As we want to provide for the needs of all our students and other constituents, we want to carefully consider transportation for our school and events. School buses and other vehicles are specifically made to keep all riders safe and provide a way for all travelers, regardless of individual physical limitations, to get to and from your building. This article will provide thoughts to consider as you shop for vehicles to meet your specific needs, particularly for those with a physical disability.
Note: When purchasing vehicles for your school or organization, always ensure you are following any and all federal and state guidelines when it comes to any transportation. This article will not provide an exhaustive list of all requirements for disability-accessible vehicles.
Can Your Vehicle Be Used, Even with Modifications?
Even before we consider a vehicle to select, we have to know the purpose of the vehicle. If you plan to transport a large amount of students, then you’re going to have to buy a federally-approved school bus. More specifically, using a passenger vehicle with the intention of transporting 11 or more passengers (including the driver) for school purposes violates federal law, unless specifically approved to be used in an emergency situation by the secretary of transportation. You can certainly try to get an approved school bus smaller than normal to suit your needs, but the important thing is that your vehicle contains the structure and components that make school buses approved for transporting students. Often, a large traditional passenger vehicle will not have the enforced structure to distribute any crash forces, and certainly won’t have the lights and stop arms necessary to meet those requirements either.
Assuming you are using this vehicle for smaller purposes, you’ll also need to follow other guidelines, which can include:
Insurance: You have a policy that will cover property and accident damage sufficiently
Inspections: Your vehicle needs to be inspected annually for compliance with the rules of the Department of Transportation
Driver in Good Standing: Submits every 3 years the operator “is not afflicted with or suffering from any mental or physical disability or disease such as to prevent the operator from exercising reasonable control over a motor vehicle” and background and criminal history are accounted
Assuming you are doing your due diligence with the vehicle you have bought or plan to purchase, you can then make sure your vehicle will cover the needs of whoever you need to transport.
Converting Your Vehicle
If the van or vehicle you purchase doesn’t have the accessibility features right away, you’ll need to add them before putting your vehicle in use. Van modification experts will be able to help you make the right decisions for your vehicle to make it as smooth of a ride as possible for all your passengers. For example, to become wheelchair accessible, you might implement some of these modifications:
Install a Ramp: Whether you place the ramp in the rear or side of your vehicle can make a difference in where you can park and the ramp size you can install. Additionally, these ramps could be in the floor and extend out to save space, or a fold-out to allow the addition of handrails or other features
Create Additional Headroom: By lowering the floor of the vehicle, you can increase the amount of ceiling space you have and decrease the angle for any ramps you may install
Install a Lift: With enough space, a lift can be installed to get the wheelchair in line with the height of the floor, allowing for an easier time to get into the vehicle
Securing the Wheelchair: Make use of seat belts, straps, or floor anchors to keep the wheelchair in place, especially if the person will be in the wheelchair during the entire vehicle ride
If your driver is the one in need of modifications, you can look into assistive driving equipment to also provide for their needs.
Depending on your vehicle and its intended use, you’ll want to check which other items you’ll need to provide, such as additional lights, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, floor size, additional handrails, doorway stripes, mirrors, and more.
Other Considerations
There’s a variety of other thoughts to consider, whether through traditional or handicap-accessible uses.
Children Birth to Age 5: These young children can often require additional accommodations to provide safe travel, such as safety seats and belts, ride length, and more. Do additional research on what to provide if you need to transport these little ones
Transportation of Goods: If you want to use your vehicle to transport a large amount of items, you’ll need to check how sturdy your vehicle is. A larger van is more prone to rolling over in accidents, especially when fully loaded with goods or people
Communication: When you have these accessibility features, ensure the parents or guardians know about them to properly educate their children on how to use these features, and also be safe when traveling in any school bus, vehicle, or other transportation methods
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While it is a lot of work to have an accessible vehicle for all your travelers, it is essential if you want everyone to have equal access to your building and the ability to travel. The people who need these features most are going to be very appreciative of all the accommodations you’re making. All the efforts to provide the vehicle will be well worth the time in order to have all your students or travelers thrive and succeed.
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Chalmers Ford
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