Is taking your mobility scooter on Sydney public transport doable? The short answer is yes if you meet the requirements.

• YES 4 wheel mobility scooters that are small enough can go on all public transport.
• NO 3 wheel mobility scooters cannot go on a bus, ferries and wharves.
• NO petrol scooters are not permitted on public transport

For the purpose of this post I am assuming that you are using a portable 4 wheel mobility scooter.

“When using a mobility aid on public transport in NSW, it must comply with certain dimensions, manoeuvrability and stability specifications” (Transport NSW – Mobility Aid Specifications).

When you have mobility issues being able to use your mobility scooter on public transport is a great idea. Not all mobility scooters can access public transport so stick to ones that fall within Transport NSW limits.

“Please note that not all trains, buses, ferries, or coaches are accessible with a mobility device. You can use the Trip Planner to plan an accessible trip, and see accessible services indicated by the wheelchair symbol in the search results. See more tips on planning an accessible trip. Sydney Metro is a fully accessible railway”.

Specifications of your scooter

I’ve grabbed a small range of portable mobility scooters off the web for comparisons. Mine is the 3rd one down. The SupaScootaHD can get on all modes of public transport (haven’t tried a bus yet). Its fantastic turning circle (the lower the better) makes it so easy to navigate small spaces which is what you want.

All the ones selected are 4 wheel portable mobility scooters except the last one. I’ve included the heaviest part in the final column just in case you need to go in a car for part of your journey. Make sure you or your carer can lift that amount so you can bundle it up if needed.

mobility scooter	width 700mm	length 1300mm	turning radius 180deg within an area of 2070mm by 1540mm	weight of scooter + add your weight	heaviest part
Aspire Supalite	490mm	1022mm	1385mm	34kg without batteries	10.7kg
Pride GoGo LX Mobility Scooter	495mm	1162mm	1120mm	36.9kg without batteries	16.6kg
Shoprider Little Ripper	560mm	1060mm	1150mm	41.5kg without batteries	15kg
SupaScoota HD	570mm	1010mm	910mm	29.9kg without batteries	10kg
Shoprider Allrounder	640mm	1300mm	1500mm	99kg	na

Total weight

If you will be using a ramp you need to know the total weight of your mobility scooter and who will be travelling on the ramp at the same time. Scooter + user + carer. Combined maximum weight is 300kg

Manoeuvrability

“Your mobility aid must be able to turn 180 degrees within an area of 2070mm by 1540mm.

For context: A standard manual wheelchair can turn 180deg in an area of 1970mm x 1530mm. Electric wheelchairs have the tightest turning circle and need slightly less than that. Mobility scooters use more area to turn. (Scootaround).

“When travelling on accessible buses, your mobility aid will need to be able to safely board and manoeuvre into the travel position required, which is usually facing towards the back of the bus”.

On buses it must also be able to:

“negotiate a 1 in 14 ramp unassisted (or 1 in 8 when the ramp is less than 1520mm). Cross a horizontal gap up to 40mm wide mount a bump up to 12mm. Cross grating gaps up to 13mm wide and 15mm long”.

Arrrgh…more context needed! A 1 in 14 ramp means that your mobility aid must be able to cope with a slope of about 7.14%. The thing is that Australian Standard guidelines recommend 1:14 for wheelchairs and 1:12 for mobility scooters or 8.33%.

n.b – SupaScootaHD will take up to 9%.

I’m imagining trying to go up that ramp and having my throttle get caught on the gap and launching into the bus driver with a resounding whack. Think I’ll just avoid buses.

Stability

“Your mobility aid must have an effective brake system and must be able to withstand: acceleration, braking and cornering on metro, train, coach, bus and light rail services”

My scooter won’t move if I have my hand off the accelerator. Turn it off while you are on public transport and hang onto something. Stay on your scooter so you have more stability control.

Go at walking pace when you are at station/concourse and as usual watch out for inclines that could tip your scooter. 

Safety and Comfort

“When waiting for public transport:

• Position yourself in the boarding zone or in a safe spot where the driver or the crew can see you as they approach
• Make sure you are a safe distance away from the edge of the platform
• Park sideways rather than facing the edge, so you can see your service approaching.
• Always apply the brakes when you are stationary while waiting or when on board public transport.
• Give way to pedestrians and travel no faster than walking pace around stations, (and) stops”

Dezzies Planning Points

• Never travel in peak hour. Go super early or middle of the day.
• If you are going out to say a show contact Transport NSW the day before so they can advise your driver of your impending trip, the stations you are getting on and off from.
• “If travelling by rail, check upcoming trackwork and travel alerts” What is your plan if you need to take a bus? Can you be sure it will be accessible for your scooter?
• Are lifts working? Is it possible to change stations to one that has a ramp to avoid this problem ever happening. What is your plan of action if you can’t get on the platform? Transport NSW ask that you ring ahead the day before. 
• What side of the carriage will you need to get on and off (will you need to turn your scooter around in the carriage)
• For trains, the guard compartment is always the carriage you get on and off from. They will have a ramp for you most times but always ring ahead the day before.
• Avoid buses unless absolutely necessary. Try to do a trial run if you must use them. If you are mobile enough you take a Coach. Get it put in the hold underneath and take a walking stick for the cabin.

Dezzie 2024

Transport NSW – Using Public Transport for Accessible Travel https://transportnsw.info/travel-info/using-public-transport/accessible-travel/mobility-aid-specifications

Transport NSW – Access to Trains in NSW https://transportnsw.info/travel-info/using-public-transport/accessible-travel/access-to-trains-in-nsw

Transport NSW – I need help getting on the train https://transportnsw.info/plan/help-with-planning/new-to-transport/i-need-help-getting-on-train#:~:text=For%20Sydney%20Train%20services%2C%20wait,indicated%20by%20a%20blue%20light

Transport NSW Trip Planning https://transportnsw.info/trip#/trip

Wheelchair turning radius https://scootaroundstore.com/en/wheelchair-turning-radius-everything-you-need-to-know?srsltid=AfmBOopYRVmEFY59SJ1Z0GnXMwvRJ9t8W2mLLCBTiVZSAD6FzibeZm9L