Don't drive but need transport?

Transport is a critical part of staying connected. Remember in your early years when you didn’t have a license yet? While none of us want to go back to those days, the problem solving we used then, might be worth reconsidering now, particularly if you consider that the  benefits of getting out outweigh the alternatives.

• Accept offers of a ride. There are often people who are happy to take you along too if you’re both going to the same place.
• SuperGold Cardholders can get free off-peak travel on public transport in many areas around New Zealand and while buses in particular aren’t always convenient they are a reasonably priced option.
• Taxis, specialised driving services or Uber have the benefit of taking you door to door.

• You may qualify for the Total Mobility Scheme. It offers cut price taxis and transport services

  “The Total Mobility Scheme is intended to complement public transport services and ensure people with impairments can meet their daily needs in a safe and dignified manner. It is open to people with a permanent, temporary or fluctuating disability that prevents them from travelling on buses, trains or ferries, or getting to or from where the public transport starts or ends. It also provides funding assistance to purchase and install wheelchair hoists in taxi vans. The scheme has no minimum fare threshold. A 50% discount applies until a maximum subsidy is reached. The maximum subsidy varies between regions.”

  Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) provides further information about the scheme. Specific information about how the scheme operates in your region can be found here.

Interestingly, all these options are cheaper than running and maintaining a car.