Frequently Asked Questions

Our community transport service helps you to get out and about. Mostly we take people to:

• Doctor or hospital visits
• Medical treatments
• Supermarkets or shopping centres
• Social outings
• Personal appointments like haircuts or fitness sessions
• Visits to friends or family.

Trips can be one-way or return. Usually, trips must be less than 20km one way however longer trips may be offered for medical purposes. Call TransitCare on 07 3422 7900 if you think your trip might be longer than 20km.

TransitCare does not provide trips using government funding for discharge from hospital or emergency transport to a hospital.

• Emergency transport to a hospital - if you have a medical emergency call emergency services on 000.
• Accompanied discharge from hospital - if you do not have family or friends who can take you home from hospital, please speak to the hospital staff.

TransitCare’s community transport services and social activities are for people who want to get out and about but need help with transport. This might be because you:
can’t drive or don’t want to drive

• can’t afford driving or parking costs
• have special needs which make transport difficult
• live in an area with no public transport
• don’t have family or friends nearby who can provide support.

Most of our clients receive government funding for our services. We also have clients who cover the cost themselves because they trust our service is reliable, caring and respectful.

You can book a trip with TransitCare to, and from, any location within one of our service areas. See our locations and services here.

Most of our services operate from Monday to Friday and some services operate on weekends and public holidays. Details for the service operating times for your area are available via our Client Service Centre.

Yes. Your driver will meet you at your front door and help you to the vehicle if needed. Your shopping bags or mobility aids will be placed in the vehicle for you.

When dropping you at home, your driver can assist you to your front door, carrying items for you if needed.

If you live in an apartment you need to tell us this when you book. You can tell us if you want to be picked up from your apartment or from your building foyer.

Trips are often shared with other passengers. That’s why we need to know if you have extra items with you such as shopping bags or luggage.

Our drivers are trained to make sure all passengers have a comfortable trip. We ask you to respect our drivers and the other passengers. Rude or aggressive behaviour will be reported.

If you are using Government funding for our TransitCare services then you will need to know what limits apply to that funding.

1. Call TransitCare on 07 3422 7900.
2. Listen to the message and select your location
3. Listen to the options to:
   • wait until an operator is free
   • request a call back when an operator is free
   • leave a message with your name and number so we can call you back.

When you call to book, please have this information ready:

• Your name
• Your pickup location
• Your destination
• Start time of your appointment - what time do you need to be there?
• End time of your appointment - what time will you be ready to return home?
• The reason for your travel - this helps us to prioritise medical appointments when we schedule the trip
• Information about your trip - will you need space for:
  • Your mobility aid or portable oxygen cylinder
  • Your shopping bags or luggage
  • Your child and their booster seat or capsule
  • Your carer or registered assistance animal.

Yes. TransitCare trips must be booked in advance. Our team members organise your trip and book a vehicle which suits your needs. For example, if you use a wheelchair then an accessible van will be used for your trip. If you are accompanied by a carer then an extra seat will be allocated.

All TransitCare services need to be booked in advance, at least one business day before your trip. The booking deadline may vary in each area so we always recommend booking early.

The cost of your trip or activity will depend on:

• the government funding program
• your location
• the length of your trip
• the type of activity if you are on a group social outing.

There may be an extra cost for your carer or attendant - this depends on if you are using a government funded program for your trip. Our friendly client service team will help you understand the cost when you make a booking.

The payment for your trip will be confirmed when you book. You can pay for your TransitCare services by:

• Direct debit - fees to be deducted from your nominated account
• Credit card or debit card - you pay over the phone using your card details
• Electronic funds transfer - you pay online via your bank
• Cheque or money order - you post a cheque or make payment at Australia Post.

In some locations you can pay via EFTPOS at the time of your trip. Currently this is only available for some services at the Gold Coast.

If you need to cancel a booking, you must let us know as soon as possible. This helps us plan the routes and timetable for our drivers. You may still be charged a fee if you cancel on the same day as your trip.

• 7am - 6pm from Monday to Friday - call 07 3422 7900 and speak to a client service team member
• 6pm - 7am from Monday to Friday and during weekends - call 07 3422 7900 and leave a message with this information:
  • Your name
  • The date of your trip
  • Your pickup address
  • Your trip destination
  • If you are cancelling the trip from your home to your appointment
  • If you are cancelling the trip from your appointment to your home.

It is not possible to choose which vehicle when you make a booking. We will always send the best vehicle to suit your needs and the needs of the other passengers who may share the trip service with you. If you have medical or mobility needs, we will bring a vehicle to suit you.

In the Logan City Council area, TransitCare is the provider for on demand transport services (DRT) for Translink. These trips do not provide door-to-door assistance, and the drivers are not able to help carry your bags to your door. These trips are booked through the Translink website.

• Mobile phone - if our driver is running late to pick you up, we will call your mobile phone to let you know.
• TransitCare Contact Card - this card has the number to call if you are running late or need help with your trip.
• Mobility aid - have this ready at your door. Our driver can help you get to the vehicle and will store this for you.
• Shopping bags - if you are going to the supermarket.

When we confirm your trip booking with TransitCare, we will ask you to be ready for pickup within a set timeframe, or pick-up window. We usually need you to be ready one hour before your appointment.

This flexible pickup time is needed because we are a shared service - we could be picking up or dropping off other passengers in your area.

When you book you can request a call from the driver to advise your vehicle is on its way to pick you up.

We always do our best to help but we might not be able to change your pickup time if it is close to the time of your trip.

Please be ready to meet your driver at your front door at the pick-up time:

• If you are in a house, your driver will come to your front door.
• If you live in an apartment you need to tell us this when you book. You can tell us if you want to be picked up from your apartment or from your building foyer.

You can request a call from the driver to advise when your vehicle is on its way to pick you up.

Your drop-off time is the time you need to arrive before your appointment or treatment. We will always do our best to get you there before your appointment. Medical appointments will be prioritised if there are delays during the trip.

When you book your trip, you need to tell us if you will have any of these items:

• Your mobility aid or portable oxygen cylinder
• Luggage or more than 4 shopping bags
• Your child and their booster seat or capsule
• Your carer or registered assistance animal.

Yes, if you let us know the size of your equipment when you book your trip so we can bring an accessible vehicle with a hoist.

When travelling in a TransitCare vehicle you must relocate from your mobility scooter to a fixed seat. Wheelchair users who stay seated in the wheelchair must make sure the chair can be properly secured. Learn more about the requirements for travelling with this equipment by visiting the Department of Transport and Main Roads website – Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters Guide for Safe Travel.

Please note that we may not be able to carry oversize electric wheelchairs or scooters.

Yes, if you tell us when you book. Your carer or assistance animal can travel with you from your pick-up address and be dropped off with you at your drop-off address.

Our TransitCare drivers are trained to assist you by:

• Meeting you at your front door to pick you up
• Helping you to get in and out of the vehicle if needed
• Carrying your shopping bags
• Placing your bags or mobility aids in and out of the vehicle
• Taking you to your front door when you return to your home.

TransitCare drivers are not allowed to enter your home unless an Authority to Enter Form is signed. If you want to make this arrangement let our client service team member know when you book.

Our drivers are friendly and caring and enjoy getting to know our clients. However, they have a busy schedule and will need to leave your home promptly to assist other passengers.

Our professional TransitCare drivers undergo security checks and must complete these courses and extensive training before they join our team:

• Australian Federal Police check
• TransitCare Driver Training
• First Aid and CPR Certificates
• Working with Children registration
• NDIS Worker clearance
• Working with Vulnerable People registration.

Our drivers must hold a current Drivers Licence and must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they are caring for our TransitCare clients.

You can be seated in the front if you have the appropriate medical declaration form. To arrange this please speak with our client services team.

If the front seat has been allocated to a person with a medical declaration, other passengers are required to be seated in the rear seats. We ask our clients to respect this policy.

Yes. It is the law in Queensland that all passengers in a vehicle must wear a seatbelt when the vehicle is moving or stationary (e.g. when stopped at traffic lights).

All people in TransitCare vehicles must wear a seatbelt. If you want to be exempt you must obtain an exemption certificate from your doctor and always carry this certificate with you when travelling in a vehicle.

Make sure you have our phone number with you when you are out and about. Keep our Contact Card in your wallet and add our number to your mobile phone.

If your plans change when you are out, or you are running late, we need you to call and let us know.

This is a good option when you are being picked up from a medical treatment at a hospital or clinic. You call to tell us you are “Ready Now”, and we will send the next available vehicle to pick you up (within an hour) and take you home. Just mention this to the client service team when you call to book.

We are always happy to help, but all TransitCare trips must be booked in advance.

Our vehicles are not like taxis in a rank or driving past - you are not able to approach a TransitCare vehicle and ask the driver to take you home. If this request is made to a driver it will be politely refused, and we ask clients to respect this process.

You can give us feedback about your experience by:

• Calling 07 3422 7900 and waiting to speak to someone, or selecting the option to leave a voice message
• Sending us an email at intake@transitcare.com.au
• Sending us an online enquiry by clicking here.

We need to collect and keep information about you. When you book a trip or activity with TransitCare, we use this information to:

• Send a vehicle which suits your needs
• Allow enough time to help you in or out of the vehicle.

If your information changes, you need to let us know so we can update your details. To update your profile call our client service centre on 07 3422 7900.

Detailed information about our Policies and Procedures is in our Client Handbook.