A Sunshine Coast wheelchair user missed his grandson’s baptism after a pre-booked accessible taxi failed to arrive.
Phil Broad, 69, a partial quadriplegic and right-leg amputee living at Sundale nursing home in Nambour, had booked a wheelchair-accessible Maxi Taxi with his wife Frances several days ahead of the 16 August service, arranging three pickups.
What went wrong
Broad said the first taxi never came despite repeated calls. Operators told him few Maxi Taxis were available on a Sunday. The couple gave up at 11.05am.
Black & White Cabs Sunshine Coast general manager Adam Stewart apologised and said the firm could not secure an accessible vehicle. He said demand has risen with population growth, ageing and NDIS work, but wheelchair-accessible taxi licences on the Coast have been unchanged since 2012 — 28 licences, with two not currently operating a vehicle.
A Queensland Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said about 20% of state taxi licences are WATs and pointed to a grant scheme covering up to 50% of the cost of replacing ageing accessible vehicles, while urging inactive licences back into use.