Wheelchair Lift Vans Vs. Wheelchair Ramp Vans

by AbilityTrend on February 16th, 2010

There are two types of wheelchair accessible van conversions: a lowered floor minivan with a wheelchair ramp and an accessible full size van with a wheelchair lift. Each has advantages and drawbacks depending on lifestyle.



Wheelchair Accessible Minivans



Wheelchair accessible minivans are typically built on a Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country, Honda Odyssey, or Toyota Sienna minivan chassis. They have a lowered floor, handicap ramp, and often a power kneeling feature to lower the van and reduce the ramp angle. The lowered floor on an accessible wheelchair minivan conversion creates enough headroom to comfortably enter the van and ride once inside. The wheelchair ramp either folds out from an upright in-door position or slides out from under the floor.



Accessible handicap minivans come as a manual or power conversion. A power wheelchair minivan conversion operates on either a remote control or dash switches. Push a button and the door slides open, the ramp comes out, and the entire mobility van lowers to the ground. Ride your personal mobility device inside, hit the button, and the whole system reverses.



Some of the most popular wheelchair accessible van conversion options are the VMI Northstar (power in floor ramp), the VMI Summit (power folding ramp), and the VMI Northstar E-Series. There are local VMI Dealers in almost every city in America that can assist with selecting the right wheelchair van.

Wheelchair Accessible Full Size Vans




There are a whole bunch of options on a full size wheelchair van. First and foremost is the wheelchair lift. There are several wheelchair lift manufacturers to choose from, but the two most popular and well known are Ricon and BraunAbility. Regardless of the wheelchair lifts manufacturer, there are several basic types: cassette lifts that slide out from under the full size van, horizontal folding lifts which allow for better vision through the windows, vertical folding lifts which allow passengers to enter the van without deploying the lift, and platform wheelchair lifts which are the most basic forms of wheelchair lifts. Depending on the type of lifter selected, it may be available as a hydraulic wheelchair lift or as an electric wheelchair lift.



The next option to choose from is a raised roof and raised door. These can be important full size handicap van features, because they will give the wheelchair passenger enough headroom to enter the wheelchair accessible van safely. The additional height they provide also make it possible to maneuver a wheelchair easily once inside the handicap van.



The final major option of a full size handicap van conversion is a lowered floor. This feature can be more expensive than a raised top and door, so many mobility consumers only select a lowered floor full size mobility van if they absolutely need the additional headroom it provides when combined with a raised roof.



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