If you already work as a taxi driver in Victoria but would
like to increase your skill base by learning how to drive a wheelchair
accessible vehicle, you can book in a short course with the Driver Education
Centre of Australia (DECA). Not only is this course full funded by the
Victorian Taxi Directorate (providing you are eligible), it will provide you
with the training you need to use any vehicle conversions for taxis.
A major part of the course will involve learning how to
properly use the various vehicle conversions that make wheelchair
transportation possible. This includes ramps and lifts than enable you to
physically hoist the wheelchair into the vehicle, as well as the various
restraints that are need to hold both the chair and the passenger in place.
You will also undertake training pertaining to how the taxi
should be maneuvered to ensure that there is always plenty of room to get
wheelchair bound passengers into and out of the vehicle. This includes what to
do in situations that require loading or offloading on a slope, a busy road or
areas that aren’t paved.
The course will only take you three days (24 hours of contact
time in total) and class sizes are small with a maximum of 16 students each
day. This will ensure that you receive the attention you need to learn how to
use these vehicle conversions properly. At the completion of the course, you
will receive a DECA Statement of Attainment that is recognized by the Victorian
Taxi Directorate.
