Monthly Archives: March 2014

Obtaining a Wheelchair Accessible Van

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Obtaining a Wheelchair Accessible Van
Automotive Innovations, Your New England Mobility Resource understands a wheelchair van is much more than a way to get around. It means independence, a higher quality of life and freedom. We also understand that people with disabilities often struggle with medical bills, limited income and other financial obstacles that can make owning a handicap van seem unrealistic.

A wheelchair van is more obtainable than you realize. Numerous grants and reimbursements are offered from varied sources. And now you’ve found the most comprehensive online resource for wheelchair van financial assistance options. Explore the links below to discover the available grants, rebates and reimbursements for buying a wheelchair van or modifying a car with adaptive driving equipment.

OEM Rebate Programs
Learn about rebates offered by original equipment manufacturers. Vehicle manufacturer programs that give money back on new wheelchair vans or handicap van conversion equipment are a great way to cut your costs.

Organizations that Award Grants
See a list of nonprofit organizations and associations that award grants to people with physical disabilities. Grants can significantly offset the expense of a wheelchair van or adaptive driving equipment.

Financial Aid for Veterans
Find sources of funding for veterans of the U.S. military. Most veterans are eligible for partial or complete aid for acquiring a wheelchair van.

Assistance for Families with Disabled Children
Read about aid benefiting families of children with special mobility needs. Grants for physically disabled children help families afford a handicap van.

State Grants
Search for grants given out by your state. Every state provides financial aid to the physically disabled. Your state government is an essential source to help make a wheelchair van, accessibility modification or adaptive driving controls more affordable.

Three Questions to Ask Your Mobility Consultant about Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

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Answer search
When beginning your search for a wheelchair van in MA, RI, CT, VT, NH & ME, it is important to know which questions to ask your Mobility Consultant.  This could be the first time that you are going through this process, and VMi New England along side Automotive Innovations wants you to have a memorable experience.

We encourage your questions to help make purchasing your wheelchair accessible vehicle enjoyable and educational. Here are five of our most frequently asked questions proposed to our Mobility Consultants:

Do you have a service department for wheelchair van repairs?
Our technicians are highly trained and certified and are able to handle any problems you may have with your wheelchair accessible van.  By adhering to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), becoming a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) facility, Automotive Innovations has shown its dedication to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities every day.

Can I test drive a wheelchair accessible vehicle before I purchase one?
Yes you can!  Our “Try Before You Buy” program means that you can test out our vehicles before you make your purchase, so that you can determine which vehicle will suit your needs.  Please contact us for more details.

How do you determine which wheelchair accessible vehicle will be right for me?
Our consultants take every step to get to know our customers to ensure that you purchase the right wheelchair accessible vehicle for you. Our Mobility Consultants go through a detailed step-by-step process to learn about your specific needs in order to get you the proper wheelchair van type, size and modifications to your wheelchair van.This mobility update has been brought to you by Vmi New England and Automotive Innovations your Bridgewater, MA New England NMEDA Mobility Dealer – Need some information on how to make your vehicle wheelchair accessible or upgraded with the latest and most convenient features?

The Importance of Servicing Your Wheelchair Van and Adaptive Equipment

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The Importance of Servicing Your Wheelchair Van and Adaptive Equipment
Owning any type of vehicle means that you have to commit to regular service and maintenance to keep it in good condition. Owning a wheelchair van and adaptive equipment is no different – you still need regular service to keep everything operating the way it should. However, it comes with some additional caveats – you can’t just go to any service center and ensure that you’re maintaining your wheelchair van or mobility equipment correctly.

Here at our Mobility Center, not only do we understand the importance of maintaining your mobility vehicle and adaptive equipment, but we take the needed steps to ensure that everything is always in top condition. No other mobility dealer (that we know of) offers the level of maintenance offered by us.

For example, we can maintain primary and secondary driving controls, as well as providing service for wheelchair ramps and scooter lifts. Along with power seat bases, power door operators, wheelchair securement systems and other adaptive equipment. Those are only a few of the areas that our certified technicians can service and maintain. We also have a rust prevention/treatment that we highly recommend.

You’ll also find that we offer installation as well as service for a range of adaptive equipment like lowered floors, raised doors, adaptive steering controls, turning automotive seats and hand controls. All of our technicians are fully certified in mobility equipment so that you always know you’re in good hands with us.

Automotive Innovations has also created a innovative and ever evolving maintenance program over the past 25 years for our customers. We know that making sure your vehicle and adaptive equipment is in good condition is important to you, but we also understand that it can be difficult for you to tell when or if something needs service or repair. That’s why we started our operational preventative maintenance program over 20 years ago. This program ensures that your wheelchair van or mobility equipment is always in the best operational condition possible, but also assesses the need for repairs or replacement most of the time before anything happens.

We’re dedicated to giving you the peace of mind that you deserve and the maintenance you need to maintain your freedom at all times.

 

Rear-Entry Vs. Side-Entry Handicap Accessible Minivans

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2013 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT Rear Entry VS. 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT Side Entry

One of the most significant decisions you will make in the purchase of a wheelchair van is whether to put the wheelchair access ramp on the side or in the rear of the vehicle. Both are great options and like anything else, there are pros and cons to each. Your own personal preferences and the environment in which you travel and live will have the greatest impact on your choice between the two. In addition, budget may also prove to be a consideration in your decision making process as well.

Rear-Entry Wheelchair Vans
To make a minivan rear-entry accessible, the mobility converter cuts out the center of the floor, 30” wide and 10” deep, from the rear bumper up to either the back of the middle seat or the back of the front seat. A new lowered section is then welded in and finished with the rest of the conversion.

Advantages of Rear-Entry Vans

  • Less Expensive: A rear-entry conversion method affects a smaller area of the vehicle and has less impact on the structural integrity of the minivan. For these reasons, rear-entry conversions are significantly less expensive than similar side-entry conversions.
  • Depending on the conversions it may or may not have better Ground Clearance: Although the floor is lowered with a rear-entry vehicle, there are no modifications done to the sides. In addition, a rear-entry conversion is raised higher in the back. Therefore, greater ground clearance results in more space than on a side-entry van.
  • Ease of Entry but not Exit: When you enter a rear-entry minivan, there is no turning around (there isn’t enough room) to get the wheelchair into the traveling position. All that is needed is for a person to simply move up as far as required to get into their wheelchair securement device. The down side is you have to back out and down the ramp. For individuals with exceptionally long wheelchairs or conditions requiring extended legs or tilted backs, this is especially valuable.
  • Tight Parking: A rear entry wheelchair minivan maybe able to park in regular, non-accessible parking spaces and garages if required. With the wheelchair ramp in the rear, no extra side room is required. But now you have to exit the vehicle into traffic. A rear-entry vehicle is also helpful in situations where double parking is required for loading and unloading.

Disadvantages of Rear-Entry Vans

  • Limited Parallel Parking: The rear-entry vehicle makes loading or unloading wheelchair passengers while parallel-parked impossible. Parking on the end of the street or loading or unloading on the street before moving into a parking spot would be the only feasible options.
  • Wheelchair Pilot or Co-Pilot Seating Unavailable: Rear-entry accessibility does not allow the person operating the wheelchair to sit in the pilot or co-pilot seat because the floor is only lower to just behind the front seats. Instead they must sit in the second or third row of the van unless they are able to transfer from their wheelchair into the second row to the front passenger seat.

Side-Entry Wheelchair Vans
To make a minivan side-entry accessible, the mobility converter lowers the floor between 10-15” from the rear bench seat all the way forward, referred to as a firewall, or in some cases to just behind the front seats. Therefore, with a side-entry van, a wheelchair operator can move into the pilot or co-pilot position more easily.

Advantages of Side-Entry Vans

  • Parallel Parking: The side-entry accessible van is not affected by parallel parking. Passengers in wheelchairs can still get in and out of the vehicle parked parallel to a curb, which is helpful for people who live in the city or a neighborhood where parking lots are not available.
  • Pilot and/or Co-Pilot Capability/Compatibility: The side-entry allows the wheelchair operator to drive or ride in the passenger seat. Pilot and co-pilot compatibility is an important feature for couples who wish to ride in the front together or for families with wheelchair operators that drive.

Disadvantages of Side-Entry Vans

  • Inside Space Limited: Space is limited for large really long wheelchairs.

VMi New England consultants can help you access your needs and determine if a side-entry or rear-entry van is suitable for you.

Road To Independence Comedy Night

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Road To Independence Comedy Night
Road To Independence: Comedy Night

When?: March 28th 2014 at 7:00pm

Where?: Elks club in Middleboro – 24 High Street Middleboro MA 02346

How Much?: $25.00

Why?: For a night of food, laughter and to help out a good cause!