Wheelchair accessible vehicle driver endorsement

In Victoria, drivers must have a wheelchair accessible commercial passenger vehicle (WAV) endorsement on their driver accreditation to drive a WAV. This is an additional requirement for drivers regulated by CPVV.

We recognise WAVs have a vital role in delivering transport services for passengers in wheelchairs and mobility scooters by providing people a level of mobility not offered by other services such as trains, trams, and buses.

W-endorsement

There are specific conditions relating to WAVs and provision of commercial passenger vehicle services as part of driver accreditation. To receive a W-endorsement and drive a WAV, drivers must successfully demonstrate they understand all the requirements of driving a WAV in Victoria.

The assessment has both theory and practical components.

Only drivers who have been assessed and endorsed as competent can provide commercial passenger WAV services to passengers who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

Drivers will be assessed on successfully demonstrating their skills and knowledge of:

Ability to conduct pre vehicle checks on a WAV vehicle
Communicating effectively with a wide variety of passengers using a WAV service
Assisting passengers into and out of a WAV suited to their disability needs
Operating a WAV vehicle
Planning scheduled activities
Understanding ethical and responsible behaviours

The W-endorsement assessment will be conducted by an assessor approved by us, in line with the National Training Framework competency standards.

The criteria used during the practical assessment is similar to TLIC2040 - Provide wheelchair accessible taxi services to passengers with disabilities. More information can be found https://training.gov.au/training/details/tlic2040

Preparing for the assessment

The assessment has both theory and practical components.

Drivers should prepare for the WAV endorsement assessment before making a booking. This preparation can include in-house training with a booking service provider and/or studying available resources.

It’s the applicant's responsibility to undertake sufficient study and training to ensure they’re adequately prepared for their assessment.

The assessment officer will record results for each task as:

P (Pass)—if the applicant meets the performance criteria for the task
NYC (Not Yet Competent)—if the applicant does not meet any part of the performance criteria for the task. There will not be any refunds available.

If a person is deemed to have received a Not Yet Competent result (this occurs after two attempts), they can re-sit the assessment once they have undertaken the relevant training and studied available resources.

For further information about driving a WAV, refer to the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Driver Handbook.

Booking process

The cost of completing the assessment is $190 and payable directly to the assessor. This applies to all applicants.

To book an assessment, please contact CPVV at driver@cpv.vic.gov.au or on 1800 638 802.

Before booking, applicants must have:

a current driver accreditation
identified the area in Victoria that would be most suitable for being assessed (for example, metropolitan Melbourne or a location in regional Victoria)

If you choose to send an email, please write ‘W-endorsement booking’ in the subject header.

In the body of your email, include:

your name and contact details
the number of assessments required
Driver Accreditation numbers for each of the drivers to be assessed
contact details
preferred location.

We will contact you within two business days to discuss your requirements.

If you are a Booking Service Provider wanting to register your drivers who are ready for assessment for the W Endorsement, please ensure to include:

Driver Accreditation numbers for each of the drivers to be assessed
Your driver’s full names
Information on the available WAV vehicles at your depot for use

Cancellation/no-show policy

Three (3) business days’ notice of cancellation is required for refund of fee
Three (3) business days’ notice of rescheduling is required.

Drivers who do not attend their assessment booking are not entitled to have the fee refunded.

Resources

For more information visit:

Drivers

Section navigation