Living with Disability in New Zealand

Date of publication: October 2004
ISBN 0-478-28305-9
HP 4002

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Table of Contents:
Index
Foreword
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction
2 Patterns of Disability
3 Support, Equipment and Services
4 Education
5 Employment and Income
6 House and Home
7 Travel and Transport
8 Māori and Disability
9 Pacific Peoples and Disability
10 Adults with Disability Living in Residential Facilities
11 Future Focus
Glossary
Appendix 1: Classification of Disability Type
Appendix 2: Relative Sampling Error (RSE) Cut-off Points Used for this Report and Appendix Tables
Appendix 3: Tables in Excel format
References

7 Travel and Transport

Within this section:
Key points
Introduction
Long-distance travel
Short-distance travel
Travel to school
Private motor vehicles
Taxis
Public transport
Transport subsidies and grants
Comparing 2001 and 1996

Key points

This chapter looks at the travel patterns of people with disability. It examines their access to private motor vehicles, taxis and public transport, as well as their use of transport subsidies and grants.

Long-distance travel

• In 2001, most adults and children with disability had made long trips, that is, trips of more than 80 kilometres, or the equivalent of one hour's travelling on the open road. Twenty-three percent of adults and 14 percent of children with disability had not made any long trips in the previous 12 months.
• Seven percent of adults and 1 percent of children with disability indicated disability stopped them from making long trips.
• Of the adults with disability able to travel long distances, an estimated 12,300 (2 percent) could make long trips only if they travelled in special transport, such as taxis or modified cars. An estimated 66,800 (12 percent) needed someone to help them on long trips.

Short-distance travel

• It was common for adults and children with disability to make short trips that is, trips of less than 80 kilometres. Only 3 percent of adults with disability and 2 percent of children with disability had not made any short trips in the previous 12 months.
• Of the small group who had not made any short trips, most (adults - 91 percent, children - 75 percent) indicated their condition or health problem was not a factor preventing them from making short trips.
• One percent of adults with disability and 1 percent of children with disability could make short trips only if they travelled in special transport such as taxis or modified cars. This was an estimated 4800 adults and 1100 children.
• Of the adults with disability able to make short trips, an estimated 49,500 (9 percent) needed someone to help them on these trips. Similarly, of the children with disability able to make short trips, an estimated 9500 (11 percent) needed someone to help them on these trips.

Private motor vehicles

• Eleven percent of adults (an estimated 63,400 adults) and 7 percent of children with disability (an estimated 5500 children) lived in households with no private motor vehicle available for use, compared with 4 percent of adults and 5 percent of children without disability.
• Five percent of adults with disability, an estimated 27,400 adults, indicated they had needed to buy a vehicle in the previous 12 months specifically because of their condition or health problem. Most of these adults (78 percent) had gone on to purchase the vehicle they needed, although 22 percent (an estimated 6000 adults) had not been able to (usually because of the cost).
• Similarly, parents or caregivers of 5 percent of children with disability (an estimated 4000 children) reported needing to buy a vehicle in the previous 12 months specifically because of their child's condition or health problem. The parents or caregivers of 69 percent of these children had gone on to purchase the vehicle they needed, but the parents or caregivers of 31 percent (an estimated 1200 children) had not (usually because of the cost).
• Seventy percent of adults with disability (an estimated 404,200 adults) were drivers.
• Of those adults who were drivers, 2 percent (an estimated 7000) had modified their motor vehicle so they could drive it. Three percent (an estimated 11,800 adults) needed to have modifications made to their motor vehicle to make it possible or easier to drive.
• In 2001, 86 percent of adults with disability travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles. Of this group, 12 percent (an estimated 60,100 adults) said they had difficulty travelling as a passenger in a motor vehicle. Adults whose main disability was a mobility disability (16 percent) or an agility disability (15 percent) were the most likely to have difficulty travelling as passengers in motor vehicles.
• Nearly all children with disability (94 percent) travelled as passengers at least some of the time in private motor vehicles. Seven percent of these children (an estimated 5700) had difficulty doing this. Children who used technical aids were the group most likely to have difficulty travelling in private motor vehicles (26 percent).
• One percent of adults with disability who travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles had made changes to these vehicles so they could travel in them (an estimated 2900 adults).
• Of the adults with disability able to travel as passengers in a private motor vehicle, 5 percent (an estimated 6700 adults) indicated they needed to make alterations to their household motor vehicle so they could travel in it.
• Modifications had been made to the household vehicles of 1 percent of children who travelled as passengers (an estimated 1000 children).
• One percent of all children with disability (an estimated 800 children) had unmet needs for changes to their household motor vehicle.
• An estimated 155,800 adults and 10,500 children who drove or travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles needed to park close to their destination because of disability. Adults with mobility or agility disability and children who used technical aids were the most likely to need to park close to their destination.
• Forty-nine percent of the adults and the parents or caregivers of 63 percent of the children with disability who needed to park close to their destination indicated they had difficulty finding parking.

Taxis

• Thirty-eight percent of adults and 20 percent of children with disability had travelled by taxi at least once in the previous 12 months.

Public transport

• Seventy-six percent of adults with disability indicated they could easily get to a bus stop or railway station from where they lived. The remaining 24 percent (an estimated 139,300 adults) indicated they could not.
• Thirty-five percent of adults with disability, an estimated 203,000 adults, had travelled long distances on aeroplanes, trains or buses in the previous 12 months. Of this group, 13 percent, an estimated 26,800 adults, had experienced at least one type of difficulty during this travel.
• Ten percent of children with disability (an estimated 8100 children) were considered by their parents or caregivers to have a disability that made it difficult for them to travel long distances on aeroplanes. Ten percent (8000) were considered to have difficulty travelling long distances on buses, 7 percent (5500) on trains and 7 percent (5500) on ferries.
• Twelve percent of adults and 7 percent of children with disability who were able to make short trips indicated they would have difficulty travelling short distances on public transport such as buses, trains, trams and ferries because of disability. The most common difficulty for both adults and children was getting on and off public transport.
• In the previous 12 months, 68 percent of adults with disability had lived in a place with a bus service. Thirty-four percent of these adults had used a bus at least once for a short trip in the previous 12 months. This was an estimated 133,400 adults (23 percent of adults with disability).
• Eighty percent of children able to make short trips without special transport had used buses for short trips. This was an estimated 34,700 children (42 percent of all children with disability).
• Of those adults who had access to a bus service but had not made any short trips by bus in the previous 12 months, 18 percent (an estimated 46,200) said they would travel on buses if they were easier to use.
• Parents or caregivers of 22 percent of children who had access to a bus service but had not made any short trips by bus in the previous 12 months (an estimated 1500 children) indicated their child would travel on buses if they were easier to use.
• Of the employed adults who had not used a bus to travel to work the previous day, 9 percent (an estimated 19,100) said they would travel to work more often in buses if they were made easier to use.

Transport subsidies and grants

• Of the estimated 3600 people (adults and children) who had modifications made to a vehicle in the previous 12 months because of disability, 77 percent did so without obtaining a loan or grant from a government agency.
• Seventy percent of adults with disability and the parents or caregivers of 78 percent of children with disability had not heard of the Total Mobility Scheme, which provides subsidised taxi fares to people with disability.
• Four percent of adults and 1 percent of children with disability had used Total Mobility Scheme vouchers in the previous 12 months (an estimated 26,100 adults and 600 children).
• Five percent of adults (an estimated 30,800 adults) and 7 percent of children with disability (an estimated 5800 children) obtained some form of government financial help for transport costs in the previous 12 months, excluding subsidised taxi fares from the Total Mobility Scheme.
• Seven percent of adults with disability (an estimated 38,900 adults) and parents or caregivers of 11 percent of children with disability (an estimated 9300 children) indicated they had needed financial assistance with disability-related transport costs in the previous 12 months, but had not been able to get this assistance.

Introduction

Objective 8 of the New Zealand Disability Strategy is to 'support quality living in the community for disabled people' (Minister for Disability Issues 2001: 22). As well as enabling people with disability to live in suitable accommodation (see chapter 6), proposed actions linked to this objective include:

• requiring all new scheduled public transport to be accessible in order to phase out inaccessible public transport
• encouraging the development of accessible routes to connect buildings, public spaces and transport systems
• developing nationally consistent access to passenger services where there is no accessible public transport.

The 2001 Household Disability Survey questioned adults and children with disability about their travel patterns and their access to, and use of, different forms of transport. [Note that 7 percent of adults and 7 percent of children taking part in the 2001 Household Disability Survey did not answer any of the travel and transport questions. These non-responders have been excluded from the analysis in this chapter. This left an estimated 581,000 adults and 83,500 children with disability in the analysis.]

This chapter reports the results for these questions, looking first at how easy it was for people with disability to travel long and short distances. This is followed by a look at people's use of private motor vehicles, either as drivers or passengers. The final sections cover people's use of taxis and public transport such as buses, trains and ferries, as well as their use of financial subsidies to cover transport costs.

All the information presented in this chapter refers to adults and children living in households. Adults living in residential facilities are not included because they were not asked any questions about travel or transport.

Long-distance travel

Recent long-distance travel

In 2001, most adults and children with disability had made long trips, that is, trips of more than 80 kilometres or the equivalent of one hour's travelling on the open road. Twenty-three percent of adults and 14 percent of children with disability had not made any long trips in the previous 12 months.

Adults with disability in the oldest age groups were least likely to have travelled long distances - 45 percent of adults aged 75 and over had not made any long trips in the previous 12 months (Figure 7.1).

Figure 7.1: Percentage of people (adults and children) with disability living in households who had not made a long trip in the previous 12 months, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Note: Data in Appendix Tables 7.1 and 7.2.

Adults

Nearly half of Pacific (49 percent) and Asian/Other (47 percent) adults with disability had not made a long trip in the previous 12 months, compared with just 22 percent of European and 14 percent of Māori adults with disability.

A quarter of urban adults with disability had not made long trips, compared with 14 percent of rural adults with disability.

Thirty percent of adults with disability living in the Northern region had not travelled long distances in the previous 12 months, compared with 24 percent of adults from the Central region, 19 percent from the Southern region and 16 percent from the Midland region.

Low annual household income was associated with not travelling long distances, with 32 percent of adults in the lowest income group ($15,000 and under per year) not having made a long trip, compared with 15 percent of adults in the highest income group ($70,001 and over per year).

Adults who had a seeing disability as their main disability (29 percent) were most likely not to have travelled long distances. Adults with hearing disability as their main disability (17 percent) were least likely not to have travelled long distances.

Adults with a main disability caused by ageing (62 percent) were more likely than adults with a main disability caused by other factors such as disease/illness (26 percent), accident/injury (18 percent), or existing at birth (17 percent) to have made a long trip.

More than a third (37 percent) of adults with severe disability had not travelled long distances in the previous 12 months, compared with 24 percent of adults with moderate disability and 18 percent of adults with mild disability.

Children

Pacific and Asian/Other children with disability (32 percent and 29 percent respectively) were more likely than European and Māori children with disability (12 percent and 13 percent respectively) not to have made a long trip in the previous 12 months.

A slightly higher proportion of urban children than rural children had not travelled long distances (15 percent compared with 7 percent).

Like adults, children in the lowest annual household income group ($15,000 and under per year) were more likely not to have made a long-distance trip in the previous 12 months than children in the highest annual household income group ($70,001 and over per year) (20 percent compared with 6 percent).

Prevention of long-distance travel

Adults and children who had not been on a long trip in the previous 12 months were asked whether their 'condition or health problem completely stopped them from travelling long distances'. [Note that difficulties with travelling (and other everyday activities) experienced by people with disability may be due to the lack of appropriate services as much as the nature of the disability or impairment (see Minister for Disability Issues 2001: 1).] An estimated 38,700 adults and 800 children said they had experienced this type of barrier when making long trips. This was 7 percent of all adults with disability and 1 percent of all children with disability. [This equates to 29 percent of all adults with disability and 7 percent of all children with disability who had not travelled long distances in the previous 12 months.] , [Because of the relatively small number of children stating disability stopped them from travelling long distances, it has not been possible to further analyse the children's data.]

Adults

Older adults with disability were more likely than younger adults with disability to state their 'condition or health problem' completely stopped any long-distance travel. For example, 17 percent of people aged 75 and over indicated their condition completely ruled out long-distance travel, compared with 3 percent of adults aged 15-44 (Figure 7.2).

Figure 7.2: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who were prevented by disability from travelling long distances, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Note: Data in Appendix Table 7.3.

Pacific (11 percent) and Asian/Other (10 percent) adults were slightly more likely than Māori (3 percent) or European adults (7 percent) to have been prevented by disability from travelling long distances.

Adults with disability from low income households were more likely to be prevented by disability from travelling long distances than adults with disability from high-income households. For example, 2 percent of adults with household incomes of $70,001 and over per year were unable to travel long distances, compared with 10 percent of adults with household incomes of $15,000 and under per year.

Adults with hearing disability were least likely to experience disability-related barriers to travelling long distances. Two percent of adults whose main disability was hearing loss were unable to travel long distances, compared with 9 percent of adults whose main disability was mobility disability and 8 percent whose main disability was seeing disability (35 percent) (Figure 7.3).

Figure 7.3: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who were prevented by disability from travelling long distances, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

- Percentages too small to report (estimated frequencies outside the 70 percent relative sampling error cut-off point).

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.3.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability type group.

Looking at all disability types, adults with hearing loss were again least likely to be prevented by disability from travelling long distances (7 percent). Adults with intellectual disability (11 percent), agility disability (12 percent) and seeing disability (14 percent) were most likely to be prevented from making long trips.

Ten percent of adults with a main disability caused by disease/illness were prevented by disability from travelling long distances, compared with 14 percent of adults whose main disability was caused by ageing and 5 percent of adults whose main disability was caused by accident/injury.

Adults with multiple disabilities were more likely (10 percent) than those with a single disability (2 percent) to be unable to travel long distances because of disability.

The likelihood of adults being unable to travel long distances because of disability also increased with the severity of disability. Nineteen percent of adults with severe disability were unable to travel long distances in the previous 12 months, compared with 7 percent of adults with moderate disability and 2 percent of adults with mild disability.

Need for special transport

Of the estimated 542,300 adults whose disability did not stop them travelling long distances, 2 percent, an estimated 12,300 adults, indicated they could make these trips only using special kinds of transport such as taxis or modified cars. [Children were not asked this question.]

Eight percent of adults with severe disability able to travel long distances reported they could use only special transport for these trips, compared with just 1 percent of adults with mild disability able to travel long distances.

Need for assistance

Of the adults whose disability did not stop them from travelling long distances, 12 percent, an estimated 66,800 adults, needed someone to help them on these long trips. [Children were not asked this question.]

The need for assistance increased with age. Nineteen percent of adults aged 75 and over able to travel long distances needed someone to help them on these trips, compared with 7 percent of adults aged 15-24 able to travel long distances (Figure 7.4).

Figure 7.4: Percentage of adults living in households with disability able to travel long distances who needed assistance on long trips, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Note: Data in Appendix Table 7.6.

Of the adults with disability able to travel long distances, 20 percent of those living in the Northern region needed help with long trips, compared with 13 percent in the Midland region and 11 percent in both the Central and Southern regions.

Of the adults with intellectual disability as their main disability who were able to travel long distances, 42 percent needed help with long trips. This compared with just 3 percent of adults with hearing disability as their main disability who were able to travel long distances (Figure 7.5).

Figure 7.5: Percentage of adults with disability living in households able to travel long distances who needed assistance on long trips, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.6.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability type group.

Eighteen percent of adults with multiple disabilities able to travel long distances required help on long trips, compared with just 4 percent of adults with a single disability able to travel long distances.

Nearly half (45 percent) of adults with severe disability able to travel long distances required help on long trips, compared with 12 percent of adults with moderate disability and 4 percent of adults with mild disability.

Short-distance travel

Recent short-distance travel

It was common for adults and children with disability to make short trips, that is, trips of less than 80 kilometres. In 2001, only 3 percent of adults with disability (an estimated 15,000 adults) and 2 percent of children with disability (an estimated 2000 children) had not made any short trips in the previous 12 months.

Prevention of short-distance travel

People with disability did not usually experience barriers to short trips because of disability. Of the small group who had not made short trips, most (adults - 91 percent; children - 75 percent) indicated that their condition or health problem had not been a factor stopping them from making short trips.

Need for special transport

Adults

The estimated 12,200 adults with disability who had travelled short distances in the previous 12 months and who had to use special transport on long trips, or had not travelled short distances but whose disability did not prevent them from travelling short distances, were asked if they could use only special transport such as taxis or modified cars to travel short distances. An estimated 4800 of these adults reported they could use only special transport for short trips. This was 1 percent of all adults with disability.

Children

One percent of children with disability, an estimated 1100 children, indicated they could use only special transport such as taxis or modified cars for short trips.

Need for assistance

Adults

Nine percent of adults able to travel short distances indicated they needed someone to help them on short trips (this was an estimated 49,500 adults). The need for assistance on short trips increased with age, with 16 percent of adults aged 75 and over able to travel short distances needing assistance on these trips, compared with 8 percent of adults aged 15-24 able to travel short distances.

Of the adults able to travel short distances who had an intellectual disability as their main disability, 36 percent needed assistance on these short trips. This compares with just 2 percent of the adults able to travel short distances who had a hearing disability as their main disability (Figure 7.6).

Figure 7.6: Percentage of adults with disability living in households able to travel short distances who needed assistance on short trips, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.11.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability type group.

Of the adults with multiple disabilities able to make short trips, 13 percent required assistance from others on these trips, compared with just 2 percent of adults with a single disability able to make short trips.

Similarly, of the adults with severe disability able to make short trips, 37 percent required assistance from other people during these trips, compared with 7 percent of adults with moderate disability and 2 percent of adults with mild disability.

Children

Parents or caregivers of 11 percent of the children with disability able to travel short distances said their children needed someone to help them during these short trips (this was an estimated 9500 children).

Children's need for assistance related to the type of disability they had. Of the children using technical aids able to make short trips, 49 percent needed someone to help them on these trips, as did 27 percent of children with intellectual disability able to make short trips. By contrast, of the children with hearing disability able to make short trips, just 8 percent needed someone to help them on these trips (Figure 7.7).

Figure 7.7: Percentage of children with disability living in households able to travel short distances who needed assistance on short trips, by disability type, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.12.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability type group.

Similar to adults, children with multiple disabilities able to make short trips (18 percent) were more likely than children with a single disability (6 percent) to need help on these trips. Also, children with severe disability (31 percent) were more likely to require assistance than children with moderate disability (14 percent). [All children with mild disability could make short trips without someone to help them.]

Travel to school

Of the 74,100 children aged 5-14 with disability, an estimated 6000 (8 percent) needed special transport or help to get to school because of disability. This included an estimated 3100 children who used specially-modified private motor vehicles to get to school and 2100 children who used subsidised special transport services or taxis. [All children aged 5-14 with disability are included in this analysis because the relevant questions were covered in the education section (not the transport section) of the 2001 Household Disability Survey.]

Of the remaining 64,400 children aged 5-14 with disability who did not need special transport or help getting to school, an estimated 30,100 (47 percent) travelled to and from school in private motor vehicles. An estimated 18,400 (29 percent) walked to school and 9500 (15 percent) used regular school buses. Public buses or trains (2700 children - 4 percent) and bicycles (2600 - 4 percent) were the least common modes of transport children with disability used to get to school.

Private motor vehicles

Access to motor vehicles

Adults

Eleven percent of adults with disability (an estimated 63,400 adults) lived in households that had no private motor vehicles available for use. ['Motor vehicles' excluded motorbikes and scooters, visitors' vehicles and vehicles that could be used only for work.] This compares with 4 percent of adults without disability, indicating that adults with disability were less likely than adults without disability to have access to private motor vehicles (Figure 7.8).

Figure 7.8: Number of motor vehicles available to adults with and without disability living in households, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey, 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings

Note: Data in Appendix Tables 7.13 and 7.14.

Older adults with disability were more likely than younger adults with disability to live in households without a motor vehicle. For example, 25 percent of adults aged 75 and over with disability had no access to a motor vehicle, compared with 9 percent of adults aged 15-24 with disability.

As might be expected, adults with disability living in low-income households were less likely to have access to a motor vehicle than adults with disability living in high-income households. Thirty-four percent of adults with disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under had no access to a motor vehicle, compared with 3 percent of adults with disability who had household incomes of $30,001 and over.

Adults with disability from low-income households were also less likely to have access to a motor vehicle than adults without disability from low-income households. While 34 percent of adults with disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under did not have access to a motor vehicle, only 19 percent of adults without disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under did not have access to a motor vehicle (Figure 7.9).

Figure 7.9: Percentage of adults with and without disability living in households with no access to a motor vehicle, by household income, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey, 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings

- Percentages too small to report (estimated frequencies outside the 70 percent relative sampling error cut-off point).

Note: Data in Appendix Tables 7.13 and 7.14.

Adults with seeing disability as one of their disabilities (19 percent) or their main disability (20 percent) were most likely to live in households with no motor vehicle. By comparison, 9 percent of adults with intellectual disability lived in households with no motor vehicle.

Children

Seven percent of children with disability (an estimated 5500 children) lived in households with no motor vehicle available, compared with 5 percent of children without disability.

Pacific children with disability (19 percent) were more likely than Māori (12 percent) or European (2 percent) children with disability to live in households with no access to a motor vehicle.

Twenty-one percent of children with disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under per year had no access to a motor vehicle, compared with 17 percent of children without disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under per year.

Need to buy a vehicle

The 2001 Household Disability Survey asked people with disability whether, in the previous 12 months, they or their family had needed to buy a vehicle because of their condition or health problem. They were then asked whether they had been able to buy the vehicle they considered they needed.

Adults

Five percent of adults with disability, an estimated 27,400 adults, indicated they had needed to buy a vehicle because of their condition or health problem in the previous 12 months. More than three-quarters (78 percent) of this group, an estimated 21,500 adults, had bought the vehicle they needed, while the rest, an estimated 6000 adults, had not.

Adults with disability who had not bought the vehicle they needed were asked why not. The most common reason given, cited by 89 percent, was that the vehicle could not be afforded.

Pacific adults with disability (13 percent) were more likely than Māori (9 percent), Asian/Other (8 percent) and European (4 percent) adults with disability to indicate they had needed to buy a vehicle in the previous 12 months.

Children

The parents or caregivers of 5 percent of children with disability (an estimated 4000 children) indicated they had needed to buy a vehicle because of their child's condition or health problem in the previous 12 months. Just over two-thirds (69 percent) of these parents and caregivers had bought the vehicle they needed, while the rest, parents and caregivers of an estimated 1200 children, had not.

Again, affordability was the main reason parents and caregivers had not obtained the vehicle they needed for their child.

The parents or caregivers of nearly a quarter (24 percent) of children with disability who used technical aids said they had needed to buy a vehicle, compared with the parents or caregivers of 5 percent of children with hearing, seeing or special education disabilities (Figure 7.10).

Figure 7.10: Percentage of children with disability living in households whose parents or caregivers had needed to buy a vehicle in the previous 12 months because of the child's condition or health problem, by disability type, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.18.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

Drivers

In 2001, 70 percent of adults with disability, an estimated 404,200 adults, drove a private motor vehicle.

The percentage driving a private motor vehicle was highest in the group aged 45-64 (80 percent) and lowest in the groups aged 15-24 and 75 and over (both 47 percent).

Men with disability were more likely than women with disability to drive a private motor vehicle (77 percent compared with 63 percent).

Asian/Other (36 percent) and Pacific (45 percent) adults with disability were less likely to be drivers than Māori (65 percent) or European (73 percent) adults with disability.

Rural adults with disability were more likely to be drivers (82 percent) than their urban counterparts (68 percent).

Adults with disability from high-income households were more likely to be drivers than adults with disability from low-income households. Eighty-one percent of adults with disability who had household incomes of $70,001 and over per year were drivers, compared with 58 percent of adults with disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under per year.

Adults with intellectual disability or seeing disability as one of their disabilities or their main disability were least likely to be drivers (Figure 7.11). Adults with hearing disability were the most likely to be drivers.

Figure 7.11: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who drove private motor vehicles, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.19.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability type group.

Adults with a main disability caused by accident/injury were more likely to be drivers (79 percent) than adults with a main disability caused by conditions existing at birth (55 percent), ageing (61 percent) or disease/illness (64 percent). This is likely to be at least partly because adults with disability caused by accident/injury tend to be younger (Figure 7.12).

Figure 7.12: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who drove private motor vehicles, by disability cause and cause of main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.19.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability cause group.

Adults who had multiple disabilities (63 percent) were less likely than adults who had a single disability (79 percent) to drive a private motor vehicle.

Similarly, adults with severe disability (38 percent) were less likely to be drivers than adults with moderate (70 percent) or mild (78 percent) disability.

Changes to private motor vehicles to enable driving

The 2001 Household Disability Survey asked adults with disability questions about modifications to private motor vehicles. These modifications adapt vehicles to the individual needs of drivers and enable adults capable of driving to exercise that capability.

Changes made

Two percent of the estimated 404,200 adults with disability who drove a private motor vehicle had already modified their vehicle so they could drive it. This was an estimated 7000 adults.

The most common alterations made were the addition of hand controls (added by 1500 drivers) and customised seating (added by another 1500 drivers).

Changes needed

The 2001 Household Disability Survey included questions designed to assess what types of changes to motor vehicles were required, but had not been made at the time of the survey. These questions were put to two groups of survey respondents. [Together these two groups added up to an estimated 409,200 adults with disability (70 percent of all adults with disability).]

1. Adults with disability who drove a private motor vehicle, including adults who had already adapted their vehicle, were asked, 'Have there been any changes that you needed in the past 12 months to that motor vehicle, but which you haven't had done yet?' Adults who said they had needed changes were then asked what kinds of modification the vehicle required.

2. Adults with disability who did not drive a private motor vehicle were asked, 'Is there a private motor vehicle in your household that you would drive if it was adapted to your needs?' Adults who said there was such a vehicle were then asked what kinds of modification the vehicle required.

Altogether, 3 percent of the adults who were asked these questions, an estimated 11,800 adults, said they needed at least one change to the motor vehicle they drove or a motor vehicle in their household they would drive if it were suitable.

The types of changes most commonly needed were the addition of power steering or power windows (required by an estimated 3300 adults) and customised seating (required by an estimated 1700 adults).

The most common reason adults gave for not making the needed changes to their vehicle was affordability (cited by an estimated 6800 adults). The second most common reason was that they did not know they could apply for financial help (cited by an estimated 1500 adults). [Note that eligibility for financial help depends on several factors, including the purposes for which a vehicle is used (for example, the Ministry of Health car grant is available to people who need their vehicle for work, training or tertiary education).]

Travelling as a passenger

Adults

Eighty-six percent of adults with disability travelled at some time as passengers in private motor vehicles. Of this group, 12 percent (an estimated 60,100 adults) said they had difficulty travelling as a passenger in a motor vehicle.

Adults with agility and mobility disability as one of their disabilities or their main disability were most likely to say they had difficulty travelling as a passenger in a motor vehicle (Figure 7.13). Adults with hearing disability were the least likely to indicate they had any difficulty travelling as a passenger.

Figure 7.13: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who experienced difficulty travelling as passengers in private motor vehicles, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

- Percentages too small to report (estimated frequencies outside the 70 percent relative sampling error cut-off point).

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.22.

- If individual adults reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability type group.

- Excludes adults who did not travel as passengers.

Adults who had multiple disabilities were more likely (16 percent) than adults with a single disability (6 percent) to find it difficult to travel as a passenger in a private motor vehicle. Similarly, a quarter of adults with severe disability found it difficult, compared with 13 percent of adults with moderate disability and 6 percent of adults with mild disability.

Children

Nearly all children with disability (94 percent) travelled as passengers at some time in private motor vehicles. Seven percent of these children, an estimated 5700 children, found it difficult to do so.

Children with household incomes of $15,000 and under per year (16 percent) were more likely to have difficulty travelling as passengers than children with household incomes of $50,001 and over per year (5 percent).

Just over a quarter (26 percent) of children with disability who used technical aids found it difficult travelling as passengers in private motor vehicles, compared with only 5 percent of those with hearing disability (Figure 7.14).

Figure 7.14: Percentage of children with disability living in households who experienced difficulty travelling as passengers in private motor vehicles, by disability type, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.23.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

- Excludes children who did not travel as passengers.

Children with severe disability (21 percent) were more likely to find it difficult to travel in private motor vehicles than children with either moderate (6 percent) or mild (2 percent) disability.

Changes needed to private motor vehicles to enable travel as a passenger

Changes made

At the time of the 2001 Household Disability Survey, 1 percent of adults with disability who usually travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles had made modifications to these vehicles to enable them to travel in them. This group comprised an estimated 2900 adults.

The most common type of modification was the addition of customised seating, done by an estimated 1400 adults.

Modifications had also been made to the household vehicles of 1 percent of children who travelled as passengers (an estimated 1000 children). [It is not possible to report the types of modification made because the estimated frequencies were too small to be reliable.]

Changes needed

Of the adults with disability who travelled as passengers in a private vehicle, 5 percent (an estimated 6700 adults) indicated they needed changes to their household vehicle, but these changes had not been made. [At the time of the 2001 Household Disability Survey.] Customised seating was the most common addition still needed, identified by an estimated 2300 adults with disability.

One percent of children with disability who travelled as passengers had unmet needs for changes to their household motor vehicle so they could travel in it. This was an estimated 800 children. [Numbers were insufficient to analyse the types of change needed.]

Parking private motor vehicles

Need to park close to destination

Of the estimated 562,500 adults with disability who drove or travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles, 28 percent, an estimated 155,800 adults, indicated they needed to park close to their destination because of disability. The same applied to an estimated 10,500 or 13 percent of the children with disability who travelled as passengers.

The need to park close to their destination was comparatively high (21 percent) for children aged 0-4 with disability, but lower for children aged 10-14 (10 percent). In the adult age groups the need to park close increased with age, with 50 percent of adults with disability aged 75 and over indicating they needed to park close to their destination (Figure 7.15).

Figure 7.15: Percentage of people (adults and children) with disability living in households who drove or travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles needing to park close to their destination, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Note: Data in Appendix Tables 7.28 and 7.29.

Adults

Adults with disability living in households with household incomes of $15,000 and under per year were more likely to need to park close than adults with disability with household incomes of $70,001 and over per year (34 percent compared with 17 percent).

Adults with mobility disability as their main disability were most likely to say they needed to park close to their destination (43 percent) (Figure 7.16). Adults with hearing disability as their main disability were the least likely to say they needed to park close (11 percent).

Figure 7.16: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who drove or travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles needing to park close to their destination, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.28.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

Adults with a main disability caused by disease/illness (37 percent) or ageing (33 percent) were more likely to need to park close to their destination than adults with a main disability caused by accident/injury (25 percent) or a condition present at birth (16 percent).

Adults with multiple disabilities (39 percent) were more than three times as likely as adults with a single disability (11 percent) to need to park close to their destination. As well, adults with severe disability (63 percent) were far more likely than adults with moderate (32 percent) or mild (12 percent) disability to need to park close to their destination.

Children

Similar to adults, children with disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under per year were more likely to need to park close to their destination than children with disability who had household incomes of $70,001 and over per year (17 percent compared with 8 percent).

Children with disability who used technical aids (60 percent) were the most likely to need to park close to their destination. Children with hearing disability were the least likely to need to park close (12 percent) (Figure 7.17).

Figure 7.17: Percentage of children with disability living in households who travelled as passengers in private motor vehicles needing to park close to their destination, by disability type, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.29.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

Like adults, children with multiple disabilities (22 percent) were more likely than children with a single disability (6 percent) to need to park close to their destination. As well, 37 percent of children with severe disability needed to park close to their destination, compared with 13 percent of children with moderate disability and 3 percent of children with mild disability.

Problems finding car parking

Of the estimated 155,800 adults with disability who needed to park close to their destination because of their condition or health problem, 49 percent indicated they had experienced problems finding parking in the previous six months. The same applied to 63 percent of the estimated 10,500 children with disability who required parking close to their destination because of their condition or health problem.

The most common problem was being unable to find parking close enough to their destination, identified by an estimated 62,100 adults and the parents and caregivers of 5700 children with disability. Other common problems were the parking close to a destination being too awkward to use (an estimated 18,700 adults and 1700 children) and people without disability using parking spaces set aside for people with disability (an estimated 33,000 adults and 1500 children).

Taxis

Use of taxis

Adults

Table 7.1 shows how frequently adults with disability used taxis.

Thirty-eight percent of adults with disability, an estimated 220,800 adults, had used a taxi at least once in the previous 12 months to travel short distances. The remaining 62 percent had not used a taxi at all for short trips over this time.

Table 7.1: Frequency of taxi use to travel short distances in the previous 12 months by adults with disability living in households, 2001

	Population estimate	Percentage of adults with disability (%)
Used taxis less than once a month	130,600	22
Used taxis once a month or more but less than once a week	42,700	7
Used taxis once a week or more but less than every day	37,200	6
Used taxis every day, or almost every day	10,400	2
Total adults with disability using taxis	220,800	38
Total adults with disability not using taxis	358,500	62
Total adults with disability	581,000	100

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Of adults who used taxis in the previous 12 months, most used them less than once a month. An estimated 10,400 adults with disability, 2 percent of the total adult population with disability, used taxis every day or nearly every day.

Adults with disability aged 15-24 were more likely to have used taxis at least once in the previous 12 months than adults with disability aged 65-74 (61 percent compared with 26 percent).

Children

Table 7.2 shows how frequently children with disability used taxis.

Table 7.2: Frequency of taxi use to travel short distances in the previous 12 months by children with disability living in households, 2001

	Population estimate	Percentage of children with disability (%)
Used taxis less than once a month	8200	10
Used taxis once a month or more but less than once a week	2600	3
Used taxis once a week or more but less than every day	2100	3
Used taxis every day, or almost every day	3300	4
Total children with disability using taxis	16,300	20
Total children with disability not using taxis	66,800	80
Total children with disability	83,100	100

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey.

Twenty percent of children with disability had used a taxi at least once in the previous 12 months to travel short distances. The remaining 80 percent of children had not used a taxi over this period for short trips.

Three percent of children with disability used taxis once a week or more, and a further 4 percent used taxis every day or almost every day.

Pacific (41 percent) and Asian/Other (37 percent) children with disability were more likely than Māori (22 percent) or European (14 percent) children with disability to have used a taxi at least once in the previous 12 months for short trips.

Children using technical aids (43 percent) were more likely than children with other types of disability to have used a taxi in the previous 12 months. Indeed, a quarter of children using technical aids used taxis every day or nearly every day.

Reasons for not using taxis

Adults and children with disability who had used taxis less than once a month in the previous 12 months or not at all were asked to indicate the main reason they used taxis infrequently.

The most common reason given by these people was that they did not need to use taxis (adults - 77 percent; children - 82 percent). The next most common reason was that taxis were too expensive (adults - 15 percent; children - 10 percent).

Parents and caregivers of 1 percent of the children who used taxis infrequently said the main reason they did not use taxis more often was because a taxi van with a hoist was often not available.

Public transport

Access to a bus stop or railway station

Just over three-quarters (76 percent) of adults with disability stated they could get to a bus stop or railway station easily from where they lived. [The question did not ask about the reasons for it being easy (or not) for people to get to a bus stop or railway station.] , [Parents or caregivers of children with disability were not asked this question.]

Almost a quarter of adults with disability (24 percent) did not have easy access to a bus stop or railway station. Ease of access decreased with age, with 36 percent of adults aged 75 and over saying they did not have easy access, compared with 9 percent of adults aged 15-24 (Figure 7.18).

Figure 7.18: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who could not easily get to a bus stop or railway station from where they lived, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Note: Data in Appendix Table 7.36.

As might be expected, people in rural areas found it harder than people in urban areas to get to a bus stop or railway station. More than half (54 percent) the adults with disability living in rural areas could not get to a bus stop or railway station easily, compared with 19 percent of adults with disability living in urban areas.

Adults with disability with household incomes of $15,000 and under per year were more likely to have difficulty getting to a bus stop or railway station than adults with disability with household incomes of $70,001 and over per year (30 percent compared with 17 percent).

Adults with seeing disability as one of their disabilities or their main disability were most likely to state that they could not easily get to a bus stop or railway station from where they lived (Figure 7.19). Adults with psychiatric/psychological disability as one of their disabilities or their main disability were least likely to have difficulty getting to a bus stop or railway station.

Figure 7.19: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who could not easily get to a bus stop or railway station from where they lived, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.36.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

Adults with a main disability caused by a condition existing at birth (16 percent) were less likely than adults with a main disability caused by other factors such as ageing (29 percent), disease/ illness (26 percent) or accident/injury (24 percent) to indicate they did not have easy access to a bus stop or railway station.

Adults with multiple disabilities (29 percent) were more likely than adults with a single disability (16 percent) to be unable to get to a bus stop or railway station easily from where they lived.

Ease of access to bus stops and railway stations also decreased with severity of disability. Forty-two percent of adults with severe disability could not get to a bus stop or railway station easily from where they lived, compared with 26 percent of adults with moderate disability and 16 percent of adults with mild disability.

Difficulty travelling long distances on public transport

Thirty-five percent of adults with disability, an estimated 203,300 adults, had travelled long distances on aeroplanes, trains or buses in the previous 12 months.

Of this group, 13 percent, an estimated 26,800 adults, had experienced at least one type of difficulty during their long trip using these types of public transport.

A further 10 percent of all adults with disability, an estimated 56,300 adults, had not travelled long distances on aeroplanes, trains or buses in the previous 12 months because of their condition or health problem.

Types of difficulty

Adults who had travelled long distances by aeroplanes, trains or buses in the previous 12 months, and adults who had not travelled in this way but whose disability had not stopped them from travelling, were asked to indicate what actual or potential difficulties they associated with using these forms of public transport for long journeys.

The difficulty most frequently identified was getting on and off aeroplanes, trains or buses, cited by an estimated 22,500 adults. The next most frequently mentioned problem was the seating on board these types of transportation, cited by an estimated 20,200 adults.

Other difficulties included moving around the station or terminal (an estimated 8600 adults), hearing announcements (6500), lack of accessible toilets on board (5800), transporting wheelchairs or other equipment (5000), lack of accessible transport to and from the station or terminal (4300), lack of accessible toilets in the station or terminal (3900), hard-to-see signs and notices (3800) and unsupportive staff (2900).

Ten percent of children with disability (an estimated 8100 children) were considered by their parents or caregivers to have a disability that made it difficult (although not impossible) for them to travel long distances on aeroplanes. Ten percent of children (an estimated 8000 children) were considered to have a disability that made it difficult to travel long distances on buses, while 7 percent (5500) were considered to have difficulty travelling on trains and 7 percent (5500) on ferries. [Parents or caregivers of children with disability were not asked about the types of difficulty their children would have.]

Difficulty travelling short distances on public transport

All adults and children with disability, except people whose disability stopped them from making short trips, were asked what specific difficulties, if any, they would have using public transport to travel short distances. [The group consisted of 579,000 adults and 81,300 children.]

Twelve percent of the adults and 7 percent of the children in this group indicated they would have difficulties travelling short distances on public transport (that is, buses, trains, trams and ferries).

Older people were more likely than younger people to indicate they would have these difficulties (Figure 7.20).

Figure 7.20: Percentage of people (adults and children) with disability living in households who would have difficulty using public transport for short distances, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Tables 7.39 and 7.40.

- Excludes people whose disability stopped them making short trips.

Adults

Women with disability were more likely (16 percent) than men with disability (8 percent) to indicate they would have difficulties using public transport for short journeys. Rural adults with disability (13 percent) were also slightly more likely than urban adults with disability (5 percent) to report difficulties using public transport.

Adults with disability with household incomes of $15,000 and under per year were more likely to report difficulties using public transport than adults with disability with household incomes of $70,001 and over per year (18 percent compared with 6 percent).

Compared with adults with other types of disability, a higher percentage of adults with intellectual disability as one of their disabilities or their main disability reported actual or potential difficulties using public transport for short trips (Figure 7.21).

Figure 7.21: Percentage of adults with disability living in households who would have difficulties using public transport for short distances, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.39.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

- Excludes adults whose disability stopped them making short trips.

Adults with multiple disabilities (18 percent) were more likely than adults with a single disability (4 percent) to identify potential difficulties with using public transport for short trips.

Adults with severe disability were also much more likely (34 percent) than adults with moderate (14 percent) or mild (3 percent) disability to say they would have difficulties using public transport for short trips.

Children

Children using technical aids were more likely to identify difficulties with using public transport for short trips (27 percent) than children with other types of disability, such as seeing disability (6 percent) (Figure 7.22).

Figure 7.22: Percentage of children with disability living in households who would have difficulties using public transport for short distances, by disability type, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.40.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

- Excludes children whose disability stopped them making short trips.

As with adults, children with multiple disabilities (13 percent) were more likely than children with a single disability (2 percent) to have difficulties using public transport for short trips. Likewise, children with severe disability (24 percent) were more likely to have difficulties than those with moderate disability (7 percent). [Ninety-nine percent of children with mild disability had or would have no difficulty.]

Types of difficulty

Adults and children who indicated disability would make it difficult to travel short distances on buses, trains, trams or ferries were asked to identify the nature of these difficulties.

The difficulty most frequently mentioned by adults with disability was getting on or off public transport vehicles (specified by an estimated 47,100 adults). This was followed by difficulty getting to or finding the stop (26,600), having to stand in the vehicle while it was moving (24,600) or having to wait at the stop (20,800). Less common problems were lack of space to sit or stand (12,600), identifying the right bus, train, tram or ferry (11,700), identifying the right stop to get off at (10,500), getting information about timetables or routes (9300), transporting wheelchairs or other equipment (6300), and unsupportive or unhelpful staff (5800).

The difficulties identified by parents or caregivers of children with disability were, in order of frequency, getting on or off the vehicle (an estimated 2800 children), identifying the right stop to get off (2200), difficulty getting to or finding the stop (2100), standing in the vehicle while it was moving (2000), waiting at the stop (1800), identifying the right bus, train, tram or ferry (1800), hearing announcements (1300), unsupportive or unhelpful staff (1200) and not enough space to sit or stand (900).

Buses

Use of buses

Adults

Just over two-thirds of adults with disability (68 percent) had lived for at least some of the previous 12 months in a place with a bus service.

Table 7.3 shows how frequently these adults used buses.

Thirty-four percent of adults who had lived in a place with a bus service had used a bus at least once for a short trip in the previous 12 months. This was an estimated 133,400 adults. [This is equivalent to 23 percent of all adults with disability living in households.]

Fourteen percent of adults with disability who lived in a place with a bus service had used a bus less than once a month in the previous 12 months. Six percent had used a bus once a month or more, 7 percent had used a bus once a week or more, and 6 percent had used a bus every day or almost every day.

Table 7.3: Frequency of use of bus services to travel short distances, by adults with disability who lived in a place with a bus service in the previous 12 months, 2001

	Population estimate	Percentage of adults with disability (%)
Used bus less than once a month	56,600	14
Used bus once a month or more, but less than once a week	23,600	6
Used bus once a week or more, but less than every day	28,600	7
Used bus every day or almost every day	24,600	6
Total adults with disability living in a place with a bus service and who used a bus at least once	133,400	34
Total adults with disability living in a place with a bus service who had not used buses at all	259,900	65
Total adults with disability living in a place with a bus service	397,000	100

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey.

Note: The use of bus services by 3400 adults was unspecified.

Adults with disability aged 15-24 (68 percent) were more likely to have used buses in the previous 12 months than adults aged 65-74 (26 percent) or 75 and over (28 percent) (Figure 7.23).

Figure 7.23: Percentage of adults with disability living in households in a place with a bus service who used a bus for short trips at least once in the previous 12 months, by age, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Note: Data in Appendix Table 7.43.

Fifty percent of Pacific and 46 percent of Asian/Other adults with disability who lived in a place with a bus service had used a bus at least once in the previous 12 months. This compares with 39 percent of Māori and 32 percent of European adults with disability who lived in a place with a bus service.

Of the urban adults with disability living in a place with a bus service, 35 percent had used a bus for short trips in the previous 12 months, compared with 12 percent of rural adults with disability living in a place with a bus service.

Adults with disability living in places with a bus service in the Midland region were least likely to have used a bus for short trips in the previous 12 months (26 percent). Adults living in the Central region were most likely to have done so (38 percent). Thirty-one percent of adults living in places with a bus service in the Northern region and 35 percent of adults in the Southern region had used a bus for short trips in the previous 12 months.

Of the adults with psychiatric/psychological disability living in a place with a bus service, 49 percent had used buses for short trips, as had 47 percent of adults with intellectual disability living in a place with a bus service. Adults with agility disability living in a place with a bus service were the least likely to have used buses for short trips (27 percent) (Figure 7.24).

Figure 7.24: Percentage of adults with disability living in households in a place with a bus service who had used a bus for short trips at least once in the previous 12 months, by disability type and main disability, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.43.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

Of the adults living in a place with a bus service and whose main disability was caused by a condition existing at birth, 52 percent had used a bus for short trips. This compares with 32 percent of adults whose main disability was caused by accident/injury, 36 percent of adults whose main disability was caused by disease/illness and 27 percent of adults whose main disability was caused by ageing.

Of the adults with severe disability living in a place with a bus service, 20 percent had used a bus for short trips, compared with 20 percent of adults with moderate disability and 37 percent of adults with mild disability.

Children

Parents or caregivers of all children with a disability that did not stop them from travelling (excluding children who needed to use special transport for short-distance travel) were asked how often their child had used a bus to travel short distances in the previous 12 months.

Eighty percent of these children had used buses for short trips at least once in the previous 12 months. This was an estimated 34,700 children; corresponding to 42 percent of all children with disability (Table 7.4).

Table 7.4: Frequency of use of bus services for short trips in the previous 12 months by children living in households whose disability did not completely stop them from travelling, 2001

	Population estimate	Percentage of children with disability (%)
Used bus less than once a month	19,900	46
Used bus once a month or more, but less than once a week	4,700	11
Used bus once a week or more, but less than every day	3,300	8
Used bus every day or almost every day	6,800	16
Total children with disability living in a place with a bus service and who used a bus at least once	34,700	80
Total children with disability living in a place with a bus service who had not used buses at all	8,600	20
Total children with disability living in a place with a bus service	43,400	100

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey.

Note: Excludes children who needed to use special transport for short distance travel.

In the previous 12 months, 16 percent of children who were able to travel short distances without special transport had used buses every day or almost every day. Eight percent had used buses once a week or more, while 11 percent had used buses once a month or more. Nearly half (46 percent) had used buses less than once a month.

Children living in the Midland region were less likely (71 percent) to use buses than children living in other regions of New Zealand (Central - 80 percent; Northern - 81 percent; and Southern - 85 percent).

Children with hearing disability were most likely (85 percent) to have used buses at least once for short trips in the previous 12 months; while children using technical aids were least likely to have done so (68 percent) (Figure 7.25).

Figure 7.25: Percentage of children living in households whose disability did not stop them from travelling who used a bus for short trips at least once in the previous 12 months, by disability type, 2001

Source: Statistics New Zealand, 2001 Household Disability Survey

Notes:

- Data in Appendix Table 7.44.

- If individuals reported more than one disability type, they were counted in each applicable disability group.

- Excludes children who needed to use special transport for short distance travel.

Eighty-seven percent of children with mild disability had used buses at least once for short trips in the previous 12 months, compared with 79 percent of children with moderate disability and 68 percent of children with severe disability.

Would buses be used if they were easier to use?

Adults with disability who had not used a bus for short trips in the previous 12 months, even though they had lived in a place with a bus service, were asked if they would use buses if they were made easier for people with disability to use. Eighteen percent, an estimated 46,200 adults, said they would. Seventy-eight percent said they would not. [Four percent gave no answer.]

This same question was put to parents or caregivers of children who had not used a bus for short trips in the previous 12 months, even though they had lived in a place with a bus service. Parents or caregivers of 22 percent of these children (an estimated 1500 children) indicated their child would use buses. Parents or caregivers of 73 percent of the children (an estimated 4900 children) indicated their child would not. [The parents or caregivers of the rest of the children with disability gave no answer.]

Adults with disability who were employed and who had not travelled on a public bus on the most recent day they went to work, were asked if they would use buses more often to travel to or from work if they were made easier for people with disability to use. Nine percent of these adults said they would use buses more often if they were easier to use. This was an estimated 19,100 adults with disability.

Transport subsidies and grants

Subsidies or grants for modifying vehicles

In the previous 12 months, an estimated 3600 adults and children with disability had had modifications made to a vehicle they drove or travelled in as a passenger, because of their condition or health problem. Of these people, 77 percent did not receive a loan or grant from a government agency or medical insurer to pay for these modifications.

Total Mobility Scheme

The Total Mobility Scheme is funded by local government agencies and Transfund (a stand-alone government agency). It provides subsidised taxi fares to people with all types of disability who find it difficult to use public transport (Transfund 2003). [For example, Environment Bay of Plenty (2003) provides a scheme comprising a 50 percent taxi fare subsidy to people with disability who cannotunaidedproceed to the nearest bus stop or train station, board, ride securely and alight, and proceed from the destination stop to the trip end. This includes people with physical, sensory, intellectual or psychological disability. Examples of the types of condition covered are pain, respiratory problems, loss or severe impairment of vision, neurological fatigue, reliance on complex walking aids, cognitive disability or need for assistance from another person because of any other type of disability.]

Awareness of the Total Mobility Scheme

Seventy percent of adults with disability had not heard of the Total Mobility Scheme. Similarly, 78 percent of parents or caregivers of children with disability had not heard of the scheme.

Older adults with disability were more likely to have heard of the scheme than younger adults with disability and parents or caregivers of children with disability. Forty-three percent of adults aged 75 and over had heard of it, compared with just 15 percent of adults aged 15-24 and 21 percent of the parents or caregivers of children with disability.

Relatively low percentages of Pacific (18 percent), Asian/Other (17 percent) and Māori (22 percent) adults with disability had heard of the Total Mobility Scheme. This compared with 31 percent of European adults.

Adults with seeing disability (43 percent) were most likely to have heard of the Total Mobility Scheme. Adults with psychiatric/psychological disability (27 percent) were least likely to have heard of it.

In the case of children, parents or caregivers of 23 percent of European, 20 percent of Māori and 12 percent of Pacific children with disability had heard of the scheme. [The number of Asian/Other children who had heard of the scheme was too small to report.] Parents or caregivers of children with a disability using technical aids (28 percent) were most likely to have heard of the scheme. Parents or caregivers of children with a hearing disability were least likely to have heard of it (16 percent).

Use of Total Mobility Scheme vouchers

Adults

Four percent of adults with disability had used Total Mobility Scheme vouchers in the previous 12 months. This was an estimated 26,100 adults.

Older adults with disability were more likely than younger adults with disability to have used the vouchers, with 13 percent of adults aged 75 and over using the vouchers, compared with just 2 percent of adults aged 15-44.

Adults with seeing disability (15 percent) were most likely to have used Total Mobility Scheme vouchers. Adults with psychiatric/psychological disability were least likely to have used them (3 percent).

Children

The parents or caregivers of just 1 percent of children with disability said their children had used Total Mobility Scheme taxi vouchers in the previous 12 months. This was an estimated 600 children.

Other financial assistance

Aside from the Total Mobility Scheme, 5 percent of adults and 7 percent of children with disability indicated they had used other types of government financial assistance for transport costs in the previous 12 months. This was an estimated 30,800 adults and 5800 children. [This included financial assistance from agencies such as the Ministry of Health, Work and Income New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation and AccessAble/Enable New Zealand. Special transport provided by the Ministry of Education was not included.]

Unmet need for financial assistance

Adults

Seven percent of adults with disability indicated they had needed financial assistance with transport costs at some time in the previous 12 months, but had been unable to get this assistance. This was an estimated 38,900 adults.

Adults with disability aged 25-44 (11 percent) were most likely to indicate they had an unmet need for financial help for transport costs. Adults with disability aged 75 and over (3 percent) were least likely to indicate they needed this kind of financial help.

Sixteen percent of Pacific and 14 percent of Māori adults with disability indicated they had unmet needs for financial help with transport costs. This compared with 5 percent of European and 7 percent of Asian/Other adults with disability.

Adults with psychiatric/psychological disability (14 percent) were most likely to report unmet needs for financial help with transport costs, compared with 6 percent of adults with hearing disability.

A larger percentage of adults with multiple disabilities (10 percent) than adults with a single disability (2 percent) indicated they had unmet needs for financial assistance for transport costs. Similarly, a larger percentage of adults with severe disability (18 percent) had unmet needs for transport costs compared with adults with moderate (7 percent) or mild (3 percent) disability.

Children

Parents or caregivers of 11 percent of children with disability indicated they had needed financial help with their child's transport costs at some time in the previous 12 months, but had not been able to get assistance. These unmet needs related to an estimated 9300 children.

Māori (18 percent) and Pacific (16 percent) children with disability were more likely than European children with disability (7 percent) to have unmet needs for financial help with transport costs. [The number of Asian/Other children who had unmet needs for financial assistance was too small to report.]

Children with disability who had household incomes of $15,000 and under per year were more likely to have unmet needs for financial assistance with transport costs than children with disability with household incomes of $70,001 and over per year (21 percent compared with 6 percent).

Likewise, 20 percent of children with disability living in the most deprived areas of New Zealand (NZDep2001 9-10) had been unable to get the financial assistance they needed for transport costs, compared with just 6 percent of children with disability living in the least deprived areas (NZDep2001 1-2).

A relatively high proportion of children using technical aids (25 percent) and children with psychiatric/psychological disability (21 percent) had unmet needs for help with transport costs. Rates of unmet need for this kind of help were lower among children with seeing disability (11 percent) and receiving special education (12 percent).

Sixteen percent of children with multiple disabilities had unmet needs for financial help with transport costs, compared with 7 percent of children with a single disability.

Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of children with severe disability had unmet needs for financial help with transport costs, compared with 12 percent of children with moderate disability and 5 percent of children with mild disability.

Reasons for not getting financial assistance

The most common reason people gave for not being unable to get financial assistance for transport costs was that they did not know they could apply for such help. This reason was mentioned by 57 percent of adults and the parents or caregivers of 62 percent of children with unmet needs for financial assistance, an estimated 22,300 adults and 5700 children.

The second most common reason people gave was that they had applied for financial help, but were not eligible. Twenty-four percent of adults who were not able to get financial assistance for transport costs cited this reason, as did the parents or caregivers of 22 percent of children with these unmet needs.

Comparing 2001 and 1996

Travel and transport survey results were generally similar for 2001 and 1996, both for adults and for children with disability (Table 7.5).

The main changes from 1996 to 2001 were:

• an increase in the percentage of adults with disability reporting they could not get to a bus stop or railway station easily from home (17 percent in 1996 compared with 24 percent in 2001)
• an increase in the percentage of children with disability who had used a bus for a short trip in the previous 12 months (37 percent in 1996 compared with 42 percent in 2001)
• a decrease in the proportion of children who were prevented by disability from travelling long distances (5 percent in 1996 compared with 1 percent in 2001) (although, as noted under Table 7.5, there was a slight change in the wording of the question between the two surveys).

Table 7.5: Summary comparison of 1996 and 2001 Household Disability Surveys

	Estimated number of people with disability living in households		Percentage of New Zealand people with disability living in households (%)
	1996 survey	2001 survey	1996 survey	2001 survey
Answered transport section
Adults (15+)	561,500	581,000	100	100
Children (0-14)	92,700	81,900	100	100
Disability prevented long-distance travel
Adults (15+)	37,800	38,700	7	7
Children (0-14)	4,800*	800	5*	1
Disability prevented short-distance travel
Adults (15+)	-	-	-	-
Children (0-14)	-	-	-	-
Drove a private motor vehicle
Adults (15+)	398,500	404,200	71	70
Had difficulty travelling as a passenger in private motor vehicle?
Adults (15+)	64,000	60,100	11	12
Children (0-14)	4,500	5,700	5	7
Could not get to a bus stop or railway station easily from home
Adults (15+)	98,100	139,300	17	24
Had used a bus for a short trip in previous 12 months
Adults (15+)	119,400	133,400	21	23
Children (0-14)	34,100	34,700	37	42
Total Mobility Scheme
Had heard of Total Mobility Scheme - adults (15+)	150,700	169,700	27	29
Had heard of Total Mobility Scheme - children (0-14)	19,000	17,600	21	21
Had used Total Mobility vouchers - adults (15+)	22,100	26,100	4	4
Had used Total Mobility vouchers - children (0-14)	1,000	600	1	1
Unmet need for transport costs
Adults (15+)	39,000	38,900	7	7
Children (0-14)	9,800	9,300	11	11

- Percentages too small to report (estimated frequencies outside the 70 percent relative sampling error cut-off point).

* The wording of this question was slightly different in the two surveys. In 1996, parents or caregivers were asked if their child's condition or health problem made it 'impossible' for the child to travel long distances. In 2001, they were asked if it 'completely stopped' the child from travelling long distances.