Your insider’s guide to getting a Total Mobility card

After writing about my qualms with the Total Mobility card application process last week, we had a bunch of D*List readers get in touch with similar stories. One of them was Kaia who spent months hounding their local assessment agency to book an appointment for a Total Mobility application, and while it’s finally locked in - they still have to wait another two months. 

Kaia has relied on taxis and public transport for the last few years, and it wasn’t until a taxi driver made Kaia aware of the TM card scheme that they decided to apply. Kaia told us they wish the process was more straightforward. “In an ideal world, my doctor would be able to write one letter and I would have my disability parking permit and my TM card,” they said. And without the support of their social worker, they said they would not have gone through with the process. “I would have given up, straight up,” they said. “I wouldn't have even tried to pursue it, ‘cause it’s too much work.” 

At The D*List, we believe that everyone should have access to the support they need to live the life they want. So we wanted to share a practical guide on how to get a TM card, making it easier for more of us to access affordable transport.

First up, you qualify for a TM card if you have any disability that prevents you from taking public transport by yourself in a “safe and dignified manner”. To meet Waka Kotahi’s criteria for the Total Mobility Scheme, your disability must impact your ability to get to and from the transport location, getting on and off transport and riding safely. A local assessor will work out if a person meets this criteria. 

Step one: Contact an accredited agency

Applications must be done in person with a disability agency in your area. A disability agency in this case is any organisation that is approved by a local council to undertake the assessments, for example, CCS Disability Action. You can contact your local transport agency to find a disability agency that works for you. You can either go to the agency office yourself, or an assessor can meet you at home. There might also be an assessment fee, which varies depending on the agency and if there are travel costs involved to meet you at home. In Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, the assessment fee ranges from being completely free, through to $170, depending on the agency involved.

Step two: Complete an application 

When you meet with the agency, their assessor will have an application form to complete, and will ask you questions about why a TM card would be beneficial for you. They will ask for your personal details, such as name and address, and ask you to describe how and why you use public transport. They will ask about your impairment and how this impacts your travel, but you do not need to bring along a medical certificate or official doctor’s diagnosis. Meeting the criteria for a TM card is also not means tested, which means you can get one no matter how much you earn, or whether or not you receive a benefit or other government support. At the end of the appointment, the assessor will also take a photo of you for the TM card. 

Step three: Start using your card

Once you receive your card, you’ll automatically be entitled to up to a 75% discount on your travel fare on public transport and taxis, up to a maximum amount, which varies between regions across Aotearoa. For example, the maximum amount in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland is $80, but only $60 in Whangārei. You can use your TM card across the regions, and once you’re on the Total Mobility scheme, you don’t need to be reassessed and your card remains valid into the future.

What other "Insider's Guides" should we publish? Send us an email at kiaora@thedlist.co.nz and let us know!