The DATS Booking Line and Disability Action will be closed on Friday 28^th June for Staff Training.

Disability Action Transport Service Information

Important Update Changes to the DATS Transport Scheme

· The DATS Transport Scheme hasn’t had any fare increases since 2018.

· Over the last few years DATS has experienced significant increases in costs due to inflation, fuel price rises and the cost-of-living crisis, and when taken into account alongside a cut in our DATS funding from the Department for Infrastructure this year, we have had to introduce a fare price increase from Monday 09 October 2023.

· From Monday 09 October 2023 the fare price per single journey/trip will increase for an adult from £2.50 to £3.00 and for a child aged 5-16 from £1.25 to £1.50 per single journey/trip.

· We have looked at similar fare prices for the kind of journeys that the DATS Transport Scheme provides and in a taxi a similar journey would cost £9.00, and in other parts of the UK for transport schemes similar to DATS it would be £5.00 per journey/trip.

· We only consider fare increases when all other kinds of costs savings have been put in place and we have no other choice.

· We will need to keep DATS Transport Scheme fares under review and that will mean a further fare increase to £3.50 per single journey/trip will be necessary in April 2024. We will be in touch with our DATS Transport Scheme members closer to that time.

· We also need to introduce other changes to the DATS Transport Scheme operations and from Monday 09 October 2023 our booking line will operate Monday to Friday from 9.00am until 3.00pm until further notice.

We welcome your feedback on the DATS Transport Scheme, please contact us at [email protected]

How to become a member?

Membership of DATS is free, you just need to complete an application form and meet the criteria to become a member.

Download a DATS membership form here or request a DATS membership form from a member of our transport team on 028 9029 7870 or email [email protected].

DATS is an interim service which will operate until such time as the Department for Infrastructure has considered how best to meet the transport needs for disabled people across Northern Ireland.  DATS is funded through grant assistance provided by the Department for Infrastructure.

Download our DATS Leafet here for more information on our Service.