#3 Rear-Entry Accessible Vans--Pros and Cons: Wheeled Mobility Accessible Van Info Series

As a pediatric physical therapist, I have many clients who have handicap accessible vans. However, I feel there are a lot of things I don't know about these vehicles. I meet with Mark Masters who answers my basic questions about handicap accessible vans. My friend and co-instructor, Sebastian, is getting a new van, so we go to find out more. Sebastian makes a guest appearance in several of these videos. In this series of videos, I ask about styles of lifts, manual versus power lifts, rear versus side entry, new versus used vans, lock down mechanisms, and discuss raising the roof and dropping the floor. Hope you learn along with me! Please note I have no financial arrangement or benefit derived from creating these videos with Mark or MobilityWorks.
I am so honored to have people from all over the world watch my videos. I have reviewed and corrected the closed captions for this video so that you might understand what I am saying even if you don't speak English. I hope the directions below are helpful to you.
To turn on Captions, click CC in the bottom right corner of the video
To choose a different caption language:
At the bottom right, click Settings. It looks like a wheel.
Click Subtitles/CC.
Select a language.
If the language isn't listed when you click Subtitles/CC:
Click Auto-translate.
Select a language.
Of course, if the captions are in the way of viewing the details in the video, you can always turn them off in the bottom right-hand corner of your video screen.
Here are the links for my books on Amazon:
"A is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder"
www.amazon.com...
"C is for Cerebral Palsy"
www.amazon.com...
"D is for Down Syndrome"
www.amazon.com...
"A is for Autism"
www.amazon.com...
"Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips"
www.amazon.com...
"Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees"
www.amazon.com/...
"Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles"
www.amazon.com...

[@HighTen_Melanie]

Automatic powered ramps are not as common due to the cost. I’ve only seen them being used on vans like mine as I’m an independent disabled driver and drive my van while seated in my powerchair. The total cost of conversion plus additional adaptive controls, automatic lockdowns etc put it at around x8 the cost of an ordinary car. I prefer a rear entry van as you are less likely to be blocked in as people seem to persist on parking on the hash lines making ramp access impossible. The ideal solution for me would be an additional ramp at the side for when you are blocked at the rear and vice versa but the cost would be astronomical.

[@pediatricPTexercises]

Super information. Thank you!

[@MatthewFordVictoria]

The best thing about Rear Entry Vans is how you can park it in a Regular Parking Stall or Garage and still get out. I tried a Side Entry Van and we couldn't put it in the Garage because there's no room for the ramp. We have a Garage, but we couldn't use it.

[@pediatricPTexercises]

Makes sense to me!