There are many different types of wheel chair accessible vans available in the market today, but the most important considerations that you need to keep in mind before slapping any money on the table should be not only the size of the wheelchair that you will be using but also the means by which you be getting it into the van. Different types of vans have different levels of access: from portable ramps, to those that lower the floor all the way, to even power lifts that actually pick up the chair. But if the vans that have these types of improvements already installed prove too much for your pocketbook, know that there are other simpler and less expensive modifications that can be made to standard vans for you to enjoy hassle free entry and exit. So what are your options?

These changes include stiffening the suspension of the vehicle to allow for additional weight to be carried with ease. The floor of the van could also be removed and the front seats adjusted accordingly to give the wheelchair and the person on it more room to maneuver. Furthermore a turning seat could also be added on as this will make it that much easier for a wheel chair to be manipulated. When it comes to ramps, which by the way is one of the best ways to save money and at the same time make any van wheelchair accessible, there are several options available for wheelchair vans and these include folding ramps whether they be manual or motorized, sliding ramps that are hidden in the floor of the van and even rear entry folding ramps. All of these are an excellent addition to wheelchair accessible vans as they make life much easier for the person on the wheel chair and those around them. Platform lifts can also be added to any van so that the wheelchair and its occupant can be lowered and raised from the inside of the vehicle to the ground. There are several types of platform lifts and these include mono and double arm lifts to choose from as well as under body lifts. The mono arm is preferred for private vehicles because they can fit in better while the other two are more for minibuses and buses.

Wheelchair accessible vans make movement and overall transportation that much easier for the person using the wheelchair, but they shouldn't have to cost you an arm and leg just to get them. Keep in mind that simple additions like that of the folding or sliding ramp perform the same basic tasks that more expensive ones do but at a much lower price, plus they can make almost any vehicle wheelchair ready.