Elderly Goodna man left waiting hours for FlexiLink taxis that never arrive

An elderly Ipswich man with Parkinson’s disease is left waiting for hours outside a shopping centre after booking taxis that never show up.

Rodney Lidell, 77, said he was left waiting almost weekly for a Flexilink taxi that would never come. Photo: Ebony Graveur

An elderly Ipswich man says a low-cost taxi service that is meant to provide convenience and peace of mind to the community’s most vulnerable has left him waiting for hours or stranded on several occasions.

Goodna pensioner Rodney Liddell, 77, suffers Parkinson’s disease and has relied heavily on the Queensland government FlexiLink taxi service to get around for the past year.

He said taxi no-shows were a regular occurrence, and on one occasion a Good Samaritan had to order an ordinary taxi just so he could get home.

“Sometimes they don’t come,” he said.

“I’ve been waiting there for two hours expecting a taxi to come that never came.”

The FlexiLink maxi cab service operates throughout Ipswich and surrounding suburbs and offers low-cost travel to pensioners, children, students, seniors and veterans.

Trips cost a flat $1 or $2 and eligible passengers are able to travel within one of two zones, including parts of Goodna and Bellbird Park, or Barellan Point and parts of Karalee and Chuwar.

To book a trip, Mr Liddell must call at least an hour beforehand, he claims.

“Let’s say I want to go to Redbank Plaza from Goodna – I have to book it one hour before pick-up,” he said.

“But you can only book it to arrive at 25 minutes past the hour.

“One time a woman saw me sitting there waiting and, because I’d been sitting there for so long, over an hour, she rang her friend.

“She put me in an Uber that took me home.

“That cost $13 all because (FlexiLink) didn’t do what it was supposed to do and pick me up.”

Mr Liddell also accused one driver of breaking his walker while jamming into the boot of a taxi.

“They jammed it in and yanked it out – broke it,” he said.

“So I’m left with that.

“I tried contacting (FlexiLink) but they’re the hardest thing in the world to contact.”

Rodney Liddell, 77, said he was left waiting almost weekly for a FlexiLink taxi that would never come. Photo: Ebony Graveur

Mr Liddell has tried contacting the company but has never been able to speak to someone other than the person who books the rides.

“A lot of people complain but we don’t know who to complain to,” he said.

“When you complain to the (booking line) that taxis haven’t come, they say you didn’t book.

“They actually accuse you of not booking.”

A TransLink spokesperson said TransLink was unaware of any complaints from Mr Liddell.

“Complaints about public and passenger transport can lodged by calling 13 12 30 or by visiting the TransLink website,” the spokesperson said.

“TransLink will work with FlexiLink to investigate the complaint should one be lodged.”

Read more news by Ebony Graveur here.