From 1 March 2025, all on-demand rank or hail (taxi) drivers should be prepared to accept PTSS journeys. There will be a transition period between 1 March and 30 September 2025, where TUSS cards and vouchers must continue to be accepted by taxi drivers.
There are two ways to capture PTSS journey details:
- drivers install and use the PTSS mobile app on their mobile device; or
- on-demand booking services (ODBSs) integrate their own digital systems (like dispatch software) with the PTSS application programming interface (API).
You must confirm which way you are capturing PTSS journey details with your ODBS.
Both ways will collect journey details and send this information to the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI).
Drivers:
- must not sell, exchange, borrow or give away a participant’s PTSS card and/or TUSS vouchers;
- must not keep or accept PTSS cards when the PTSS participant is not a passenger in the taxi;
- must not accept a PTSS journey from family members; and
- are prohibited from accepting PTSS trips or TUSS vouchers as a tip or gratuity.
Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Industry
All PTSS rules and responsibilities for drivers are outlined in the Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Industry.
The Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Participants outline rules and responsibilities for PTSS participants and applicants.
Drivers are responsible for remaining aware of these Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Industry, as well as:
How to use the PTSS mobile app
The PTSS mobile app is provided by DTMI to facilitate the recording of PTSS journey details by taxi drivers.
To use the PTSS mobile app, you must:
- have a DoTDirect account; and
- hold a valid passenger transport driver (PTD) authorisation.
Each time a driver logs in to the DoT PTSS mobile app, drivers accept the Passenger Transport Subsidy Scheme Guidelines for Industry and the DoT PTSS mobile app terms and conditions.
Visit PTSS mobile app for more information.
Interstate subsidies
People who are part of taxi subsidy schemes in different states or territories can use their usual subsidy when they travel in other parts of Australia.
WA taxi drivers are required to always accept interstate vouchers as part of the fare.
To access their subsidy interstate, passengers must request an interstate taxi subsidy voucher from their home state.
Interstate vouchers are not valid in the state they were issued.
Examples
See below for examples of what interstate vouchers and books look like. Vouchers might look different depending on the state that issued them, or the subsidy level.
Interstate voucher book – front
Interstate voucher – front
Interstate voucher – back
To start a taxi journey, passengers must present:
- their interstate taxi subsidy voucher book; and
- a valid subsidy scheme participant card
Before the journey, the taxi driver must complete the following fields on the interstate voucher:
- Date (on stub and voucher);
- From (pickup location, on stub and voucher);
- Passenger membership number;
- Expiry date;
- Driver ID number (stub and voucher);
- Taxi registration number (i.e. the taxi plate number);
- Start time;
- State of travel (i.e. WA).
After the journey, the taxi driver must complete the following fields on the interstate voucher:
- Amount paid by passenger (stub and voucher);
- Driver’s signature (stub and voucher);
- Member’s signature (voucher);
- Finish time;
- To (drop off destination, on the stub and voucher);
- Total cost of the fare; and
- Subsidy value.
Interstate vouchers should be submitted to the Voucher Processing Contractor (Black & White Cabs), following the same process as regular TUSS vouchers.
| State/territory | Scheme name | Telephone |
|---|---|---|
|
Australian Capital Territory |
Taxi Subsidy Scheme |
(02) 6207 0028 |
|
New South Wales |
Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme |
1800 200 592 |
|
Northern Territory |
Transport Subsidy Scheme |
(08) 8924 7229 |
|
Queensland |
Taxi Subsidy Scheme |
1300 134 755 |
|
South Australia |
South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme |
1300 360 840 |
|
Tasmania |
Taxi Subsidy Program |
(03) 6166 3349 |
|
Victoria |
Multi Purpose Taxi Program |
1800 638 802 |
FAQs
To do PTSS work, you must ensure:
- you hold a valid passenger transport driver (PTD) authorisation; and
- the vehicle you are driving has a valid passenger transport vehicle (PTV) authorisation.
There will be a transition period between 1 March and 30 September 2025, where TUSS cards and vouchers must continue to be accepted by taxi drivers.
You cannot submit a PTSS journey and use TUSS vouchers for the same trip.
Visit How to accept TUSS vouchers to find out how to correctly accept and complete TUSS vouchers and submit them for payment.
Drivers of on-demand rank or hail vehicles are required by the Transport (Road Passenger Services) Regulations 2020 to provide subsidised fares to a PTSS participant, except where the PTSS participant:
- does not have a valid PTSS card;
- does not present the PTSS card at the start of the journey;
- does not appear to have a likeness to the photo of the participant on the PTSS card; or
- does not pay their portion of the fare.
PTSS journey details will be submitted to DTMI via:
- the PTSS mobile app; or
- dispatch equipment that your ODBS has integrated with DTMI systems, to automatically capture journey details.
DTMI will validate all PTSS journeys and pay the subsidy and any co-payment amounts to the ODBS associated with the journey.
As a driver, the ODBS associated with your PTSS journey is responsible for distributing accurate and timely PTSS payments to you, including for rank or hail bookings.
Visit PTSS payments for drivers for more information.
No, drivers must not accept a PTSS journey from a participant who is a family member.
If a passenger presents you with a new PTSS card and their TUSS vouchers, ensure you only use the PTSS mobile app or your ODBS’s integrated dispatch system to capture journey details.