Southern Mobility Vehicles | Practicalities of a Wheelchair Accessible Minibus
Our minibuses can be designed to be tailored to the specific needs of the users. To aid you in your decision making process we decided to create a presentation to help you gain an understanding of the different types of access and establish which access type is most suitable for your passengers.
Wheelchair Accessible Minibus Access Types: Electric Winch: Why have a ramp when you can be winched! By having an electric winch installed in your wheelchair accessible minibus you can then attach the chairs to it so they can be pulled as opposed to pushed in.
Minibus Lift: Are your passengers apprehensive about accessing your vehicle? A lift could be the solution for you. A power operated lift can be installed at the rear of the minibus to lower users from the vehicle to the floor and back again. A rail is often included which your passengers can hold on to, to give them a greater feeling of security when moving.
Ramp: Installing a ramp is the most common option for wheelchair accessible minibuses. All ramps have non slip surfaces and raised edges to ensure chairs do not slip off.
Minibus Hoist: Some wheelchair users are happy to be transferred from their chairs to standard seats. To help this process it is possible to have a hoist fitted to your minibus.
Other things to consider: As well as thinking about what access amendments you may need to incorporate when establishing the type of wheelchair accessible minibus you are going to purchase it is worth considering both the floor and the location of the access.
Realisticly you want a minibus with a lower floor. The more shallow the incline the easier access. Also it is worth considering where you will be parking your vehicle. Access to minibuses from the rear can be tricky in town centres or on busy streets. Ramps and lifts can be added to side access vehicles so that access can be directly too and from the pavement.
Southern Mobility Vehicles hope this presentation has in some way aided you in your decision making process. If you have any further questions however or would like to view some of our wheelchair accessible minibuses, visit our website today!