Community transport is proving essential to the safety, mental health, and independence of people with disability—yet its full value remains underappreciated.

It’s easy to dismiss community transport as just another service—something people use to get to appointments, shops, or social events. But for people with disability, it can mean so much more.

The Australian Community Transport Association (ACTA) wants to change the conversation. As the national peak body representing community transport providers, ACTA advocates for a sector that quietly performs an extraordinary social service.

“Community transport providers are not just drivers,” says ACTA CEO Murray Coates. “They’re trusted supporters, early detectors of health risks, and lifelines for isolated people.”

Unlike commercial services, community transport is built on a culture of care. Staff offer door-to-door assistance, check in on clients, and notify family or emergency services if something seems wrong. That kind of attentiveness—often taken for granted—can prevent hospital admissions and protect vulnerable people.

Dr Norman Swan agrees. “The community transport team are walking, talking early detectors of medical problems,” he says. “Their intervention could make all the difference.”

The Royal Commission into Disability shone a harsh light on the dangers people with disability face using standard public transport. Community transport offers a safer, more respectful alternative.

And perhaps most critically—it restores something many lose: a sense of control. Psychologists call it “locus of control”—the idea that people feel healthier and more empowered when they can make their own decisions.

For many Australians with disability, ACTA and its members are helping to make that possible.

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Drivers don’t just get trained in first aid and safe driving. They also receive critical information helping them to recognise signs of mental or physical deterioration. That’s why ACTA stresses the broader public health role these workers play.

There’s a reason so many family members rely on CT services. They offer safety, predictability, and care—reducing stress for carers and ensuring people with disability are treated with dignity.

But the value goes even deeper.

Studies from the UK, Ireland and Australia show that community transport improves mental health, combats loneliness, and fosters connection. It supports people to stay in their homes longer and live fuller, more independent lives.

ACTA is currently investigating these wider benefits and working to embed them into national transport and disability policy. But funding and recognition remain fragile.

“Community transport is often overlooked in broader discussions about disability and social services,” Coates says. “But without it, many people with disability wouldn’t be able to participate in life the way they deserve.”

As policymakers rethink foundational supports under the NDIS, community transport deserves a seat at the table. Because for those who use it, it’s more than just a ride. It’s a right.