Transport mileage rate

[Grace]

Hi,

 

I was reading up about transport issues and noticed someone saying that their LA gives parents 28p/mile and wondered if this was about average?

 

Do any LA's encourage parents to take a mileage rate instead of using a taxi? I am wondering if this is a realistic option with today's petrol prices?

 

Many thanks

 

Grace/x

[caci]

I used to get 42.9p per mile.

[Grace]

Wow! I'll take that please!

 

Thanks for the reply - that would definitley cover the petrol!

 

I wonder if your LA was just generous or it would have costed them much more to have put on a taxi?x

[Kathryn]

I think school transport is one of the things most LEA's are looking to cut back on these days - ours is. They will almost certainly cut non statutory transport and will probably look to pay out as little as they can get away with for those who are legally entitled to it. You could call a taxi firm to see what they might charge for the equivalent journey.

 

K x

[caci]

Our LEA are reviewing all their transport policies. The current thinking seems to be to they will encourage and support the "more able" to use public transport, instead of taxis.

 

This is a very real possiblility, as all children under 16 get free buses passes in this area.

 

I will let you know what happens.

[Grace]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the replies. Fortunately (?) the distance involved is too far and totally impractical for a bus or any kind of puplic transport; worrying that they are considering it for others.

 

I like the idea of finding out for myself how much it would be in a taxi - I'll do that now!

 

Grace/x

[Sally44]

I've been told by other parents of children that are taken by taxi to school that they have been sent a letter by our LEA asking them if they would be prepared to transport their child for XXP/mile. For some reason I haven't been sent one.

I'm not sure if the rate is negotiable.

Taxi/escort services do cost alot of money.

I also saw on the IPSEA website that every LEA can allow the parents an option of transporting the child themselves and being paid a mileage rate. That might be a good option for some parents. I don't know if that could even mean a different outcome when seeking placements IF the parents agree to provide transport. Remembering of course the commitment that would entail to always be able to take your child to school every day for the next XX years.

 

And there is also the policy of the "escort" to consider as well. Apparently our LEA does not provide escorts for children over 8 years of age - but i'm sure that there must be consideration of the child's needs rather than a blanket policy. There could be issues of multiple children being transported without an escort. We've recently had problems ourselves with a disruptive child bullying the other children even with an escort present - So it is worth parents considering this aspect and asking questions too.

[Grace]

Thanks Sally - I'll have a look at the IPSEA website.

 

Grace/x

[oxgirl]

Transport cuts is a big worry. My lad will be 18 in November. He currently gets a taxi to his ASD college with two other lads but I'm worried he'll be refused for next year. Another lad living in our town who goes to the college and is already 18 has to get there by public transport, which is a two-hour journey, involving two buses. There's no way my lad is up to that. I've just started a new job and would hate to have to give it up to go back to being his taxi driving again.

 

~ Mel ~

[Grace]

Hi Mel,

 

I have to say that I find it very depressing to realise that the problems never go away; they just change to different ones.

 

I really hope there is something you can do - I'd have thought logically that it would be some kind of discrimination not to provide transport if he still needed it, but I really don't know.

 

Hope someone else can help/x

[Sally44]

Transport cuts is a big worry. My lad will be 18 in November. He currently gets a taxi to his ASD college with two other lads but I'm worried he'll be refused for next year. Another lad living in our town who goes to the college and is already 18 has to get there by public transport, which is a two-hour journey, involving two buses. There's no way my lad is up to that. I've just started a new job and would hate to have to give it up to go back to being his taxi driving again.

 

~ Mel ~

 

 

Sounds like a long journey.

If you think he would not cope then you can start gathering evidence now of how independent he is in certain skills - so that you are ready with evidence if/when it happens.

 

I know that taxis are expensive (LEA quoted £16,000+ to transport my child - wish I got paid that much!). IF, a child were more able, and IF the journey were not quite so long or complex, then in some cases I don't know if it would work out cheaper and might actually support independence, if someone travelled with the child on the bus to/from college. After all they would need to support any child fully to begin with just to prove that the child could even do it. I don't know if anyone has every tried that or had that level of support provided. But I am presuming that having an escort travelling on a bus is alot less than having to provide a taxi. But then again, the escort would have to get to the child's house/college in some form of transport??

Edited April 2, 2011 by Sally44

[Joels_mum]

I've been reading up on this and some LEAs only pay as little as 20p per mile. I don't know what ours pays. I would consider moving house but it kind of ###### me off that I would have to foot the bill for that when we wouldn't even be considering it if it wasn't for the fact our LEA has NO autistic units.