ACC Taxi Service - Unusable

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johno1234

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#299157 16-Aug-2022 08:59

My 15yo broke his leg and has a cast for 6 weeks. He can't get on and off the bus so ACC said we can order a taxi for him on their account. That sounds fantastic. However...

Day 1. Taxi never shows up. We call and he claims he was there and waited before giving up. Complete lie.

Day 2. Turned up over an hour late.

Talking to a colleague about it - she had a cast for months after a nasty injury and the ACC taxi never arrived on time. She was constantly missing appointments. Eventually after complaining to ACC they said she could use Uber and claim the costs. So we called up ACC and they said we could do the same.

So far the Uber has been 100% perfect. They are always early. I use the schedule option to book the Uber the day before.

Not sure which company ACC have contracted, but it is as hopeless as Uber is good.

Anyone else used the ACC provided taxi service?

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#2955174 16-Aug-2022 09:16

Where in NZ are you?

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#2955175 16-Aug-2022 09:20

When I was 15 (long time ago 1987) my femur was broken into 7 bits the heel smashed off my foot (clean break) and top of my middle finger stitched back on from a motorcycle accident I was 4 weeks in hospital and 6 months in a cast and managed the school bus fine

One day I missed the school bus home Mum and Dad were at work so on crunches I walked from Glenfield college to Greenhithe Upper Harbour Drive - 6km

I even bumped into the guy that caused the accident when trying to get home and he could not give me a lift as he lost his licence for 6 months but he did give me a Honda CB175

Sorry does not answer your question about the taxi service but a 15 year old should be able to catch a school bus with a broken leg

Batman

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#2955176 16-Aug-2022 09:21

most likely the ACC rates is significantly lower than what they can get off the meter.

so if you have a client on the meter why take the ACC job.

if you are sitting around with no business then yeah sure why not.

makes sense?

wellygary

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#2955190 16-Aug-2022 09:44

Batman:

most likely the ACC rates is significantly lower than what they can get off the meter.

Been going on for years, and with high fuel prices Taxi margins will have become even more squeezed than when this article was written pre-COVID

"RNZ also spoke to a dozen Blue Bubble taxi drivers who confirmed they did get paid about 7 to 10 per cent less for ACC jobs, and they could see prior to pick up that it was an ACC job."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/115697823/acc-taxi-troubles-claim-drivers-reject-fares-because-theyre-too-low

timmmay

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#2955191 16-Aug-2022 09:44

A few years ago ACC provided me taxis for a similar thing. Wellington Combined had the Wellington contract. When you book in advance they were 95% reliable at turning up on time. I wasn't super happy with Wellington Combined for other reasons (driving ability, customer service, smelly taxis, grumpy drivers) but they were reliable. A driver told me at the time ACC didn't get a discount, they paid the full rate.

Booking in advance seemed to be fairly key. Make sure you specify the pickup location, which can be up a driveway, and have them put that on your file.

Bung

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#2955193 16-Aug-2022 09:47

Linux:
When I was 15 (long time ago 1987) my femur was broken into 7 bits the heel smashed off my foot (clean break) and top of my middle finger stitched back on from a motorcycle accident I was 4 weeks in hospital and 6 months in a cast and managed the school bus fine

I think they missed that you landed on your head 😀

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#2955196 16-Aug-2022 09:50

Bung:
Linux:

When I was 15 (long time ago 1987) my femur was broken into 7 bits the heel smashed off my foot (clean break) and top of my middle finger stitched back on from a motorcycle accident I was 4 weeks in hospital and 6 months in a cast and managed the school bus fine

I think they missed that you landed on your head 😀

Nope landed on my back sorry to say

johno1234

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#2955198 16-Aug-2022 09:51

robjg63:

Where in NZ are you?

Auckland City

johno1234

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#2955204 16-Aug-2022 10:00

Linux:

Sorry does not answer your question about the taxi service but a 15 year old should be able to catch a school bus with a broken leg

Of course he could catch a bus. Just needs to hobble 500m up the hill on his crutches with his school bag in the rain to catch it, and same at the other end from the bus to class - only a mere couple of hundred m there, and then the reverse in the afternoon, and hold up everyone getting on and off the bus, and risk falling and re-breaking his leg getting on and off the bus. What a great idea. Have you ever though about a career in offering sympathetic helpful advice to people?

Or he could take advantage of the ACC system that everyone has paid for and use it as intended.

johno1234

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#2955206 16-Aug-2022 10:01

Batman:

most likely the ACC rates is significantly lower than what they can get off the meter.

so if you have a client on the meter why take the ACC job.

if you are sitting around with no business then yeah sure why not.

makes sense?

It certainly does, unfortunately.

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#2955240 16-Aug-2022 10:34

15 odd years ago I was in the same boat, taxi's to work after an accident, had no problems. That was in Hamilton with Red Cabs.

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#2955349 16-Aug-2022 15:13

Batman:

most likely the ACC rates is significantly lower than what they can get off the meter.

so if you have a client on the meter why take the ACC job.

if you are sitting around with no business then yeah sure why not.

makes sense?

If you're a contracted vendor with ACC then you're also going to have a very positive assurance of ongoing work with the same or different ACC clients. The majority of ACC work would be during the day so if your work was focused on work hours you run into less problems with drunk/drugged passengers etc which is more prevalent during nighttimes.

Aside from that, the transport is provided under a contract and the taxi service has AGREED to provide the service. If they don't want to provide services then they should not be entering into a contract to do so.

To the OP, ACC contract out services via vendors to provide services on behalf to ACC claimants who're eligible under the Act, and ACC is liable to pay or contribute to the cost of services which are considered entitlements. These are legal obligations ACC have to us. The ACC scheme is a social contract we have no choice about. We're born into it or if people immigrate or visit here then they also come under ACC for accident cover. In exchange for cover we lose our right to sue.

If suppliers (venders) don't provide services or provide services them to an acceptable standard and you can't get this resolved via the complaint mechanisms with the transport service, then you could try the complaints mechanism that governs all Taxi services (sorry - can't remember who that is).

The way ACC has this set up is to make suppliers act as a buffer between the ACC and service provision - but ultimately they must be responsible at some step or they're not meeting their obligations under the scheme.

Aside from the complaint with the taxi company (in writing/email), make your concerns known to the ACC case manager via email and CC in customer resolutions. Ask for them to intervene, they have area Engagement and Performance Managers who're meant to ensure standards are being met.

ACC has agreed to provide this entitlement and they have a legal obligation to provide it or compensate you in full or part for the costs if their vendors are unable to meet their obligations. You could negotiate with ACC to use a different service and ACC can compensate you for the costs but make sure this is all agreed to prior to arranging anything yourself.

Hope that helps a little - and best of luck!

Batman

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#2955350 16-Aug-2022 15:26

spacefish:

...

the transport is provided under a contract and the taxi service has AGREED to provide the service. If they don't want to provide services then they should not be entering into a contract to do so.

To the OP, ACC contract out services via vendors to provide services on behalf to ACC claimants who're eligible under the Act, and ACC is liable to pay or contribute to the cost of services which are considered entitlements. These are legal obligations ACC have to us. The ACC scheme is a social contract we have no choice about. We're born into it or if people immigrate or visit here then they also come under ACC for accident cover. In exchange for cover we lose our right to sue.

If suppliers (venders) don't provide services or provide services them to an acceptable standard and you can't get this resolved via the complaint mechanisms with the transport service, then you could try the complaints mechanism that governs all Taxi services (sorry - can't remember who that is).

...

put it this way ... if you don't take the taxi, ACC saves money ...

will ACC get so upset over this and immediately move to immediately fix this issue?

hmm ... worth a try though!

maybe also ask for a list of taxi companies?

shk292

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#2955352 16-Aug-2022 15:31

Linux:

When I was 15 (long time ago 1987) my femur was broken into 7 bits the heel smashed off my foot (clean break) and top of my middle finger stitched back on from a motorcycle accident I was 4 weeks in hospital and 6 months in a cast and managed the school bus fine

One day I missed the school bus home Mum and Dad were at work so on crunches I walked from Glenfield college to Greenhithe Upper Harbour Drive - 6km

I even bumped into the guy that caused the accident when trying to get home and he could not give me a lift as he lost his licence for 6 months but he did five a Honda CB175

Sorry does not answer your question about the taxi service but a 15 year old should be able to catch a school bus with a broken leg

You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt

Lias

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#2955354 16-Aug-2022 15:39

shk292:

You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt

Luxury. We used to have to get out of the lake at six o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of 'ot gravel, work twenty hour day at mill for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would thrash us to sleep with a broken bottle, if we were lucky!

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