accessible vehicle, or a worker travelling with you on a bus or train.

Having a support worker present can be helpful for more than the journey. They can help you find your way, keep track of information from a medical appointment and provide personal care if needed. If you want someone with you in an appointment, tell your provider and check with the service.

Plan ahead for regular trips. Discuss how bookings are made, how much notice is needed for changes and what happens if an appointment runs over. Check that the vehicle suits your equipment and that the driver is trained and screened.

Who is this service for?

People who need help getting to and from activities and appointments and cannot use public transport independently.

What a typical session looks like

Transport to activities and appointments helps people get to the places they need to be. A driver or support worker collects you, takes you to the destination, and, if needed, helps you inside. For medical appointments, they may wait or return to collect you, and can help with communication or remembering what was said.

Depending on your needs, the trip might use a car, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or public transport with a worker. Reliability matters most, so it helps to agree on times, routes and what happens if something changes, and to keep a record of appointments.

Who delivers this support

Transport is provided by disability providers, community transport organisations, support workers and taxi or ride services with accessible vehicles. Ask about vehicle suitability, driver screening and training, insurance and what happens if a driver is late or cancels.

How to choose a provider

• Ask whether the vehicle suits your equipment.
• Find out how drivers are trained and screened.
• Check how bookings and changes are made.
• Ask what happens if an appointment runs late.
• Ask whether a worker can go into the appointment with you.

Questions to ask a provider

• Is the vehicle suitable for my mobility equipment, and is it insured?
• What screening and training do drivers have?
• Can the worker go into the appointment or activity with me?
• How are bookings made, and how much notice is needed?
• What happens if the driver is late or cancels?
• How are the costs of the trip worked out and explained?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Booking too late for important appointments.
• Not checking that the vehicle is suitable.
• Not agreeing on who waits and who returns.
• Not having a back-up plan for missed trips.
• Not clarifying how costs are charged before you start.

Getting started

1. List your regular appointments and activities.
2. Contact providers and ask about availability.
3. Agree how trips will be booked.
4. Review after a few weeks and adjust.

How it fits with the rest of your plan

This support works with other transport options such as allowances and specialised transport, and with the activities and appointments themselves. Thinking ahead about regular trips, such as therapy or work, and occasional ones, such as specialist appointments, helps you choose the right mix.

Eligibility

You can use NDIS funding for Transport to activities and appointments if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

Funding

Core supports help with everyday activities and are usually the most flexible part of an NDIS plan. If Transport to activities and appointments is in your plan, it is normally paid from a Core budget. Your plan shows how much you have and how it can be used. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.

What it costs

Supports such as Transport to activities and appointments that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.

Transport providers on the NDIS register

13,939 NDIS providers list transport supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.

Providers listing transport

• 1 Abbira Care Services - VIC; includes Fraser Rise, VIC
• 1 All Care - SA; includes Findon, SA
• 1 Call Rubbish Removal - VIC; includes Greenvale, VIC
• 1 Care Connect - NSW; includes Manly, NSW; Rooty Hill, NSW; Rosehill, NSW
• 1 Circle Of Care - VIC; includes Pakenham, VIC
• 1 Heart Care Services - NSW; includes Orange, NSW
• 1 In Town Services - SA; includes Mansfield Park, SA
• 1 The Helpers - NSW; includes Parramatta, NSW
• 1-Care - NSW; includes Lalor Park, NSW
• 10 Plus Care - VIC; includes Camberwell, VIC
• 121 Best Care - QLD; includes Calamvale, QLD
• 123 Community Support - NSW; includes Ermington, NSW

See all 13,939 transport providers

Listings by state and territory

• New South Wales (4,789)
• Victoria (4,120)
• Queensland (2,423)
• South Australia (1,283)
• Western Australia (1,147)
• Australian Capital Territory (317)
• Northern Territory (313)
• Tasmania (230)

Suburbs with the most listings

• Brisbane, QLD (596)
• Melbourne, VIC (497)
• Sydney, NSW (380)
• Central Coast, NSW (294)
• Perth, WA (274)
• Adelaide, SA (239)
• Blacktown, NSW (232)
• Parramatta, NSW (224)
• Liverpool, NSW (210)
• Tarneit, VIC (203)
• Canberra, ACT (188)
• Werribee, VIC (186)

Listings covering the most areas

• Nurse Next Door Batemans Bay - 413 areas
• Hunter Valley Care & Assistance - 249 areas
• Nurse Next Door Ballarat - 233 areas
• Nurse Next Door Armidale - 230 areas
• Nurse Next Door Wagga Wagga - 207 areas
• Nurse Next Door Canberra - 189 areas
• Huge Care - 188 areas
• Nurse Next Door Bass Coast - 178 areas

Checking credentials

• Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
• Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
• Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.

Regulation and safeguards

NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
• National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.

Related services

• Volunteering and community groups
• Yard maintenance and gardening
• Activity-based transport
• Cultural, religious and civic participation

Frequently asked questions

How does this work?

A support worker may travel with you, or transport may be arranged for you, so you get to appointments and activities safely and on time.

Can a worker come with me into the appointment?

Often, yes, if you want them to. Tell your provider what you need, and ask the appointment provider about any rules.

What if I need to change a booking?

Check your service agreement for notice periods and cancellation terms before you start.

Can a worker attend medical appointments with me?

Often yes, if you want them to. Tell the provider and the clinic.

What if I need transport at short notice?

Ask the provider about their policy for urgent trips.

Can I use public transport with support?

Yes. A worker can travel with you and help you build confidence.

Can a support worker come into my medical appointment?

If you want them to, and the practitioner agrees, they can help you communicate and remember what was said. It is your choice.

What if I need to change or cancel a trip?

Check the provider's policy on notice and charges. Giving as much notice as possible helps.

Can transport be arranged for regular appointments?

Yes, many providers set up regular trips, so you do not have to book each time.

Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Transport to activities and appointments?

If Transport to activities and appointments is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

How do I find a Transport to activities and appointments provider near me?

Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.

Sources and further reading

• NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint

Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory