What Community Organizations Should Know Before Buying an Accessible Van

If a community organization wants to buy an accessible van, there are a few things to consider first before purchasing. In today’s blog article, we want to talk about these buying decisions.

Intended Use

You have to think about what types of wheelchairs you want space for. For example, manual wheelchairs or motorized ones. Different types of wheelchairs require different heights and width clearances as well as different tie-downs for safety.

Just because a van is labeled accessible, does not mean that it will be accessible for every type of chair. So, to start, there is the question of what types of chairs you want to accommodate and how many of them. There are also individual who might transfer from a wheelchair to a regular chair. Are you going to be able to accommodate them as well.

Entry and Exit

There are different ways for wheelchairs to enter an accessible van. Rear entry can be more convenient for parking, but side entry might be better if the wheelchair user rides in front.

Is there a ramp or lift? Does the lift have enough capacity for the weight of the intended chair?

Interior Space

You also have to consider interior space. Do you want or will you have space for non-wheelchair users? This may affect the size of the van or bus you want to purchase.

It is useful to have a good relationship with the accessible van dealer, because the dealer will be a wealth of information. Some parts of an accessible van can be expensive to fix, so you will want to have a clear idea of the condition of all the important components.

We encourage you to contact us at our toll-free number (888) 416-9333 in Canada, if you would like to further discuss the use of telematics and bus fleets. This is our business and area of expertise, and we can help you with anything bus related.

Dynamic Specialty Vehicles has been supplying and servicing mid-sized buses for over 30 years. With long-term contracts with demanding clients like BC Ambulance and BC Transit, Dynamic Specialty Vehicles knows how to keep their clients safe and their buses running smoothly.

If you have any questions about this article or would like further information about buses and/or services, please call us on our Toll-Free number, (888) 416-9333.