Our Social Impact
Transport as a vehicle for equity, inclusion and dignity
Local Transit is a Melbourne-based social enterprise delivering wheelchair-accessible transport while creating employment opportunities for refugee and migrant communities, particularly from East Africa.
What is A Social Enterprise?
A social enterprise is a business that exists to make a positive difference, not just a profit. Profits are re-invested back into the organization’s social mission to ensure positive social impact for the community.
Being a social enterprise is foundational to Local Transit’s structure, recruitment practices, operational decisions and long-term strategy. Unlike traditional businesses, we combine reliable, quality transport services with social benefit and a genuine commitment to equity and inclusion.
Every journey we provide creates opportunity – for the people we carry, and the people who carry them.
Local Transit Co is a registered social enterprise in Australia with Social Traders, and internationally with People & Planet First.
Social Purpose & Beneficiaries
We serve two communities of beneficiaries:
- People with disability and restricted mobility
Many members of the community face barriers to accessing standard transport options. Our wheelchair-accessible fleet and tailored services aim to close this gap for people with disability and restricted mobility by providing them safe, affordable, reliable, accessible transport.
- Drivers and bus staff from refugee and migrant communities
Satisfactory employment can be a significant barrier for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. We offer dignified pathways into skills development and meaningful economic participation for un- and under- employed people from refugee and migrant backgrounds who we train and engage as drivers and related staff.
Our Social Impact
Mobility Impact
Every trip we provide delivers mobility and independence for a person with disability or restricted mobility who may otherwise struggle to access work, care, social connection or community life. Since 2019, Local Transit has provided 45,000 trips for people with disability and restricted mobility.
Employment Impact
Every driver and staff from a refugee or migrant background who we engage represents a foothold into economic stability, for them and their families. Since 2019, we have provided 314 hours of training and 112,000 hours of employment to 83 disadvantaged drivers and supervisors.
Community Impact
By employing and serving locally, Local Transit Co strengthens community cohesion. Together, the impact on people with disability and restricted mobility and under-employed people from refugee and migrant backgrounds builds stronger, more inclusive communities.
Systemic Impact
Our social enterprise structure demonstrates an alternative model of transport delivery. One where accessible passenger transport service delivery can be successfully combined with inclusive employment to be commercially viable.
Social Procurement
Under Victoria’s Social Procurement Framework, government and corporate bodies are increasingly required to weigh social value alongside price. As a genuine social enterprise, Local Transit Co is well positioned to contribute to social procurement outcomes by delivering measurable social outcomes alongside core services, thereby assisting purchasing organizations to meet their own social procurement commitments.