Buy Handicap Vans
November 12, 2007
Buy Handicap Vans
A lot of Churches and other organizations need to buy handicap vans to transport people to and from events. The search for these vehicles can get quite expensive, especially if they are bought new. There are a few ways to reduce the cost when you buy handicap vans and involve some upfront planning.
One approach is to start with a new vehicle. This is usually a large full sized van that can accommodate ea mix of passengers and wheelchair riders. The nice thing about starting off with a new vehicle is that you can customize it to your exact specifications. You can also pick the color and the options that are delivered with the vehicle unlike when you buy handicap vans used.
Once you have chosen the vehicle, the next step involves deciding on what type of assisted equipment you need to allow the wheelchairs access to the vehicle. This can be as simple as a vertical lift in the rear of the vehicle. There are a lot of configurations of this style of lift that can be used in the back and side entrances to a standard van. This is also a very cost effective option and can provide for multiple wheelchair lifts for each vehicle. This is a great alternative if you are looking to buy handicap vans for transporting a lot of people at once.
The other consideration is if the wheelchair occupant will be driving the van. If this is the case, you need to consider the access to the driver's seat. This will help you decide the best placement for the lift, which is usually the side door so that it is as close to the front of the vehicle as possible. Also, these ramps can be either fully automatic and work at the push of a button, or semi-automatic and need an operator to control them. The more automatic the lift is, the more expensive it gets. Once the decision on the vehicle and the lift is made, the two need to be integrated as a solution. There area lot of custom shops that can install the equipment to your specifications at a reasonable rate.
Another attractive alternative can be a used vehicle when you are looking to buy handicap vans. These take a little more work to locate, but can save you quite a lot of money compared to a brand new vehicle that is custom built to your specifications. Also, with a used vehicle you will have to compromise on things like color and it may not have all of the options you want, but these can easily be added.
If you take some time and do a little research before you start your search for to buy handicap vans, it will save you some time and possibly some money. You have a lot of choices in both vehicle type and lift type and should decide before you start looking which type appeals to you. This will make the search a lot easier and stress free when you are looking to buy handicap vans.
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