How To Purchase The Right Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle

In the last 10 years or so, there has been a move (both in public transport in the UK and indeed in vehicles that are leased) to include more accessibility options for people who are in wheelchairs. 

As the planet has a population that is living longer and has more schools that are now able to offer wheelchair-friendly buildings, it should come as no surprise that car designers and even those who design buses for schools are finally factoring this group in, to ensure that as many people as possible are accommodated for. 

But if you are looking to purchase a wheelchair-accessible vehicle for your workplace, school, or even personal use, this is not something to take lightly, and you will need to put a lot of research and effort into choosing the right car or bus. 

So, how do you go about doing this successfully? Read on to find out.

Why Is Having A Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Important?

In 2022, there are many advantages to be had by having a wheelchair-accessible vehicle for your club, school or other groups. 

For one thing, if you run a club that frequently takes trips, ensuring that otherwise excluded members of the group can be included will boost the clubs’ reviews, and of course everyone in the group will be happy to have attended the outing and will continue to attend the club. 

If you are a head teacher and are thinking of minibus leasing for your school, having a wheelchair-accessible vehicle means that those who attend your school who are in wheelchairs won’t have to pay for specialised cars to take them to or from school, and they will be more likely to engage in outings with the school as well as extracurricular activities. 

Now, on to how you go about choosing the right vehicle for your group or school.

Research!

The first thing that is needed on your end is to conduct research.

If you are looking to purchase the vehicle, then you will need to ensure that you purchase is from a reputable dealer. You will also need to ensure that the vehicle comes with ramps, enough space and even lifts if you are looking into purchasing a van. You will also need to be familiar with the safety checks that are required when purchasing a vehicle with these additional features too. 

Conducting in-depth research will also allow you to size up the costs of these vehicles and give you a better ballpark estimate of how much it will cost to purchase them.

Try It Out

This can be a bit trickier to do, if you are purchasing the vehicle for a club that is yet to have members who use wheelchairs, but if you can fully test run how it all works.  

If you are a head teacher, it can be worth checking with your students who use wheelchairs if they are able to get into and out of the vehicle safely and easily, while also ensuring that it has the safety requirements in place. They will be able to tell you where there are problems and what they have found useful in the past. Once again, this is where research comes in handy prior to purchase, as you will then not waste time on vehicles which not going to be suitable. 

Consider Financing Options

When you were conducting research into vehicles that are wheelchair accessible, you will inevitably come across the financing options that are available. While you may have a fixed budget in mind, it is worth considering that you may need to take out a loan or financing options to ensure that all of your needs are met. Safety equipment can cost extra when it comes to a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, and it is well worth paying for.

Comfort

It sounds obvious, but when you are purchasing a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, you will need to ensure that the person or people who use it will be comfortable for the duration of their time in it. 

This means that the floor will need to be level, and when they are seated or are riding the bus or van in their wheelchair that they are not being shaken and that the chair itself is secured with seatbelts to the floor of the vehicle, as well as using a four-point securement method. 

Size

It sounds obvious, but is the van or bus you are looking to purchase big enough to transport as many wheelchair users as it states? 

If you feel it is too small to safely accommodate everyone with the aforementioned comfort and safety features, then it is well worth shopping around more and asking as many questions as you can before making a purchase.