Total Mobility passenger transport
Nelson Tasman door-to-door transport services for people with disabilities
Total Mobility is a door-to-door passenger transport scheme designed to use regular taxi vehicles, passenger service operators, and modified taxis for wheelchair access. Its purpose is to increase the mobility of people with disabilities, so that they may access passenger transport in a similar fashion to others in the community.
In the Nelson and Tasman regions, the Nelson City Council administers the Total Mobility Scheme, with Tasman District Council making a contribution towards the budget. The local authorities fund the local share of the budget via rates, with the remainder coming from New Zealand Transport Agency funding.
The scheme entitles eligible people to receive a discount on their fare by way of a Total Mobility ID card subject to local conditions. The cards can be used in other regions of New Zealand where a local authority operates the scheme, subject to that authority's conditions. The current discount rate for Nelson-Tasman is 50% to a maximum discount of $10 per trip.
Area covered
Nelson Tasman Total Mobility operates within the regions administered by Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council:
- Northeast of Nelson City to the Marlborough District Council boundary at the Rai Saddle
- Nelson City and suburbs
- South including urban and rural Richmond, Hope, Brightwater and Wakefield to Buller District Council boundary south of Murchison
- Northwest to Mapua, Motueka and Golden Bay
Regions currently on Ridewise are:
- Auckland
- Bay of Plenty (from 4 November 2019)
- Canterbury
- Horizons (i.e. Manawatu/Horowhenua areas)
- Invercargill
- Nelson
- Marlborough
- Northland
- Otago
- Taranaki
- Waikato
- Wellington
If members are travelling to places where Total Mobility exists outside of the above locations they will need to apply for an OUT OF TOWN total mobility voucher. This can be done by phoning Council or emailing enquires@ncc.govt.nz
Who can use Total Mobility?
This scheme is only available to people with a disability which impairs their mobility to a level that stops them from using a public bus service or requires the constant assistance of another person. All applicants are assessed for eligibility by an agency approved by the Council.
An eligible person must have an impairment that prevents them from undertaking any one or more of the following five components of a journey unaccompanied, on a bus, train or ferry in a safe and dignified manner:
- Getting to the place from where the transport departs
- Getting onto the transport
- Riding securely
- Getting off transport
- Getting to the destination
Acceptable reasons could be inability or difficulty to:
- Walk 500 metres unaided, approximate distance from Nelson's clock tower up Trafalgar Street to Hardy Street
- Understand and follow directions, communicate clearly with others, read timetables and place names
- Understand and use available information to assist you to plan and undertake short journeys by public transport
- Enter and exit public transport safely unaided
- Taking responsibility for one’s own personal safety and dignity throughout the journey
- Handle money to purchase the required fare
How to join Total Mobility
The agencies listed below are responsible for assessing people’s eligibility to join the Total Mobility Scheme. We suggest you contact an agency that provides services for people with a similar disability to your own. They will carry out an assessment, and if deemed eligible, Nelson City Council will issue you with a photo ID card to be presented each time you travel. There is no charge for having an assessment.
Please note that being a member of a Total Mobility agency, having a disability and the fact that your area of Nelson City/Tasman District is not covered by a public bus service, does not automatically make you eligible for Total Mobility vouchers.
Approved Total Mobility agencies contact details
| Agency | Phone number |
|---|---|
| Age Concern Richmond | 03 544 7624 |
| Blind Foundation | 03 547 6616 nelsonadmin@blindfoundation.org.nz |
| CCS Disability Action Nelson Marlborough | 03 548 4479 |
| Epilepsy New Zealand | epilepsy.org.nz |
| SF Nelson (Mental health) | 03 546 6090 or 027 243 2441 |
| Stroke Foundation | 03 545 8183 or 027 455 8302 |
Participating transport services operators
| Company | Phone number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Nelson City and Richmond including northeast of the city, southwest of Richmond and Mapua |
||
| Freedom Companion Driving Services | 03 539 4856 or 021 355 843 |
nelson@freedomdrivers.co.nz |
| Nelson City Taxis | 03 548 8225 or 0800 10 88 55 |
Wheelchair hoist vehicles available |
| Sun City Taxis | 03 548 2666 | |
| Ray of Sunshine Assisted Living | 03 544 5004 | nicki@rayofsunshine.net.nz |
| Driving Miss Daisy | 03 547 6915 |
nelson@drivingmissdaisy.co.nz Wheelchair Hoist vehicles available |
| Driving Miss Daisy - Nelson West | 03 541 0020 021 504 856 |
nelsonwest@drivingmissdaisy.co.nz Wheelchair Hoist vehicles available |
| Safe Cabs | 021 222 8052 | pickup@safecabs.co.nz |
|
Motueka including north to Marahau and south to Mapua, Moutere valley and Motueka Valley |
||
| Motueka regional Ambulance | 03 528 7645 | For people requiring wheelchair hoist vehicle only |
| Golden Bay | ||
| There are currently no participating transport operators in Golden Bay. | ||
Mobility Parking Permit
The Mobility Parking Permit is a different scheme CCS Disability Action Nelson Marlborough. Find out more on our Mobility Parking Permit page.
Find out more
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions or more information or assistance contact enquires@ncc.govt.nz or call 546 0200.