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Travel and Transport – Clients

What’s the difference between travel and transport?

Travel means a worker driving to or from you.

Transport means a worker taking you with them in their car.

Does Suitsme charge me for staff travel?

It depends.

If staff are travelling to or from their home, then we do not charge you.

If staff travel from you directly to another client then we don’t charge you.

If staff are travelling directly to you from another client, we charge you 30 minutes additional time for them to get to you and we charge you for the kilometres they travel to get to you. If it takes them less than 30 minutes to get to you then you get extra shift time.

Does Suitsme charge me if staff transport me?

Yes.

Staff can only provide you with transport if you have agreed to pay transport costs when you set up your services in the app.

If you have agreed to pay transport costs, we will charge you $1.00 per km that staff transport you. If workers incur parking or public transport expenses we will charge that to your funding too.

Will my worker’s car be suitable and accessible?

Workers at Suitsme use their own personal car. Suitsme has a wide range of workers and this will mean a wide range of different cars. 

Regardless of what type of car your worker has, they are required to ensure it is:

• Maintained and roadworthy
• clean and tidy
• licensed and insured.

What do I do if my worker’s car is not safe?

You are entitled to feel safe while receiving services. If your worker’s car does not meet the criteria above, then please follow our Complaints, compliments and feedback document.

What should I expect of my worker while they are transporting me?

You should expect to feel safe. The worker is expected to comply with safety precautions, including:

• Following all road rules
• Not operating a mobile phone while driving
• Driving safely and cautiously, including utilising defensive driving techniques where appropriate
• Following GPS or an agreed route.

If you feel unsafe or unhappy due to the worker’s driving practices,  please follow our Complaints, compliments and feedback document.

What do I do if my worker’s car is not suitable for me?

One option is to take public transport. This is a great option to consider because it can build your independence to get out and about without your worker.

Another option is to try another worker. Once they have accepted your booking request, you can ask them in the app chat what sort of car they have and decide if that is more suitable.

If you have an accessible vehicle then your worker may be able to drive you in that. Read the “Workers driving a Client’s vehicle” section (below) and contact Suitsme management.

If you have specific accessibility requirements, then it’s unlikely that a worker will have a suitable car to accommodate you. While we can’t guarantee anything, it is worth contacting Suitsme management to see if we can come up with a solution together.

Client as Driver

Can I drive my worker’s car?

No. You must not drive your worker’s car under any circumstances.

Can I drive my own vehicle with a worker as a passenger?

You can drive with your worker as a passenger in your vehicle as long as you have been approved to do so by Suitsme management. Suitsme is required by law to ensure a safe working environment for workers.

If you want to drive workers in your car:

1. Contact Suitsme
2. Provide a copy of your driver’s licence.
3. Provide the licence plate details of any vehicle(s) you intend to drive a worker in.
4. Provide evidence of third party and/or comprehensive insurance for that vehicle, that covers you as the driver. Suitsme’s insurance does not cover your vehicle.
5. Ensure that your vehicle is safe, clean and roadworthy.
6. Ensure your vehicle is maintained and serviced as per the owner manual.

These must be kept up to date with Suitsme management and you must inform Suitsme management if anything changes prior to expiry (e.g. if you lose your licence).

Suitsme management will consider other factors when assessing your request. For example, your request will not be approved if risks around your use of alcohol and/or other drugs have been identified. Approval for any client to drive a Suitsme worker is at Suitsme’s absolute discretion.

If you have been approved to drive workers then this will be indicated in the admin notes in the Safety Plan section of your profile. This will also indicate the licence plates of approved vehicle(s) and expiry dates of any licences, registrations and insurance policies.

Worker’s driving a client’s vehicle

Can a worker drive my car?

A worker can drive your vehicle as long as the vehicle has been approved by Suitsme management. Suitsme is required by law to ensure a safe working environment for workers. If you want a worker to drive your vehicle:

1. Contact Suitsme
2. Provide the licence plate details of any vehicle(s) you would like a worker to drive.
3. Provide evidence of comprehensive, any driver insurance for the vehicle(s).
4. Suitsme’s insurance does not cover your vehicle.
5. Ensure that your vehicle is safe, clean and roadworthy.
6. Ensure your vehicle is maintained and serviced as per the owner manual.

If your is approved for workers to drive then this will be indicated in the admin notes in the Safety Plan section of your profile. This will also indicate the licence plates of approved vehicle(s) and expiry dates of any registrations and insurance policies. These must be kept up to date with Suitsme management and you must inform Suitsme management if anything changes prior to expiry (e.g. if you lose your licence).

Ensure the support worker knows how to operate your vehicle.

• Suitsme management check that the worker has a current driver’s licence. If a worker does not have a current driver’s licence, this will be indicated in the About Me section of their profile.
• Suitsme management does not check what class of licence the worker has. If your vehicle requires a manual licence or anything other than a class C licence, you must check the worker’s licence prior to them driving your vehicle.

Insurance

Suitsme’s insurance does not cover car insurance for workers or clients. Any client using their own vehicle must have compulsory third party insurance and third party insurance. We recommend you also have comprehensive insurance. If you’re not sure what all these insurances mean, have a look here for definitions.

If you are the owner or driver of a vehicle in a crash, you must report it to ICWA Motor Injury Insurance Scheme as soon as practicable after the crash. See their website for more details on the process.