For many older Australians and people with disabilities, community transport is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline. It’s the difference between getting to a vital medical appointment or missing it entirely. It means staying socially connected, collecting medication, or simply living life with dignity and independence.
By Katarina Lloyd Jones – Australian Ageing Agenda
Yet, as Australian Ageing Agenda reports, this essential service remains chronically underfunded and under-recognised. Across the country, community transport providers are struggling to meet rising demand with shrinking budgets, outdated vehicles, and stretched staff.
Advocates say the ripple effects are huge: without accessible, affordable local transport, isolation deepens, health outcomes worsen, and people are forced to rely on costly alternatives or go without altogether.
At Disability Connect, we believe that real inclusion is about more than buildings and policies — it’s about practical support that makes everyday life possible. Community transport must be funded properly and protected, because when it fails, the people it serves are left stranded.
Everyone deserves the freedom to move — and the support to get there.
