Joining

Anyone living in the Taranaki region with an impairment that affects their ability to use public transport can apply for membership of the Total Mobility Scheme. Eligibility is based on how the impairment affects the person's ability to use transport.

An eligible person must have an impairment that prevents them from undertaking any one or more of the following components of a public transport journey on public passenger  transport, (in Taranaki that is a bus journey), unaccompanied and without assistance, in a safe and dignified manner:

1. Getting to and from the nearest bus stop. 
2. Standing and waiting for the transport (where there is no seat).
3. Getting on or off the bus.
4. Handling money or a bus ticket.
5. Riding securely on the bus.
6. Travelling without getting confused or anxious.
7. Travelling on an accessible bus if available.

The disability may be temporary, as long as it lasts a minimum of six months (for example, recovery after a stroke).

If you have an impairment which prevents you from travelling on a public bus, even intermittently, you will need to be assessed to make sure you meet the national eligibility criteria of the scheme and are genuinely in need of subsidized travel. The application form gives more details.

All Total Mobility users must meet the eligibility criteria and have their membership approved by, and registered with, the Taranaki Regional Council. A medical assessment will be required, conducted by a doctor or specialist. Alternatively, the Council has contracted both the Taranaki Disabilities Information Centre(external link) and Your Way | Kia Roha(external link)  to provide eligibility assessment services using trained staff.

The Council reserves the right to seek an independent medical assessment.

Your doctor is the best person to assess your eligibility for the Scheme, as they know your medical history. Alternatively, Your Way | Kia Roha and the Taranaki Disabilities Information Centre are approved assessment facilitators.

Once you have been assessed and completed all the sections of the application, you post it to the Council’s Total Mobility team for processing. If your application meets the criteria for the Total Mobility Scheme, the Taranaki Regional Council will issue you with:

• A personal ID swipe card, which you will need to keep in a safe place, and present to the driver before your trip starts every time you travel.

• From Friday 1 April 2022, Total Mobility trips will be a further 50% off the usual subsidised fare.  Therefore Total Mobility customers now get a 75% discount on their one-way subsidised taxi fare. Taranaki has a $40 cap per trip, so the maximum contribution TRC provides per one way trip is currently $30.