BOOKED CAR SCHEME GUIDELINES FOR TAXI AND HIRE CAR CONTRACTORS

Transcription

1 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

2 Contents 1 Overview Receiving DVA Transport Bookings Booking Procedure Pick Up and Transport Procedure Airport Pick Up Procedure Booking Hand Back Procedure Invoicing Procedures Retention of Booking and Trip Information No Guarantee of Work Other Transport Programs...12 Attachment A...14 Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 2

3 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 others 1 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 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 3

4 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 ( 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 reasonable 2 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. Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 4

5 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 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 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 An example of a Transport Booking Fax and fax receipt information is at Attachment A Refer below for further information regarding DVA s booking, pickup and invoicing requirements If you experience any problems please call the appropriate number in your state/territory. Refer below. QLD (07) NSW/ACT (02) VIC (03) TAS (03) SA/NT (08) WA (08) Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 5

6 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: 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: 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: 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 Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 6

7 Pick up address Appointment time Set down address Special instructions 3.6 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: 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; 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; Passengers are not picked up earlier than is reasonably required from the advised appointment time, unless prior advice has been provided to them; Drivers undertake any journey by the most direct and reasonable route including access to tollways; 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; 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; Drivers understand the needs of frail, aged passengers and Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 7

8 the respect that veterans and war widows/widowers deserve; 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); Drivers ensure passenger safety in the vehicle, including assistance with the fitting of seat belts where necessary; Drivers ensure passenger comfort in the vehicle including stopping for passenger rest breaks when needed and ensuring comfortable vehicle air temperatures; Drivers must be informed of the special needs of the passenger (such as the need for wheelchair accessible taxis, passengers with dementia, etc); Drivers are instructed to allow a reasonable time for a passenger to get to a vehicle before commencing service charges; and 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. Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 8

9 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 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: 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: Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 9

10 FORMAT Comma-separated values Excel Portable Document Format Word FILE EXTENSION.csv.xls or.xlsx.pdf.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 10

11 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. Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 11

12 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 Direct Booking Model (DBM) 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 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 DVA will assess the requirement to contract DVA transport contractors to undertake DBM journeys on a case by case basis. Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 12

13 10.3 NSW Country Taxi Voucher Scheme (CTVS) 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 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 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. Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 13

14 Attachment A Example of a Transport Booking Fax Header Details Department of Veteran's Affairs Transport Booking Fax Action: New Creator ID: TBIS Booking Details Booking Number: Direction: Inbound Appointment Date: 23/12/2011 Appointment Time: 1130 Car Type: Normal Attendants: Right of Return: No Waiting Time: Beneficiary Surname: CITIZEN Given Name(S): John Beneficiary File No: NX Pickup Address: Set Down Address: Location: Location: REPATRIATION GENERAL HOSPITAL Unit/No: 280 Unit/No: 1A Street: Suburb: ELIZABETH STREET SURRY HILLS Street: Suburb: Postcode: 2000 Postcode: 2138 HOSPITAL ROAD CONCORD WEST Contact: Contact: Special Instructions: APPT 1130 WALKING FRAME Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 14

15 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. Booked Car Scheme Guidelines for Taxi and Hire Car Contractors 15