For elderly and disabled residents multi-purpose taxis are often their only choice in getting around Mandurah.
But with taxi operators suffering years of losses brought on by ride-sharing businesses, the elderly and disabled experiencing long wait times has been growing exponentially.
In April 2020, regional taxi operators were offered a relief package after the industry was deregulated by the state government to compensate them $20,000 per plate at a cap of five plates or $110,000.
However, the compensation package fell short of what was offered to their metro counterparts in 2018, in which the state government's buy back scheme paid operators $100,000 per plate.
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WA Country Taxi Operators Association secretary Julie Murray, who also runs Mandurah Taxis, said the reforms would most likely see wheelchair taxis close down.
"They excluded the regional operators from any plate buy back so for a lot of people it's not viable to run the wheelchair taxis anymore," she said.
"Albany has lost their wheelchair service, Busselton's will go, Bunbury's will go, Geraldton's is going and Mandurah will be the next one - we've held on as long as we can.
"A lot of elderly and disabled will end up waiting."
According to a Department of Transport spokesperson, there are currently 10 vehicles authorised as wheelchair accessible taxis with a garaging address in the Mandurah area.
A lot of elderly and disabled will end up waiting.
- WA Country Taxi Operators Association secretary Julie Murray
In addition to locally based taxis, passengers in the Mandurah and Murray areas can also book wheelchair accessible taxi services through 13 MAXI, operated by Black & White Cabs.
Mandurah MP David Templeman said the state government has provided financial assistance to regional taxi drivers.
"The McGowan government has worked to offer assistance measures and relief to regional taxi drivers and I have advocated for the specific circumstances facing Mandurah Taxis.
"Earlier this year the McGowan government provided a $9 million relief package to the on-demand transport industry to assist with the impacts of COVID-19.
"Of this $9 million, over $5 million of assistance payments went to regional taxi drivers - of all the regional taxi providers, Mandurah Taxis has received the most financial support."
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti also said the COVID-19 relief packages were in addition to support packages announced last year.
"This is in addition to the $3.4 million Regional Taxi Transition Support Package announced in 2019," she said.
"Extensive consultation was undertaken with industry before the introduction of the on-demand transport reforms."
But Ms Murray said the government assistance has not gone far enough to relieve financial stress for Mandurah's taxi operators.
"The Transport Minister has pushed through these reforms with all of our complaints," she said.
"We've kept going all through COVID-19 to get the elderly and disabled where they needed to go but we are desperately short of drivers because the industry needs assistance.
"The government won't provide any assistance and the people who are missing out are the vulnerable, old and disabled."
How has your experience been getting a ride in the Mandurah area? Email editor@mandurahmail.com.au
