COMCAR provides car-with-driver transport services for parliamentarians, the Governor-General, the federal judiciary and international guests of government. COMCAR services are:
- safe and secure
- efficient
- professional and reliable
- client focused.
COMCAR maintains a fleet of cars in all capital cities which is supplemented with hire cars and taxis during peak times and in regional and country areas.
The COMCAR National Operations Centre operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding Good Friday and the period from Christmas Day to the first business day of the New Year).
Reservations
COMCAR offers a safe and secure service for clients to enter, amend or cancel bookings through the CARS web portal or mobile app. The CARS page has more information on registering for and using CARS, as well as training and fact sheets.
When making a reservation through the online portal or mobile app please ensure you include:
- City where trip is to occur
- Account number
- Passenger's name
- Caller's name and contact number
- Pick up date, time and location including arrival flight number if applicable
- Instructions relating to pick up location
- Drop off location including departure flight number if applicable
- Instructions relating to drop off location
- Number of passengers
- Vehicle type
- Any special requirements, e.g. child restraints (infant - rear facing, toddler - forward facing, booster seat).
All bookings, amendments and cancellations should be made using the CARS web portal and mobile app. Urgent bookings, amendments and cancellations can also be made by calling the National Operations Centre on 131 847. Urgent bookings are defined as less than two hours prior to pick up time
COMCAR vehicles will wait for a period of up to 30 minutes at the agreed pick up location. Where no contact has been established with the passenger, the vehicle will be allocated to another reservation.
Charges
| Charges | Rate |
|---|---|
| Rate | $2.17 per minute |
| Minimum weekday charge | 30 minutes ($65.10) |
| Minimum weekend and public holiday charge | 60 minutes ($130.20) |
| Cancellation charge | Varies depending on notice given |
| No contact charge | Applicable minimum charge |
| Out of zone | Varies depending on duration of journey |
| Waiting time | Charged from booking pick up time |
| Tolls | Charged at toll rate |
| People mover surcharge | $25.00 |
Effective 1 July 2024. All charges exclude GST. GST is only applicable to non-Commonwealth entities
Parliamentarians
COMCAR provides car-with-driver services to parliamentarians when undertaking parliamentary business, and to Ministers (including parliamentary secretaries) and shadow ministers for their personal safety when their private plated vehicle or private vehicle could not reasonably be used.
Where you use COMCAR for your parliamentary business, your PBR obligations apply, including the dominant purpose and value for money tests. In addition to your PBR obligations, specific conditions apply.
- COMCAR services are not available for your parliamentary business if you could reasonably use your private plated vehicle (PPV), additional electorate allowance provided in lieu of a PPV, or your Canberra-based self-drive vehicle in the circumstances.
For example, if you elected to receive additional electorate allowance instead of a PPV you could reasonably be expected to use the allowance instead of COMCAR in circumstances where a PPV could otherwise be reasonably used. - COMCAR transport costs are treated as ‘unscheduled commercial transport’ and counted towards your unscheduled commercial transport in large electorates limit.
Please refer to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) for more information.
Where a Minister, Assistant Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or Presiding Officer uses COMCAR for official duties, COMCAR charges are met by the respective portfolio or parliamentary department.
COMCAR expenditure is reported in your monthly management reports and quarterly expenditure reports.
Airport terminal meeting points
ACT
| Canberra | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic | Ground floor, parallel to Qantas baggage counter, next to the lift well and exit doors. No COMCAR sign. | |
NSW
| Sydney | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic Terminal 3 | Qantas | Near baggage carousel 3 and Avis rental desk. COMCAR sign. |
| Domestic Terminal 2 | Virgin / Rex | Opposite baggage carousel 3, under flight arrivals board. No COMCAR sign. |
| International | At flight arrivals gate as shown on arrivals monitor. No COMCAR sign. | |
NT
| Darwin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| At the bottom of the escalators near the glass sliding doors. | ||
QLD
| Brisbane | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic | Qantas/Virgin | Opposite the baggage carousel next to the Europcar rental desk. No COMCAR sign. |
| International | Passengers exit customs hall via left door. | |
| Cairns | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Beside the baggage carousel for the relevant flight. | ||
| Coolangatta | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Outside arrivals gate near Budget and Hertz offices. | ||
| Townsville | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic | At the bottom of the escalators near the glass sliding doors. | |
SA
| Adelaide | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Ground floor to the left of the escalators, adjacent to last baggage carousel. No COMCAR sign. | ||
TAS
| Hobart | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic | Qantas | Next to the double glass doors at the entrance to the Jetstar terminal from the tarmac. No COMCAR sign. |
| Domestic | Virgin | Next to baggage carousel. No COMCAR sign. |
VIC
| Melbourne | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic Terminal 1 | Qantas | Ground floor at pylon in front of baggage services desk between baggage carousels 2 and 3. No COMCAR sign. |
| International Terminal 2 | Ground floor adjacent to escalator at southern end of terminal. General chauffeur meeting point sign. | |
| Domestic Terminal 3 | Virgin | Ground floor pylon at the escalator, near baggage carousel. No COMCAR sign. |
| Domestic Terminal 4 | Jetstar / Tiger | Ground floor, base of ‘yellow’ escalator. No COMCAR sign. |
WA
| Perth | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Airline | Meeting point |
| Domestic terminals 3 & 4 (Gates 1-33) | Qantas | Near baggage carousel 1 and arrival doors in Terminal 4. No COMCAR sign. |
| Domestic Terminal 1 | Virgin | Near baggage carousel and arrival doors. No COMCAR sign. |
| Domestic Terminal 2 | Jetstar / Tiger / Alliance | Near baggage carousels and arrival doors. No COMCAR sign. |
| International Terminal 1 | Qantas | Near arrival exit doors and rental desks. |
| International Terminal 3 | Qantas | Near arrival exit doors and Border Force counter. |
Service issues
COMCAR operates under the COMCAR Customer Service Charter (see related resources). Any issues with service can be reported to the Client Liaison Manager. The matter will be investigated and the client will receive a telephone call or letter regarding the incident.