Mobility aids
Safer travel for passengers using mobility aids on public transportFor your safety, and to improve your access to public transport, your mobility aid must meet standard requirements for its dimensions, stability, and manoeuvrability. Further details are provided in the Commonwealth Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport*.
Dimensions
A boarding device (for example, a ramp) must be able to support a total weight of 300 kg.
A mobility device must:
- fit within an allocated space of 130 cm by 80 cm
- have a maximum width of less than 75 cm (when measured at a height of up to 30 cm from the ground)
- be able to fit through a taxi door (height of 140 cm).
Stability
A mobility device must:
- have effective braking systems to maintain stability
- have anchoring points if required by transport operators or providers
- comply with regulations for carrying batteries on public transport
- allow you to transfer to a seat in a taxi if required by the transport operator or provider
- must be able to face in the direction determined by the transport operator or provider when travelling.
Manoeuvrability
A mobility device must be able to:
- turn 180 degrees within an area 207 cm by 154 cm
- cross a horizontal gap up to 4 cm wide
- mount a vertical rise (a bump) up to 1.2 cm
- cross grating gaps up to 1.3 cm wide and 15 cm long
- climb a 1:14 grade unassisted (for example, a ramp)
- climb up to a 1:8 grade where the ramp is less than 152 cm long
- climb a 1:4 grade with assistance (for example, a ramp).
For further information, visit our frequently asked questions page or contact your local state or territory passenger transport regulators.
The Safer Travel for Passengers using Mobility Aids on Public Transport brochure (PDF**, 324KB) was developed by the Accessible Public Transport National Advisory Committee. Additional copies of this brochure can be obtained by contacting the Public Transport Policy Unit.*The content found by using this link is not created, controlled or approved by this department. No responsibility is taken for the consequences of viewing content on this site. This link will load into a new window.
**While this department has taken every possible precaution with the creation of these files, they are downloaded and used at your own risk. Adobe Reader is needed to open and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files and is free to download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Various tools to enable access to these files for people using a screen reader can be found at http://access.adobe.com. Further information is available from the "Help with downloading, reading and printing PDF".
Last updated 15 July 2009
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