Citizens can use special transport under the Social Support Act (Wmo). There are differences in implementation and carrier per municipality. There are standards in the market and statutory rates that municipalities and transport operators are bound to, but quality requirements in the municipal procurement program differ considerably.

Political opposition and the press score easily due to insufficient knowledge of the rules of the game

Taxis are late, they double or the drivers are insufficiently helping the occupants. These are just a few remarks where the opposition parties are spinning politically and the local press all too often sees enough to negatively show the implementation of the Wmo transport, a question of scoring with the right target group.

Many complaints have to do with the expectations of the traveler and the lack of good communication from the government about what to expect from transport within its Wmo contract. Carriers also regularly deal with complaints over which they have no influence, but which have to do with the client and the policy.

Recently we read in the Dagblad van het Noorden that complaints came in from people who would normally be in the car for a 20 minute drive but took much longer because the taxi took several people at the same time. Perhaps the journalist had not really delved into the transport conditions of Wmo transport and assumed that this strange situation was a mistake by the carrier.

No transport company wants to 'bully' the traveler

The Asser PvdA had received 48 complaints after it opened a hotline two months ago where travelers of the Wmo transport could report problems. That's not even a complaint a day, but every complaint is one too many.

With the knowledge that some control centers carry out thousands of journeys per day, the number of complaints is minimal and transport companies do their utmost to transport the passenger properly within the agreed rules of Wmo transport. Wmo transport is a special market with a special target group that requires extra attention.

Pitane Blue
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