Market demand and regulatory compliance

Broome has zero wheelchair-accessible taxis

Broome Taxis and Transit, the town's only taxi operator (20+ years), runs station wagons and 8-seater maxi-taxis exclusively. No wheelchair-accessible vehicles exist in their fleet.

The WA Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) has identified Broome as a high-priority regional location specifically because of "its lack of an existing WAV taxi service and popularity as a tourism destination."

Broome is identified by the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure as a high-priority regional location without an operational wheelchair-accessible taxi service.

The nearest publicly available wheelchair-accessible taxi service is in Derby, over 200km from Broome. Derby Taxi Service (Sage Services Australia) operates one WAV — the only commercial WAV taxi in the entire Kimberley region.

Who needs this service in Broome and the Kimberley?

Disability and aged care demand

The Kimberley-Pilbara NDIS service district covers Broome. The NDIA provides direct planning services in this region. ABS 2022 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers found that nationally, 17.7% of Australians have a disability — applied to Broome's population, that's approximately 3,000 residents. In remote and very remote areas, disability prevalence is higher due to chronic health conditions, with Aboriginal Australians experiencing disability at 2.4 times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians. This is a broad estimate produced by applying a national prevalence rate to Broome's population — it is not a measured local statistic.

Aged care growth

Research published in 2026 projects the Kimberley Aboriginal population will grow approximately 45% between 2021 and 2051, with a corresponding increase in age-related conditions including dementia. The study identifies the need to "strengthen the accessibility to culturally safe health, social and aged care services" in the region.

Hospital and health services

Broome Hospital (WA Country Health Service) is the Kimberley's primary hospital facility, handling discharges and inter-facility transfers. There is currently no dedicated wheelchair-accessible vehicle available for patient transport upon discharge. The Kimberley PHN Needs Assessment identifies transport as a barrier to healthcare access across the region.

Offshore and tourism

Broome serves as the primary support base for Browse Basin oil and gas operations (INPEX, Woodside). Crew changeovers occur via Broome Airport year-round. During the dry season (April–October), Broome receives significant domestic and international tourism, with Cable Beach and the Staircase to the Moon as major attractions.

What must be in place before the service begins

Wheely Good Rides is a pre-launch proposal. Passenger services will not begin until the required driver, vehicle and booking-service authorisations are held and the proposed vehicle meets the applicable wheelchair-accessible taxi and safety standards.

Requirements will be confirmed against current DTMI guidance before vehicle acquisition and again before launch.

B. Serving NDIS participants

Wheely Good Rides may provide transport to eligible self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants as an unregistered provider, subject to each participant’s plan, funding arrangements and service agreement. Registration would be required to directly serve NDIA-managed participants.

• The NDIS Code of Conduct applies to registered and unregistered providers.
• Worker screening is mandatory in specified circumstances for registered providers. It is not automatically mandatory for every worker of an unregistered provider, although obtaining appropriate screening is considered good safeguarding practice and may be requested by a participant.
• Written service agreements would be used to document the service, price, cancellation terms, responsibilities and payment arrangements.
• Incident, complaint and reporting procedures will reflect the business’s registration status and applicable legal obligations.

C. Potential NDIS-funded transport

The current NDIS Pricing Schedule includes support item 02_051_0108_1_1 Transport. It is listed as a support item without a specified price. Whether a particular journey can be paid from a participant’s plan depends on the participant’s approved funding, plan-management arrangement and agreement with the provider.

Prices would be agreed transparently before transport is provided. Wheely Good Rides will confirm the appropriate support item, billing method and documentary requirements with each participant or plan manager before accepting an NDIS-funded booking.

Key legislation and standards

• Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 (WA) — primary legislation governing on-demand transport
• Transport (Road Passenger Services) Regulations 2020 (WA) — detailed regulations including safety standards, WAV requirements, ODBS obligations
• Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Cth) — vehicle compliance standards for WAVs
• National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth) — NDIS provider obligations
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) — anti-discrimination obligations for transport providers

Final legal and compliance requirements will be confirmed with DTMI and the relevant authorities before operations commence.

WAV vehicle requirements and sourcing

Australian Standards (mandatory for WAV taxi use in WA)

• AS 3856.1:2021 — Hoists and ramps for people with disabilities: Product requirements
• AS 3856.2:2021 — Hoists and ramps for people with disabilities: Fitting requirements
• AS/NZS 10542.1:2015 — Wheelchair tiedown and occupant-restraint systems: Requirements and test methods
• Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 — internal dimensions, door sizes, access requirements