LINK Community and Transport | March–April 2026
Transport Operations and Fleet maintained strong service delivery across all funding support program (CHSP, HCP, NDIS, FFS) during March and April, while continuing to strengthen client access, operational efficiency, and service responsiveness.
Operational Performance Snapshot
Across the reporting period, Transport delivered high-volume services while managing demand and capacity:
- 8,975 total trips delivered
- 979 clients supported
- 4,323 incoming calls received
- 1,773 outgoing calls completed
- 7,751 minutes total talk time
- 54% overall answer rate
Phone system reporting further highlights:
- 1,076 calls answered via system tracking
- 38% abandon rate
- 0.66-minute average queue time
These figures reflect both the growing demand for transport services and the continued need to strengthen access and responsiveness across intake and scheduling functions.
A special thank you and recognition to all LINK team members for their ongoing commitment, flexibility, and professionalism in delivering these services each day. The above results reflect the dedication across the organisation, for continuing to support clients safely and reliably while managing increasing operational demand, schedule changes, and service pressures.
Driver Engagement & Meetings
We successfully completed both the Paid Driver Meeting and Thomastown Volunteer Driver Meeting in March. These sessions reinforced key operational priorities, safety expectations, and ongoing service improvements.
The Hoppers Crossing Volunteer Driver Meeting is currently being scheduled, with confirmation to follow.
As reflected in previous newsletters and meetings, ongoing reminders continue to be reinforced with drivers and operational staff regarding:
- Daily vehicle inspections and reporting requirements
- Vehicle cleanliness throughout the day and end-of-shift
- Safe pickup and drop-off procedures
- Manual handling and client safety practices
- Incident reporting requirements via iPads and internal processes
- Signing in and out at depot locations
- Fatigue management and roster compliance
- Continued “Safety First” approach across all transport services
These ongoing reminders and operational discussions remain essential in maintaining compliance, service quality, and client safety standards across the fleet.
Transport Intake & CHSP Growth
A key strategic priority remains increasing transport utilisation through targeted intake via the My Aged Care (MAC) Portal and all other funding streams.
This focus is driving:
- Growth in CHSP transport bookings
- Improved access for new and waitlisted clients
- Stronger alignment between funding utilisation and service delivery
Sustained intake efforts are critical to maintaining service volume and ensuring long-term program viability.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank our placement students for their efforts, professionalism, and dedication throughout their placement with LINK Community and Transport. Their support in assisting the Transport Operations team with onboarding new transport clients, phone enquiries, administrative support, and intake-related tasks has contributed positively to improving client access and increasing transport intake activity across CHSP services.
Client Access & Phone Coverage Improvement
To address demand and improve client experience, additional phone support has been implemented across the organisation. This quarter there has been a strong focus on improving operational collaboration, client accessibility, and organisation-wide service responsiveness. A big change has been the implementation of additional phone coverage support across all departments which has reinforced the importance of working together as one organisation, rather than operating solely within individual service lines.
Key outcomes include:
- Increased capacity to manage high call volumes
- Improved capture of new enquiries and last-minute bookings
- Reduction in missed client interactions
- Enhanced responsiveness across all service lines
While demand remains high (as reflected in call and abandonment data), this initiative represents a significant step toward improving accessibility and service consistency.
Looking Ahead
Transport Operations and Fleet will continue to focus on:
- Increasing Transport client intake and utilisation
- Strengthening phone response performance and reducing abandoned calls
- Supporting driver engagement and safety outcomes
- Maintaining efficient scheduling and fleet availability
- Continuing operational reminders and compliance-focused practices across all transport services
