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Getting to an appointment can take more planning than the appointment itself. There may be a walker to fit in the car, difficulty managing a bus journey, or a need for someone to come inside and help with communication. Sometimes the problem is simply that the family member who usually drives is no longer available.

Transport support can help people keep up with everyday commitments and stay connected to their community. Both the NDIS and government-funded aged care can assist, but they have different eligibility rules, funding arrangements and costs. Understanding what you need help with is the best place to start.

What Kind of Transport Help Do You Need?

Some people need a suitable vehicle and a driver. Others need someone alongside them throughout the outing. Before looking at funding, think about the whole journey:

• Can you get from your home into the vehicle, and from the vehicle to your destination?
• Do you need room for mobility equipment or a wheelchair-accessible vehicle?
• Can you travel alone, or do you need help with directions, communication or distress during travel?
• Will someone need to stay with you at the appointment or activity?
• How will you get home if the appointment runs late?

A booked ride does not necessarily include assistance inside a clinic or help with shopping. Explain these needs when arranging support so everyone understands what is required.

Transport Support Under the NDIS

NDIS transport assistance is linked to disability-related needs. A participant may generally qualify for help with transport costs when their disability causes substantial difficulty using public transport. Living somewhere with limited bus services does not, by itself, establish eligibility. The NDIA also considers the support it is reasonable to expect from family and other informal supports.

Transport-related support can take several forms. These are worth separating because they are not all paid for in the same way.

Funding for Your Travel

Eligible participants may receive recurring transport funding to help pay for taxis, rideshare or other private transport for work, study, day programs and community activities.

The NDIA describes three recurring transport funding levels, based on a person’s circumstances and activities. This funding appears in the recurring supports budget where included in the plan. Your plan determines what funding you have available; being an NDIS participant does not automatically mean every fare is covered.

Do not assume unused funding elsewhere in your plan can top up recurring transport. The NDIA treats this as a separate support budget. Activity-based transport, described below, has different claiming arrangements.

A Support Worker Driving or Accompanying You

Where a worker transports you to, from or during an eligible community participation support, this may be treated as activity-based transport.

For example, a worker might collect you, support you at a community activity and drive you home. There can be a charge for the worker’s time and a separate agreed charge for vehicle use or associated costs such as parking and tolls. The applicable support and claiming rules must allow these charges, and they need to be agreed in advance.

Provider travel means something different: the worker travelling to your location to deliver support. That may also be claimable under the relevant rules, even though you are not in the vehicle. Ask the provider to explain each charge and the budget it will come from.

Help to Build Travel Skills

Disability-related support to learn to travel more independently may also be possible. This could involve practising a familiar bus route, learning where to get off, or working out what to do if a service is cancelled.

The support must fit your disability-related needs and plan. The aim should reflect what is practical for you: some people want to work towards travelling alone, while others will continue to need someone with them.

Vehicle Modifications

The NDIS may fund assessed vehicle modifications, such as a wheelchair hoist or modified driving controls, where funding criteria are met. It may also fund specialised driver training related to disability or using those modifications.

This does not mean the NDIS pays for buying a car, ordinary registration, insurance, petrol or general servicing. Those personal vehicle costs are different from an agreed activity-based transport charge for a provider taking you to a supported activity.

Transport Support Through Aged Care

For older people living at home, transport can be available through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) or Support at Home, depending on assessed needs. My Aged Care lists options such as a car and driver, community transport, and taxi or rideshare vouchers. These can help with medical appointments, shopping and social activities.

Commonwealth Home Support Program

CHSP provides entry-level assistance for older people who need some help to remain living at home. Transport might be the main service you need, or one of a small number of supports.

An aged care assessment determines eligibility. Once approved, you can look for a provider offering the service locally. Availability varies, so ask about booking notice, destinations, accessible vehicles and whether trips are individual or shared.

You are expected to contribute towards CHSP services if you can afford to. Providers set their own charges, so ask for the cost before booking and raise any difficulty paying. You should not miss out on support because you cannot afford the contribution.

Support at Home

Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025. It supports people who need a more coordinated range of services at home. CHSP continues separately.

Transport is included in the Support at Home service list. Your approved services, available funding and care plan determine how it can be arranged. Discuss the journeys you need with your provider, including how often you travel and whether you need someone to accompany you.

Transport sits in the independence contribution category. What you personally pay depends on your financial circumstances and applicable contribution arrangements. People who were receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 are covered by the “no worse off” arrangements. Ask your provider to confirm both the full service price and your own contribution.

Support at Home providers must include their service-delivery travel costs in their service prices; they cannot add separate provider travel or administration fees. This differs from the NDIS arrangements described above.

Aged care transport support does not cover ordinary personal expenses such as running your car, licence costs, public transport fares or holiday travel.

What About Medical Appointments?

Under aged care, transport to health appointments is an identified use of transport support. Under the NDIS, the reason you need assistance matters: going to a medical appointment does not automatically make the journey NDIS-funded. Ask whether your disability-related transport or accompanying support can be paid from your plan.

If you need clinical monitoring or specialist patient transport, discuss this with your treating team. A community support worker’s vehicle may not meet those needs. In Queensland, non-emergency patient transport has separate requirements, including medical authorisation.

Questions to Ask Before Booking

Before agreeing to a service, ask:

• What help is included? Confirm whether it is transport only, assistance from your front door, or support throughout the outing.
• Can you meet my access needs? Explain mobility equipment, transfers, communication needs and any assistance required during travel.
• What will the whole trip cost? Ask about the return journey, waiting time and cancellation terms, including which costs are included in the price and which may be charged separately under your program.
• How will it be paid? Confirm the relevant funding, any personal contribution and any costs you must pay privately.
• What happens if plans change? Agree on arrangements for late appointments, a delayed driver or an earlier return home.

A clear written quote or service agreement gives you something to refer to later. For regular trips, ask how the arrangement will affect your budget over time.

How to Get Started

If you have an NDIS plan, discuss your transport barriers with your my NDIS contact. A support coordinator, if you have one, can help explore arrangements, while your plan manager can help clarify payment questions. Describe specific difficulties and the trips you need, rather than only asking for “more transport”.

For aged care, contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to ask about an assessment. If you already receive services, speak with your provider about your transport needs and whether your support plan needs reviewing.

Final Thoughts

Reliable transport makes it easier to keep appointments, see people and continue the routines that matter to you. Getting the right arrangement starts with explaining the help you need across the whole outing, then checking what your funding covers and what you will pay.

At JNJ Community Support Services, we provide travel and transport support for NDIS participants in Bundaberg and surrounding communities. If you need help getting to appointments, managing everyday errands or attending community activities, contact our team to discuss your needs and the options we can offer.

References

• NDIS – Understand transport supports
• NDIS – What are recurring supports
• NDIS – Guide to NDIS support budgets
• NDIS – Pricing arrangements
• NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme Pricing Schedule 2026-27
• NDIS – What is a vehicle modification
• My Aged Care – Transport
• My Aged Care – Commonwealth Home Support Program
• My Aged Care – Commonwealth Home Support Program costs
• My Aged Care – Support at Home program
• My Aged Care – Support at Home costs and contributions
• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – Prices for Support at Home participants
• Queensland Government – Transport assistance

Disclaimer

This article provides general information current as at 9 September 2026. Eligibility, funding and charges depend on individual circumstances and the applicable program rules. Confirm your arrangements with the NDIA, My Aged Care or your provider before booking or paying for support.