Wheelchair accessible vehicles with a lift

How to board your wheelchair accessible vehicle

If you’ve been looking for a wheelchair accessible vehicle for any amount of time you’ll know that they generally come with a ramp.

The ramp usually folds in and out of the vehicle and allows the wheelchair user to get in and out of the vehicle easily without having to leave the wheelchair. Depending on the strength and ability of the user the individual can sometimes get themselves into and out of the vehicle themselves – although the ramp obviously has an incline and we definitely recommend getting a helping hand.

Some ramp based vehicles also have the option of a powered or ‘electric’ winch. The winch attaches to the wheelchair and gently pulls the wheelchair up into the vehicle. A winch is ideal if both the carer and the wheelchair user are not confident or prevent by illness from safely pushing the wheelchair in and out of the vehicle. While winches are not in every vehicle – they are fairly common, and we normally have these in stock.

If you require a vehicle with a winch but cannot see one on the website – please get in touch as we can source the vehicles for you.

Boarding a WAV with a mobility scooter

While ramps are virtually the default method for boarding a WAV, they are by no means perfect for everyone – even with an attached winch. Users who have larger powered wheelchairs or mobility scooters often find the ramp is not large enough to allow the wheelchair on board safely and the weight of mobility scooters can be an issue.

If you do have a powered wheelchair or mobility scooter then a vehicle with a lift is the best option. Lifts are normally build into the back of the vehicle and offer a easy way to get on board. A lift comprises of a platform connected to a lifting arm which is controlled by a simple button press.

The platform is lowered by pressing the button and then the wheelchair is driven onto the platform, once secure the button is pressed again and the wheelchair is lifted into the back of the vehicle. the wheelchair user then moves further into the vehicle off the platform and the lift folds up into the back. You can see a simple demonstration of this in the video below.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8HkYUQ_LAQ

Lifts are bulky and you usually find them on larger vehicles.

While lifts are not as common as ramps and winches we often have them in stock available to buy or hire from WavsGB.
if you are looking for a vehicle with a wheelchair lift and cannot find one – contact us and we can source one for you.