BOOKED CAR SCHEME
GUIDELINES FOR TAXI AND
HIRE CAR CONTRACTORS
These Guidelines relate to the Deed of Agreement for the Provision of
Passenger Transport Services for Eligible DVA Clients.
July 2012
Version: 1.1
Contents
1 Overview ..............................................................................................3
2 Receiving DVA Transport Bookings ...................................................4
3 Booking Procedure...............................................................................6
4 Pick Up and Transport Procedure ........................................................7
5 Airport Pick Up Procedure...................................................................8
6 Booking Hand Back Procedure............................................................9
7 Invoicing Procedures ...........................................................................9
8 Retention of Booking and Trip Information ......................................11
9 No Guarantee of Work .......................................................................11
10 Other Transport Programs ..................................................................12
Attachment A .............................................................................................14
Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors
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1 Overview
1.1
DVA spends around $151 million per annum on the Repatriation
Transport Scheme (RTS). The RTS is made up of a number of
programs including ambulance travel, the transport reimbursement
scheme, and arranged car travel known as the Booked Car Scheme or
Booked Car with Driver. The Booked Car Scheme plays a key role in
ensuring many veterans and war widows are able to receive medical
treatment. As a contractor, you will deal only with services provided
under the Booked Car Scheme which equates to more than $53 million
per annum.
1.2
Through the Booked Car Scheme, DVA utilises the services provided by
taxi and hire car transport providers to take veterans, war widows and
others1 to their medical appointments. Most of the people who require
travel are from the World War II era and tend to be frail and aged. They
are special members of the Australian community deserving of respect
and careful attention to their needs. The Booked Car Scheme is
delivered at no cost to the DVA client, with DVA being invoiced directly
by the transport contractor after completion of the service.
1.3
The current Booked Car Scheme is comprised of three components:
o DVA Arranged Travel – more than 876,000 journeys are
arranged each year;
o Direct Booking Model – more than 303,000 journeys are
undertaken each year; and
o NSW Country Taxi Voucher Scheme – more than 164,000
journeys are undertaken each year.
1.4
Transport contractors must provide passengers with a reliable, timely
and high quality service with trained drivers who are in tune with the
needs of the veteran community.
1.5
Transport contractors are required to recognise DVA’s mission,
commitment and values when dealing with DVA clients, and to do so
with respect, courtesy and understanding in accordance with DVA’s
Service Charter - available on the DVA Web Site www.dva.gov.au.
1
This document describes entitled persons in terms of veterans, war widows and widowers,
serving and former defence force members, eligible Australian Federal Police members with
overseas service and their dependants and carers. Such persons may have eligibility for
transport assistance under various legislation administered by DVA and are the subject of this
document. Entitled persons are commonly referred to as ‘passengers’ throughout the
documentation.
Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors
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1.6
Transport contractors are also required to act in a manner consistent
with APS Values and the APS Code of Conduct. Copies can be
obtained from (http://www.apsc.gov.au/values/conductguidelines.htm)
2 Receiving DVA Transport Bookings
General Information
2.1
The bookings you receive will be a mixture of both inbound and
outbound job requests.
2.2
Most of DVA’s transport bookings are dispatched the day prior to travel
and can arrive in the form of fax, secure online submission or through
accessing DVA’s online Transport Booking and Invoicing System (TBIS).
2.3
If you receive transport bookings by fax, DVA will dispatch a bulk fax to
you. Bulk dispatches will be accompanied by a fax confirmation sheet
which requires you to verify receipt and forward back to the Department.
You will also receive faxes throughout the day which have not been
included in the bulk fax dispatch.
2.4
You should monitor your incoming faxes frequently for new booking
requests, amendments and cancellations. Any amended bookings will
initially come through to you as a cancellation and will be reissued as a
new booking with a new booking number – a notation of the amendment
will appear in the special instructions.
2.5
On most occasions you will receive both an inbound and outbound
transport booking at the same time. Some of these bookings will have
pre-booked return times in the outbound time field, while others will not
have a fixed outbound time.
2.6
The transport bookings will state the DVA client’s details including their
DVA file number, pickup address, set down address, vehicle type,
attendants and any special requirements. The booking will also state
the DVA clients appointment time with the health provider rather than the
pickup time. Therefore, you will need to determine the actual pickup
time, allowing a minimum of 30 minutes for short/local distance trips.
Transport providers should ensure that their DVA client arrives at their
destination in a reasonable2 time to allow them to meet their medical
appointment.
2
Reasonable time to ensure safe embarkment/disembarkment and arrival at the destination
prior to the appointment time. In some circumstances, DVA or the client may specify a
pick up time.
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2.7
Where appropriate you can multi load veterans and their attendants into
the same vehicle, however this should only be done if there is sufficient
time and the passenger is not impacted.
The total number of
passengers in a vehicle should not exceed three people. The price for
services should be calculated by applying the appropriate rate measured
from the pick up point of the first passenger to the point at which the last
passenger is set down.
2.8
If you are unable to undertake a job that has been allocated to you,
please telephone the Department immediately. If you are registered to
receive bookings through TBIS, bookings can be handed back through
this online system.
2.9
If you dispatch a vehicle and on arrival at the destination the DVA client
cannot travel, please contact the Department immediately. If you are
registered to receive bookings through TBIS, you can report the DVA
clients’ inability to travel through this online system.
2.10 DVA will also send urgent bookings through to you. This will include
same day bookings with impending pick up times such as bookings
which require pickups within a couple of hours or bookings that may
have been handed back to DVA by another transport provider.
2.11 You should be mindful of ‘special instructions – which detail further
information relevant to a client’s transport bookings i.e. pre-booked
returns, requested pick up times, wheelchair accessible vehicles, travel
with an attendant, extra assistance required etc.
2.12 An example of a Transport Booking Fax and fax receipt information is at
Attachment A.
2.13 Refer below for further information regarding DVA’s booking, pickup and
invoicing requirements.
2.14 If you experience any problems please call the appropriate number in
your state/territory. Refer below.
QLD
(07) 3223 8477
NSW/ACT
(02) 9213 7055
VIC
(03) 9284 6038
TAS
(03) 6221 6609
SA/NT
(08) 8290 0221
WA
(08) 9366 8257
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2.15 The treatment locations to which eligible DVA clients can be transported
are set out in factsheet HSV03 - Transport Modes Available Under the
Repatriation Transport Scheme: http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/factsheets/.
3 Booking Procedure
3.1
Under the Booked Car Scheme, passengers travel to obtain medical
treatment at approved locations. To be eligible to travel, passengers
must be a Gold or White Repatriation Health Card holder. Further
information regarding passenger travel entitlements is provided in DVA
Factsheet HSV03 – Transport Modes Available Under the Repatriation
Transport Scheme: http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/factsheets/.
3.2
To request transport, passengers, their carer or health provider contact
DVA directly. Bookings are generally sent to DVA transport contractors
the day prior to travel for metropolitan areas and two days prior to travel
for rural/regional areas.
3.3
DVA transport contractors will receive bookings from DVA via a secure
DVA website, facsimile, or by phone. To receive bookings via the
secure DVA website, DVA transport contractors will need to have
internet access and an AUSkey authorisation with the Australian
Business Register. The link below will provide further information
regarding the AUSkey authorisation:
www.abr.gov.au/auskey
3.4
The majority of DVA transport work is comprised of local distance trips.
It is DVA’s preference to distribute work to a DVA transport contractor
who is appropriately licensed to transport passengers within the
specified area of operation and who has vehicles readily available in that
area.
3.5
When a booking is made, DVA transport contractors must adhere to
relevant state/territory booking requirements, and should record the
following information in their booking system:

Passenger name

Gold/white card number or authorisation number

Booking number (DVA will not pay invoices without this number)

Passenger contact telephone number

Date of travel
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3.6

Pick up address

Appointment time

Set down address

Special instructions
DVA transport contractors should ensure that the vehicles provided are
appropriate to the needs of the intended passenger (e.g. wheelchair
accessible, clean, ease of access, etc).
4 Pick Up and Transport Procedure
4.1
Drivers must sight the Gold or White Card, and verbally confirm with the
passenger that the set down address matches the booking information.
Drivers should not set passengers down at any location other than that
specified in the booking.
4.2
At the time of passenger pick up, the DVA transport contractor must
adhere to the relevant state/territory requirements, and should also
ensure that:
4.2.1 For both advance bookings (i.e. bookings received no later
than the day prior to travel) and immediate bookings (i.e.
bookings received on the same day they are to be actioned),
the DVA transport contractor should ensure vehicles arrive
within a reasonable time of the advised appointment time. Any
anticipated delays must be advised to the passenger;
4.2.2 For trips greater than 50kms one-way (excluding trips within
the metropolitan area), telephone notification to the passenger
is provided the day before to confirm the transport and the
designated pick-up time;
4.2.3 Passengers are not picked up earlier than is reasonably
required from the advised appointment time, unless prior
advice has been provided to them;
4.2.4 Drivers undertake any journey by the most direct and
reasonable route including access to tollways;
4.2.5 Drivers shall not change the pick-up or set down destinations
of an authorised journey unless approved by DVA.
If
requested to change a destination by a passenger the DVA
transport contractor should contact DVA for approval;
4.2.6 Drivers ensure passengers are set down as close as possible
to the entry of the destination. Passengers should not be
required to walk any great distance to reach the destination;
4.2.7 Drivers understand the needs of frail, aged passengers and
Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors
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the respect that veterans and war widows/widowers deserve;
4.2.8 Drivers provide passengers with a reasonable level of
assistance, including assisting passengers in and out of the
vehicle. This includes providing a door to door service (where
required);
4.2.9 Drivers ensure passenger safety in the vehicle, including
assistance with the fitting of seat belts where necessary;
4.2.10 Drivers ensure passenger comfort in the vehicle including
stopping for passenger rest breaks when needed and ensuring
comfortable vehicle air temperatures;
4.2.11 Drivers must be informed of the special needs of the
passenger (such as the need for wheelchair accessible taxis,
passengers with dementia, etc);
4.2.12 Drivers are instructed to allow a reasonable time for a
passenger to get to a vehicle before commencing service
charges; and
4.2.13 Drivers will transport any additional passenger(s), such as an
entitled persons attendant(s), as requested at the time of the
booking at no extra charge to DVA.
4.3
If on arrival, a vehicle is deemed by the health provider, passenger or
their representative as not suitable to their medical needs (and these
were advised at the time of booking), the DVA transport contractor will
send a replacement vehicle immediately at no cost to DVA.
5 Airport Pick Up Procedure
5.1
For advance bookings pick-ups from an airport terminal, the DVA
transport contractor must contact the passenger the day before travel to
confirm the pick-up arrangements. The DVA transport contractor is also
required to check the aircraft arrival time and allow a reasonable time for
the passenger to disembark and collect any baggage.
5.2
Where permitted by local authorities, a driver must meet the passenger
in the airport terminal and prominently display the person’s name. If a
driver is unable to meet the passenger in the terminal they should
prominently display the person’s name while standing at the nominated
meeting place. Waiting time will not be charged until the passenger is in
the vehicle. DVA will reimburse airport entry/exit fees.
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6 Booking Hand Back Procedure
6.1
If a DVA transport contractor is unable to supply an advanced booked
vehicle, they must notify DVA no less than 60 minutes prior to the
required pick up time for local trips, and as soon as reasonably possible
for long distance trips, to allow sufficient time to arrange an alternative
vehicle.
6.2
If a DVA transport contractor is unable to supply a vehicle for an
immediate booking, they must notify DVA within 15 minutes of receiving
the booking request.
6.3
If the service is outside normal DVA office hours, the booking must be
transferred to another authorised DVA transport contractor in a timely
manner and DVA is to be notified as soon as possible on the next
working day.
6.4
Shortly, a list of the DVA transport contractors by area of operation will
be made available on the DVA website www.dva.gov.au
6.5
DVA expects DVA transport contractors to keep the proportion of
bookings that cannot be met (hand backs) to a minimum. The
percentage of hand backs should not exceed any state/territory
regulated level or if no level is set, the maximum hand back rate should
not be greater than 1% of the DVA bookings to individual DVA transport
contractors over a one month period.
7 Invoicing Procedures
7.1
DVA transport contractors must work within DVA’s e-business
arrangements including submitting electronic invoices and supporting
trip data directly to DVA via a secure DVA website. To enable electronic
submission, DVA transport contractors will need to have internet access
and an AUSkey authorisation with the Australian Business Register.
The link below will provide further information regarding the AUSkey
authorisation:
www.abr.gov.au/auskey
7.2
DVA’s new Transport Booking and Invoicing System (TBIS) is
specifically designed to allow electronic lodgement of DVA transport
contractor invoices in the following formats:
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FORMAT
FILE EXTENSION
Comma-separated values
.csv
Excel
.xls or .xlsx
Portable Document Format
.pdf
Word
.doc
A correctly rendered tax invoice must be submitted and each journey
separately listed detailing the following trip data:

DVA passenger name

DVA gold/white card number (file number.)

booking number

date of travel

appointment time

pick up suburb

pick up time

set down suburb

set down time

vehicle number

distance travelled (if distance based fee structure is used)

extras (tolls, waiting times ‘did not show’ fee, cancellation
fee, etc)

total cost of journey
7.3
DVA transport contractors are required to have an accounting system
and issue a single monthly tax invoice direct to DVA within 30 days of
the end of each month. The trip data must be consistent with the tax
invoice period. The tax invoice and supporting trip data must be
submitted in the format specified by DVA via DVA’s online TBIS
invoicing portal.
7.4
While electronic submission of data is preferred, DVA may accept
invoice and trip data manually where a special circumstance exists. This
Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors
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will be at DVA’s discretion and approval will only be given in writing and
referenced in the contract. All the same booking and trip information
must be provided but the trip data should be documented separately to
the tax invoice.
7.5
DVA prefers invoices to be forwarded within 90 days of the date of
service delivery or in line with negotiated payment arrangements.
7.6
DVA payment terms are 30 days from receipt of a correctly rendered tax
invoice unless other terms (e.g. discounts for shorter payment terms) are
negotiated.
7.7
DVA will not pay an incorrectly rendered tax invoice. If an incorrect tax
invoice is received by DVA and there are discrepancies in the trip data,
DVA will request an amended tax invoice. DVA transport contractors
have the option of utilising the online TBIS invoicing facility to download
an invoice template partly pre-populated with trip data to assist with the
preparation of their invoicing for each billing period.
7.8
Any tax invoice adjustments requested by the DVA transport contractor
should be made in writing, and the following information must be
supplied:




the reason for the adjustment;
the transport provider name;
details of the original tax invoice; and
details of the passenger on the tax invoice
8 Retention of Booking and Trip Information
8.1
DVA transport contractors must ensure that all booking and trip
information is retained for a minimum of seven (7) years. This
information must be available to DVA on request.
9 No Guarantee of Work
9.1
Being a DVA transport contractor to provide DVA transport services is a
standing offer and does not guarantee DVA transport work will be
allocated nor any volume of supply. Allocation of transport work by DVA
will be affected by a transport contractor’s service offerings including
capacity, reliability, costs and any discounts, ability to meet DVA’s
administrative arrangements as specified and ongoing performance.
The level of passenger demand in any particular area of operation will
also affect the allocation of work.
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10 Other Transport Programs
10.1 The above information predominantly describes the DVA Arranged
Travel component of the Booked Car Scheme. Information regarding
the other components is shown below.
10.2 Direct Booking Model (DBM)
10.2.1 Some health providers e.g. large hospitals generate a lot of
transport work and are allowed to book directly with DVA transport
contractors without going through DVA. This is known as the
Direct Booking Model (DBM). All the requirements listed above
apply to the DBM, however there are a few differences including:

Bookings made by health providers are generally made via
phone, fax or online submission;

Health providers must provide their name, phone number and
health provider number to the DVA transport contractor. The
health provider number will be used as the booking number.
DVA will not pay invoices that do not contain the health
provider number;

The DBM only operates in major metropolitan cities;

The DBM can only be used for simple trips, this includes:
o gold card holders only; and
o single/return local journey trips only. Trips requiring
multiple set downs should be referred to DVA.

The DBM operates on a selective basis only and requires the
written authorisation of DVA.
10.2.2 The DBM is currently in operation, however with the introduction
of TBIS and the online booking capabilities for passengers and
health providers, it is likely that the DBM will be superseded and
DVA will slowly transition out of the DBM. DVA will work with
health providers and transport contractors alike to assist with
any transitioning arrangements.
10.2.3 DVA will assess the requirement to contract DVA transport
contractors to undertake DBM journeys on a case by case basis.
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10.3 NSW Country Taxi Voucher Scheme (CTVS)
10.3.1 In NSW, DVA operates a scheme known as the Country Taxi
Voucher Scheme (CTVS). Under this Scheme, DVA distributes
books of vouchers to medical practitioners (Local Medical
Officers and General Practitioners) who issue individual
vouchers to passengers for travel to approved treatment
locations. The NSW CTVS has many similarities to the DBM,
however the CTVS voucher is the mechanism by which
transport providers access the NSW CTVS, as the voucher
number forms the ‘booking number’ for the NSW CTVS.
10.3.2 If you are in a NSW CTVS area, you will automatically be given
access to both the DVA arranged Booked Car Scheme and the
NSW CTVS.
10.3.3 All the requirements listed above apply to the NSW CTVS,
however there are a few differences including:

Booking requests can be made from a passenger, their carer
or health provider directly to the DVA transport contractor.
The passenger must give a completed voucher to the
transport provider at the end of the journey;

The CTVS vouchers are available to passengers outside the
greater Sydney metropolitan area and Newcastle. The
CTVS is not available in Wollongong or Canberra, however
they can be used to transport passengers to and from all
approved regions of NSW and the ACT except the Sydney
metropolitan area; and

DVA transport contractors must ensure that all booking and
trip information including the CTVS vouchers are retained for
a minimum of seven (7) years. This information must be
available to DVA on request.

DVA may conduct random audits on the NSW CTVS
vouchers.
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Attachment A
Example of a Transport Booking Fax
Department of Veteran's Affairs Transport Booking Fax
Header Details
Action:
Booking Details
New
Creator ID:
Booking Number:
Appointment Date:
Car Type:
Right of Return:
1000000
23/12/2011
Normal
No
Direction:
Inbound
Appointment Time: 1130
Attendants:
Waiting Time:
Beneficiary Surname: CITIZEN
Beneficiary File No: NX123456
Given Name(S):
Pickup Address:
Set Down Address:
Location:
Location:
Unit/No:
280
ELIZABETH
STREET
SURRY
HILLS
2000
029999 9999
Street:
Suburb:
Postcode:
Contact:
Special Instructions:
Unit/No:
Street:
Suburb:
Postcode:
Contact:
TBIS
John
REPATRIATION
GENERAL
HOSPITAL
1A
HOSPITAL
ROAD
CONCORD
WEST
2138
029999 9999
APPT 1130
WALKING FRAME
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Fax Receipt Information


Local distance trips (up to approximately 50 km) will be faxed for the
next working day
Long distance trips will be scheduled to be faxed two working days
prior to the transport date.
The table below lists which bookings will be included in the dispatch file
each day of the week:
FAXES SENT
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Day before
public holiday
period
FAX CONTENT
Local bookings for Tuesday
Long distance bookings for Wednesday
Local bookings for Wednesday
Long distance bookings for Thursday
Local bookings for Thursday
Long distance bookings for Friday
Local bookings for Friday
Long distance bookings for Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Local bookings for Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Long distance bookings for Tuesday
Local bookings for each public holiday (including any weekend day
immediately after, or between, public holidays), and the next working day.
Long distance bookings for each public holiday day (including any weekend
day immediately after, or between, public holidays), but excepting ‘tomorrow’.
Also includes long distance bookings for the next two working days.
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