Why Caitlin Chooses to Wait 45 Minutes for a Taxi Despite Having an Uber Nearby

People who are blind or have low vision are calling for rideshare services such as Uber to be included in taxi subsidy schemes across the country.

State governments provide subsidies for taxi services to individuals with eligible disabilities through a special card or voucher presented to the driver, which reduces each trip’s cost.

As of now, Victoria is the only state that includes rideshare services within its program, enabling members to connect their membership to their Uber accounts since 2021.

Caitlin McMorrow, who lives in Redland City north of Brisbane, is totally blind and travels with a guide dog.

She said she’s been forced to cancel medical appointments and social events when her taxi simply didn’t show up.

“There’s nothing more stressful than having to plan appointments or social events and constantly worrying, ‘Will I actually be able to get there and back home?’ This is the situation with transport in Brisbane currently; it’s just not dependable,” she expressed to 9news.com.au.

“(With rideshare services) you can track exactly where the vehicle is, engage in real-time communication with the driver, and handle payments conveniently through the app.”

“You can book an Uber and get one within four or five minutes.

“It’s common that the taxi booking system will sit there for 45 minutes and still not find you one.

“That’s a big difference when you’re trying to be a busy, productive member of the community, I guess, and get your stuff done.”

Vision Australia points out that the guidelines for transport funding under the NDIS are often inconsistently applied, leaving many of its clients without funding.

It’s also capped at $3500 a year, whereas taxi subsidy schemes are not.

Bruce Maguire, the lead policy advisor for Vision Australia based in New South Wales, mentioned he finds using rideshare services “simpler and less stressful.”

“And if I forget to tell him that I’m going to use the taxi transport subsidy and he doesn’t turn the meter on, then I can’t use it.

“You don’t have any of those sorts of issues with rideshare.

“You can enjoy the trip and enjoy getting to your destination without that stress of wondering what’s going to happen and what the fare might be and whether you’re being told the correct meter amount and even whether the driver can accept the (subsidy) card or not.”

National survey data from Vision Australia showed 59 per cent of respondents believed they would be more likely to use the scheme if it were expanded to rideshare.

Vision Australia general manager for corporate affairs and advocacy Chris Edwards said the survey reveals an urgent need for transport policy reform.

“For people who are blind or have low vision, accessible transport is not a luxury, it’s an essential.

“We’re not saying that rideshare services are perfect, for example we’re continuing to work with the sector around the issue of dog guide refusals, but we believe states expanding their subsidy schemes to rideshare providers would have a significant benefit for our community.”

For McMorrow, rideshare is as close as it gets to being able to jump in the car like a sighted person.

“As a blind person, I just want the same access to transport and to services that everybody else has,” she said.

“I think it’s a reasonably simple thing that the government could do that would really improve choice of transport and access and consequently, quality of life, for vision-impaired people such as myself.”

In a statement, Uber said it supports a “provider-neutral approach to taxi subsidy schemes across Australia”.

“Accessible and flexible transport is key to helping people with disabilities stay active, independent and connected.

“Since 2021, MPTP members in Victoria have experienced the benefits of subsidised Uber rides.

“We will continue to engage with advocacy groups and state governments to expand access to rideshare within government subsidy programs nationwide.”

A spokesman said Uber is conducting a 12-week Transport Subsidy Trial, with assistance from Vision Australia and Disability Voices Tasmania.

“We’re offering people with disabilities the equivalent subsidy they’d receive through government schemes to use on the Uber platform, unlocking greater access to transportation options.

“We welcome more organisations across Australia to join the trial to help expand transport access for people with disabilities.”