Category Archives: Mobility

Mobility needs for wheelchair users including wheelchair vans, ramps, foot and hand controls.

How Dodge Wheelchair Van Insurance Really Works

If your ever in a accident in your wheelchair van and have insurance questions or need your to have repairs made contact the experts at the Mobility Center in Bridgewater, MA with your questions 508-697-6006

2013 Toyota Sienna VMI Northstar wheelchair van body work and repairs

Whether you’re covering your old Caravan or your new Sprinter, you pay for insurance on your wheelchair van. Have you ever wondered why your rates look the way they do? Here’s a look at how Dodge wheelchair van insurance really works–and the three factors determining the price of your policy.

One: You

You have a significant impact on the price of your wheelchair van insurance. That’s because the insurance company looks at you quite closely in order to determine how risky they think you are. They use demographic information and relevant history to determine who much to charge you.

The insurance company knows that certain features are indicative of a higher likelihood of claims and they set prices accordingly.

US law prohibits insurers from discriminating against wheelchair drivers or anyone else with a disability. However, that doesn’t mean that the companies can’t consider one’s disability when making a pricing decision. They can and they do.

Two: Your Vehicle

Insurance companies also base policy pricing on the vehicle under considerations. That happens on multiple levels. Initially, they consider the value of the vehicle and the likely cost to repair or replace and/or the likely amount of damage it will cause to other vehicles in an accident. Additionally, they look at the likelihood of the particular vehicle under consideration being involved in an accident in the first place. Finally, they consider the safety of the vehicle.

If you have a full-sized Dodge wheelchair van, you’ll probably pay less than you will for a Grand Caravan. That’s because the Sprinter is less likely to be involved in accidents. The insurance companies study a massive supply of data to reach these conclusions; they’re not guesswork.

Unfortunately, that research reveals that drivers of wheelchair vans are at least slightly more likely to be involved in accidents than are other drivers. As such, owners of modified vehicles tend to pay more in premiums. Much of that is because repairing and replacing a modified wheelchair van can be a specialized and costly proposition.

Three: Your Coverage

The nature of your insurance coverage will have the greatest impact on your premium rates. If you’re only carrying minimum liability coverage in order to “stay legal” on a used Caravan, you’re going to pay considerably less than someone who has a comprehensive policy on a brand new Grand Caravan.

There are many different kinds of coverage ranging from that basic property liability coverage (which will pay for damages to the other party’s vehicle in an accident) to comprehensive coverage that will take care of damage to your vehicle from virtually any source. The levels of coverage, policy limits and deductible amounts will radically influence what you pay to keep your Dodge wheelchair van covered.

Obviously, price-consciousness can only go so far. You need to be certain that you do have adequate coverage for your Dodge wheelchair van and, in almost all cases, for your mobility aids and additions to the van.

Purchasing insurance for your Dodge is always a balancing act. You want to get the coverage you need without paying more than what you must. Understanding the factors that influence your rates may help you to do that.

Feel free to contact the mobility center in Bridgewater, MA with any question’s about insurance or body work for your wheelchair van. We offer full body shop repairs to all make and model wheelchair vans. We have equipment like frame machines and are equipped with a down draft spray booth

Amputee Veteran embarks on cross-country bike trip from Maine

Rob Jones Journey -  Marine Veteran Cross Country Bike Trip

More than 50,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines have been injured in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 2,000 of them are now amputees. Marine veteran Rob Jones says his cross country bike trip is for them.

From a distance, the 28 year old looks like any other cyclist enjoying the last of autumn’s splendor in the Camden foot hills in Maine. It’s only up close that you realize this is no ordinary bike trip – since Jones’ legs are man made.

“I’m a combat engineer, so my job when there are IED’s is to find them. I found it with my foot,” said Jones. He lost both legs above the knee in Afghanistan, but not his determination.

He’s riding across the country, 5,400 miles in all, from Bar Harbor, Maine to San Francisco. Calif. He has an entourage of one; his 17-year-old brother Steve Miller.

They will spend around 6 months sleeping on cots in the back of a box truck, eating camping food along the way. They log around 30 miles a day.

Jones can’t stand on his bike to power up the hills because he has no knee joints. Because he has no knees, he can’t use his quads. He powers the bike with his hips and hip. But this Marine says he’s never shied away from a challenge. “The harder you push yourself, the more you’re gonna grow as a person. That’s what life is about for me,”.

Jones powerful message is painfully clear to his kid brother who watches every move he makes from behind the wheel of the support truck. “If someone can do an activity that requires legs, and do it without legs, then you can do anything,” said Miller.

Jones will donate 100 percent of any donations to three charities: The Coalition to Salute Americas Heroes, The Marine Semper Fi Fund and Ride 2 Recovery. He’s hoping to raise more than $1 million.


To follow Jones’ journey across America click here
Rob Jones cross-country bike trip journey


Donate to The Coalition To Salute America's Heroes
To make a donationDontae to The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
click here
Donate to Ride2Recovory

Wheelchair Van Fundraiser

Keep Newey Mobile Campaign

Keep Newey Mobile The Keep Newey Mobile Campaign is a fundraising effort for Josh Newey of Bridgewater, MA. This was created to raise funds to replace his current mobility van; a rusty and unreliable ’99 Caravan with 210,000 miles! We welcome your participation through online donations, or by attending our event.

Make a donation towards Josh’s new wheelchair accessible van here!

The next event for the Keep Newey Mobile Campaign is  a Craft and Vendor Fair organized by the Bridgewater Community Lions Cub which is being held at our Mobility Center!

Bridgewater Lions Club

Start your holiday shopping a little early and help support The Keep Newey Mobile Campaign! All proceeds go toward a new wheelchair accessible van for Josh!

When:
Saturday, October 19, 2013
10 AM -3 PM

Where:
VMi New England Mobility Center
1000 Main Street
Bridgewater, MA

Vendors:
Silpada, Tastefully Simple, Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, Thirty- One, Pampered Chef, and Scentsy. There will also be various crafters.

 

Keep Newey Mobile!

Join us at our Mobility Center this Saturday to help Keep Newey Mobile

Keep Newey Mobile - VMi New England

This event – a Craft and Vendor Fair is being held by the Bridgewater Community Lions Club to benefit the Keep Newey Mobile Campaign.

The Keep Newey Mobile Campaign is a fundraising effort for Josh Newey of Bridgewater, MA. This was created to raise funds to replace his current mobility van; a rusty and unreliable ’99 Caravan with 210,000 miles! We welcome your participation by attending this event, and/or through online donations.


Bridgewater Lions Club
When:
Saturday, October 19, 2013
10 AM -3 PM

Where:
VMi New England Mobility Center
1000 Main Street
Bridgewater, MA


Vendors:

Silpada, Tastefully Simple, Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, Thirty- One, Pampered Chef, and Scentsy.
There will also be various crafters.

_________________________________________________

Josh’s Story

Growing up in a rural town in western Massachusetts, Josh always loved adventure and the outdoors. He was an active member of the Boy Scouts and a motorsports enthusiast. Josh couldn’t get enough of go-karts, snowmobiles, dirt-bikes, radio controlled toys, tractors, trucks, and anything else with a motor! Some of Josh’s favorite projects as a child and teen included rebuilding small engines and restoring snowmobiles. Josh attended a vocational-agricultural high school and was planning a career in equipment operation, maintenance and repair.

January 11th 1997 is the day Josh describes as the “best and worst day of his life”. Josh was 19 years old and in northern Vermont doing one of his favorite activities, snowmobiling with friends. As nighttime approached and the weather turned poor, visibility was low. Unfamiliar with the trails, and trying to maintain pace with the others in the group Josh came to a bend in the trail and was not able to make the turn quickly enough. He went off the trail and his head collided with a tree branch, breaking his neck and compromising his spinal cord. Josh also suffered a severe compound leg fracture. Josh’s accident was far out in the woods and although he never lost consciousness, it was only because of exhausting efforts by some of the others he was riding with that his life was saved. They knocked on doors seeking a phone to call for emergency help while others stayed behind to stabilize Josh. With the help of good Samaritan locals using a ladder as a backboard, he was carried to the back of a pickup truck, and transported to a location where an ambulance could finally take him to the hospital.

After being diagnosed with a C5/6 incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), Josh was left a quadriplegic. He has paralysis from the chest down, with limited use of his arms and hands. He spent 4 months in acute rehabilitation learning to care for himself, transfer to and from his wheelchair, and how to embrace this new lifestyle. He moved to the South Shore of MA to live with his father so he could be closer to the medical resources he needed including outpatient therapy. The next several years were spent striving towards living an independent life again. After 3 years and some generous donations, Josh was physically as well as financially ready to drive again with the use of an accessible van and hand controls. The very same van we’re trying to replace with this campaign. (After 13 years & 206,000 miles it has served him well but it is used up!)

Josh attended Bridgewater State College and graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. He was a member of the Peer Leadership Program, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and he managed the swim team. He later returned to school for a post-baccalaureate certificate in Graphic and Web Design.

Today,  36-year-old Josh lives on his own in Bridgewater MA., works part-time as a marketing specialist, and strives to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. He is completely independent and a social creature by nature. Josh enjoys live music, traveling, visiting with friends and family, and anything related to motorsports!

Josh is an amazing human being who has overcome so many obstacles while maintaining a positive, upbeat attitude. He takes every day as it comes and his favorite expression is “Let the Good Times Roll”.

EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System


Saving
You Both Time & Effort


The automatic docking base allows wheelchair users to easily lock their wheelchairs into place without the assistance of others. No more struggling to cinch the straps down; no more hassle. We do our best to make it easy for you to meet your mobility needs; whether your driving or just enjoying the ride.

EZ Lock is perfectly suited for both wheelchair seated passengers and drivers. In fact, no other adaptive device provides for more freedom of mobility, or enhances the user’s overall level of independence, than the EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System does.

You can also have confidence that the EZ Lock is a tried and true system, with more than two decades of proven performance.




The BL-7317 Docking Base

The enhanced BL-7317 Docking Base is a product of our more than twenty years of research and hands-on experience.

The basic design is based on the time and street proven performance of the BL-6290 Docking Base with the addition of advanced features that promote a longer service life as well as simplifying routine maintenance.

 

  • Hardened Steel Reinforcement
  • Detachable Locking Mechanism for Maintenance & Service
  • Accepts the Optional Remote Cable Release
  • Durable Powder Coated Finish
  • Includes the Dependable ECU-3 Electronics Package


The BL-7317 Docking Base sets the standard for the next generation of wheelchair securement devices.

 

 

The BL-6290 Docking Base
The introduction of the original EZ Lock BL-6290 Docking System more than 20 years ago, changed the way people think about wheelchair mobility and transportation. The BL-6290 docking system has proven to be a versatile, reliable, and safe alternative to fabric strap tie-downs.

 

  • Over 20 Years of Proven Performance
  • Accepts  Optional Remote Cable Release
  • Durable Powder Coated Finish
  • Includes  Dependable ECU-3 Electronics Package

The EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System has helped many thousands of wheelchair users worldwide to overcome the obstacles associated with driving from, or riding as a seated passenger in a wheelchair.

 


Electronics You Can Count On

Our electronics have a reputation for dependability. The touchpad control has an array of clearly visible indicators to monitor the docking status of the wheelchair, an audible alarm, and large back-lit buttons for release and system deactivation.

The green light indicates the wheelchair is fully engaged in the docking base. The yellow light indicates the wheelchair is NOT fully engaged with the docking base. The user must exit the docking base and re-attempt until fully engaged.

 

The EZ Lock has helped many thousands of wheelchair users worldwide to overcome the obstacles associated with driving from, or riding as a passenger in a wheelchair.