Author: Sheri Denkensohn-Trott
Owning a wheelchair accessible van is a luxury. Many individuals with disabilities cannot afford one. In our case, our own van involved purchasing a regular minivan and then getting it customized for our use. The process is extensive and expensive. First, the floor is lowered at a special company that does van modification. We purchased a minivan that accommodates both my wheelchair and Tony’s scooter. To make sure that we both fit, we went to the vendor and tried in person in a van they had on the premises. In our case, that meant removing the middle two individual seats and there is a bench seat in the back. Tony can use his manual chair and get out and sit on the back bench seat or back into the van and lock his scooter in a special lockdown that was installed. The passenger seat was taken out and a device called an EZ lock was installed. A bolt was put on the bottom of my motorized chair so I can drive forward and lock down into the van for safety when driving. Buttons are installed in the van and on the keychain to automatically open the passenger side door and when it opens the ramp is automatically triggered to come out so we can easily enter and exit. It is no easy process, and the more motorization you have, the likelihood of something breaking increases.

That is what happened recently. After a medical appointment, the van door automatically opened but the ramp did not come out. We were in DC, and our attendant was frantically trying to figure out what was wrong. We were all brainstorming but no matter what we did, the ramp wouldn’t work. Luckily, I have a folding ramp that is good enough for two steps that I carry in the back of the van to enter facilities that have steps (that is a story for another blog). We used the portable ramp to get into the van so we could go home. And we exited the same way. Not ideal, but it worked.

So, unexpectedly the next day we left early in the morning to go to the specialized repair shop in Maryland. We sat in the waiting area and the van was out in the garage. After two hours, and no status report, my attendant went out to ask what was going on. The technician found fuses burned out in the battery that operates the door and the lift and surmised that as the problem. Off he went to get a new one. We remained, hopeful that the new battery would solve the problem. He returned and another hour passed. Again, we requested the status. We were told that the battery was needed, but installation did not fix the lift. The technician determined that a specific switch had fallen off the track where the automatic door opens, and that switch triggers the lift to open. Unfortunately, a new switch needs to be ordered and installed.

After four hours, completely hungry and exhausted, we left without a fix. Of course, I had to pay the bill for the work that was done even though we were leaving without a fixed ramp. This type of situation is when it absolutely stinks to have a specialized van. If I was “able-bodied,” I would have likely left the dealership within a couple of minutes with a rental car and not worry about the part until I got a call. Generally, the dealership covers the cost of a rental. I have the option of renting a van, but it costs a minimum of $100 a day plus a limit on mileage. In my case, that is not an option. Yes, we have the ability to use the van with the folding ramp but it is not ideal and certainly not safe.

Our biggest concern is whether the part will be promptly received, and the van will be fixed before a family wedding in Richmond later in the month. If not, we will have no choice but to incur the cost and rent a van. I will do my best not to worry because that won’t make the part get here any faster. Although I do plan to contact the dealership in a few days to see the estimated arrival date of the part. I really wish we could jump in a rental car and not worry about the situation. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple.