Transport is a social determinant of health, employment, and community participation — yet for many New Zealanders, transport is a barrier. Older adults without driving licences, people with disabilities, low-income families, and rural communities face mobility challenges that restrict their access to healthcare, employment, education, and social connection. Community transport programmes bridge this gap — with grant funding playing a critical role in a system that the commercial transport market cannot serve profitably.
Who faces transport barriers
Consequences of transport disadvantage
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA)
NZTA funds public transport — primarily through regional councils. Some community transport programmes receive NZTA funding through:
- Total Mobility scheme
- Regional public transport plans
- Community transport targeted funding
Total Mobility Scheme
The Total Mobility scheme provides subsidised taxi and other transport for people with disabilities who cannot use public transport:
- Administered by regional councils
- Clients receive fare discounts
- Funded jointly by NZTA and regional councils
- Not available in all regions
Ministry of Social Development (MSD)
MSD funds transport assistance for beneficiaries:
- Work-related transport assistance
- Job seeker transport support
- Emergency transport assistance
Ministry of Health / Health NZ
Non-emergency patient transport:
- Transport to medical appointments
- Hato Hone St John patient transport (partially funded)
- Māori health provider transport
- PHO transport assistance for priority patients
Regional councils
Regional councils fund community transport through transport plans:
- Subsidised public transport
- Community transport grants (varies by region)
- Total Mobility administration
Volunteer driver programmes are a cornerstone of rural and older adult transport:
How they work
- Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles
- Clients are typically older adults, people with disabilities, or health appointment transport
- Volunteer programmes coordinated by community organisations
- Costs include volunteer coordination, insurance, mileage reimbursement
Key programmes
- Age Concern transport volunteers
- Riding for the Disabled transport (for therapy sessions)
- EasyLink (Auckland — community transport for disabled and older adults)
- Regional health transport coordinators
Funding sources for volunteer driver programmes
- Gaming trusts (very supportive of volunteer community programmes)
- Lotteries Community
- Community foundations
- Health funders (for medical appointment transport)
EasyLink is Auckland's community transport provider:
- Accessible minibus and car services
- Older adults and people with disabilities
- Medical appointment transport
- Community activity transport
- Day programme transport
Funding: Auckland Council, NZTA Total Mobility, gaming trusts, philanthropy.
Rural transport is a particular challenge — public transport is minimal or non-existent:
Rural transport challenges
- Very low population density makes public transport uneconomic
- Distances to services (health, retail, employment) are large
- Older rural residents may have never driven or can no longer drive
- Young people in rural areas cannot access employment, education, or social activities
Rural transport funding approaches
- Community car share schemes
- Volunteer driver networks
- Subsidised taxis for specific journeys (medical appointments)
- School transport (already government-funded)
- Rural health transport (medical appointment focus)
Key funders
- Rural Community Boards
- Local councils
- Gaming trusts (community service focus)
- Rural Support Trusts (farmers and rural community)
Transport for people with disabilities requires:
- Wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs)
- Driver trained in disability support
- Scheduling flexibility
- Affordable pricing
Accessible transport programmes
- Total Mobility scheme (subsidised WAV taxis)
- Community accessible vehicles (vans owned by disability organisations)
- Rideshare accessibility (Ola, Uber accessibility vehicles — limited availability)
Funding for accessible transport vehicles
- Capital funding for WAVs is significant ($60,000-120,000 per vehicle)
- Gaming trusts — vehicle purchase grants
- Lotteries Community (accessible vehicle grants)
- Disability foundation grants
- Corporate community grants (vehicle donation or purchase)
Transport for medical appointments is a specific and well-funded category:
- Cancer treatment transport (multiple appointments per week, often 6 weeks)
- Dialysis transport (3x per week, indefinitely)
- Radiation therapy transport
- Specialist appointment transport for rural patients
Key funders for health transport
- Cancer Society (transport for cancer treatment)
- St John ambulance (non-emergency medical transport)
- Health NZ (non-emergency patient transport subsidy)
- Gaming trusts (for transport to treatment)
- Community foundations
Isolation and health connection
Make the connection explicit: transport barriers lead to missed appointments, delayed diagnosis, worsening health. Funders respond to concrete health outcome stories.
Cost per trip
Community transport cost per trip should be compared to the alternatives — missed care, ED presentations, institutional care. The cost of providing transport is almost always less than the cost of consequences.
Volunteer model
Volunteer driver programmes are compelling to gaming trusts and community funders — the volunteer investment amplifies the grant's impact. Quantify volunteer hours contributed.
Geographic specificity
Show the geographic gap — what communities have no or inadequate transport. Maps and data are compelling.
Client testimony
Transport has profound personal impact. One story of an elderly person who missed cancer treatment because of transport is more compelling than statistics. Use client stories (with consent) carefully.
Tahua's grants management platform supports transport funders and community transport organisations — with service delivery tracking, client reach data, trip outcome measurement, and the tools that help community transport funders demonstrate impact in connecting isolated New Zealanders to the services and community they need.