On (29 Sep 95) Ed Grey wrote to All...
 EG> Hello All,
 EG>      I   am  in the process the considering the purchase   of   a full
 EG>  size  or mini van.  As some of you know, I need and  use  a scooter
 EG> (Pride Legend, 4 wheeler) which I will need to be able to load  into
 EG> the van.  I currently use a Bruno Curb-sider,  in  the bed  of a
 EG> pick-up, and for the most part I have been happy  with it, so I would
 EG> probably use one in the van.
Following info is a little dated, but still useful from the SPINAL
INJURY Echo:
#1November 1991
 
A van is a practical method of transportation for someone using a
wheelchair. Vans equipped with automatic lifts are convenient because
they can eliminate difficult or awkward transfers and the difficulties
of loading and unloading a wheelchair. They also provide easy
transportation for non-folding wheelchairs, and heavy powered
wheelchairs.
 
There are many variables and optional features to consider when choosing
a van lift. There are different types, such as platform or rotary. There
are also two types of platform lifts, those using linear vertical tracks
or the parallel arm type which uses a parabolic line of travel.
Compatibility can be an issue as not all van lifts fit all models of
vans.  The type of operation, such as electric or hydraulic, may also be
an important decision in extreme climates and temperatures.
 
Another decision is whether to get a mini-van or a full size van. The
driver's ability to transfer to the standard driver's seat is a
critical consideration in this decision. The driver's view is obscured
by the top of the windshield when sitting in a wheelchair. This is
resolved by dropping the floor in the driver's area, but mini-van floors
cannot be dropped because of their construction. Mini-vans can also cost
more to convert for wheelchair use because they require more
modifications to install the special equipment.  On the other hand, they
are smaller, easier to park, and more economical to drive.
 
At this time there are no universal standards for van lifts or any other
van modifications needed to accommodate wheelchairs or drivers with
disabilities. Standards establish the criteria for technical control,
product performance and quality assurance, and while a few states or
agencies have guidelines,most are not performance oriented or uniform.
In 1987 the Society of Automotive Engineers established a sub-committee
to undertake the difficult task of preparing standards or recommended
design practices for equipment for people with disabilities as related
to transportation. The mission of the  task force is to establish
performance standards that will provide a base line of performance that
can be universally used by all manufacturers to validate the safety,
integrity, and performance of these products without inhibiting the
designers' ingenuity.
                          CHOOSING A VAN LIFT
* If you are installing a van lift on an existing van, it is important
to identify what lifts are compatible with the make, model and year of
the van,then choose among those lifts for the style or brand that has
the most desired features.
 
* In converting a van many installers refuse to cut the frame of a
vehicle to accommodate the required modifications for specific
equipment.  Cutting the frame of a van usually voids the manufacturer's
warranties. If you already have a van, it is important to discuss with
the installer whether it can b converted safely. It may be necessary to
consider selling an existing van and purchasing a model that is more
suitable for conversion.
 
* If you are purchasing a new van you may want to choose the style and
brand of lift first. A model of van can then be purchased that is
compatible with that lift.
 
* If you live in a snowbelt or desert region the reliable operation of a
lift in extreme climates and temperatures is important. A specific brand
may perform well in prolonged hot or freezing temperatures. Some systems
may not work well in heavy snow.
 
* The type of parking you most often encounter is an important
consideration in choosing the style of lift. Parallel and pull-in
parking needs should be considered as they can affect the choice of
specific brands or styles of lifts, and the choice of side or rear
installation.
 
* If you have an existing wheelchair, compatibility with the style,
size, and brand of that wheelchair is also a critical part of the
decision. Some wheelchairs have a wheelbase that is too long for the
platform of many van lifts, particularly the three wheeled scooter-type
powered wheelchairs.
 
* The options available with the various lifts may also be important to
consider, including the availability of a manual emergency back-up
system to lower the lift if the drive system fails.
 
                             STYLES OF VAN LIFTS 
Platform L32
 
A platform lift folds out from the van similar to a drawbridge, and
requires perpendicular access to load or unload a wheelchair. When
parallel parking on a street the lift easily crosses the space between
the van and the curb. It also uses minimal storage space within the van,
folding upright against the door. When using a pull-in type of parking
space, the equivalent of two parking spaces (eight to ten feet) is
needed to lower the platform lift and load or unload a wheelchair. This
is a problem if other drivers park cars too close to the side of the
van.  A platform lift can also be installed on the rear door of the van,
but this often requires loading or unloading the wheelchair in a traffic
lane.  Rear door mounting also eliminates the use of space for extra
passenger seats.
Most platform lifts block the normal use of the door by ambulatory
passengers, requiring operation of the lift to open the passageway.
There is one style which allows the platform to be folded in half,
opening up access to ambulatory passengers through half of the width of
the door (e.g.,VanGater by Crow River Industries).
 
There are two types of platform lifts. In one, the platform rides on
linear vertical tracks and these usually have fewer moving parts but
they also tend to be very heavy (in the 400 pound class). The other type
uses double parallelogram arms giving the platform a parabolic line of
travel.  These have fewer potential shear points where parts of the
chair, clothing or the passenger can be caught during lift operation,
somewhat less clearance is needed for loading and unloading due to the
horizontal platform travel but they usually have a shorter platform
length and the increased number of pivot points usually need more
regular maintenance.
 
 
Rotary Lifts
A rotary lift is mounted to a vertical post and rotates outward from the
side door on its vertical axis. It uses access parallel to the van to
load or unload a wheelchair. It usually operates within the width of the
open front door or approximately three feet. When usin g pull-in parking
spaces, operation requires enough room to open the front passenger door
completely. If the spaces are narrow or other cars are parked too
closely to open the passenger door fully there will not be enough space
to operate the lift.
 
Parallel parking by curbs presents some difficulty for rotary van lifts.
The van must either be as close as possible to the curb to lower the
lift on the grass or sidewalk, or far enough away from the curb to lower
the lift completely onto the street. If the platform of the lift is
partly over the curb it is impossible to load or unload a wheelchair.
The rotary style lift can only be used with side doors and it does not
fold for storage and uses much more space within the van. This may
interfere with rear passenger seating. It also blocks normal use of the
side door by ambulatory passengers.
 
 
Overhead Strap Lift
This lift uses an arm with nylon straps that attach to four points on
the wheelchair and hook onto the arm of the lift. The lift has no
platform and uses little storage space in the van. The lift can be
installed in van or motor-home doors that are a minimum of 30 inches
wide, or 2+ inches wider than the wheelchair. The wheelchair is loaded
and unloaded perpendicular to the van, but less space is required
because there is no platform to lower.
 
TYPES OF OPERATION
* Electric: All electric lifts require a low operating amperage and is
powered by the vehicle's 12-volt battery. Most electric lifts are
lighter in weight. They operate consistently in temperature extremes.
Some are quieter than others. A spare battery can be installed for
emergency backup power.
 
* Hydraulic: Also known as electro-hydraulic, this type of lift uses
electric motors wired to the vehicle's battery to power fluid flow
through hydraulic cylinders. The cylinders guide the lift up and down
and, in fully automatic lifts, the folding and unfolding operations of
the lift.  Hydraulic lifts are heavier and more durable but the
hydraulic fluid may not operate well in extremely cold weather and the
hoses need to be checked to avoid leakages.
 
* Fully Automatic: All lift operations (i.e., folding, unfolding,
raising,lowering) are completely automatic by use of remote switches.
 
* Semi-automatic: The platform of the lift is folded and unfolded
manually by an attendant. Motors drive the up and down operations by use
of remote switches.
 
 
WHEELCHAIR TIE-DOWN SYSTEM
 
If someone is going to remain in a wheelchair while riding in a van,
special tie-down or restraint systems for the wheelchair and seat belts
for the person must be used for safety. Wheelchairs are not designed to
withstand the forces of gravity like an automobile seat, and can be
tipped over easily by even a minor collision or sudden braking. A
tiedown system should be installed in each place a wheelchair will be
positioned in the van. This   includes the driver's position, and the
front passenger position or rear   passenger positions. A backup
tie-down system for the wheelchair should be   considered (two tie-down
systems used simultaneously); in major accidents some tie-down systems
have been known to release on impact. It is also very important that a
standard seat belt, separate from the wheelchair tie-down system, be
used for the person in the wheelchair. The wheelchair tie-down system
only stops the chair from tipping or moving, it does not stop the person
from being thrown out of the chair in a collision.
OPTIONAL FEATURES
* A raised roof may be needed to allow a tall person to sit upright, or
to accommodate a high reclining back and headrest on a wheelchair. A
raised door may be required if the platform was lengthened to fit an
individual's wheelchair.
 
* To achieve the proper eye level to drive from a wheelchair a portion
of the floor may need to be lowered. Local policies and regulations vary
on how this can be done and to what type of vans (e.g., California
allows no structural modifications to vehicles with unit body
construction).
 
* An automatic lock for a flap at the end of the platform to prevent the
chair from rolling off the edge of the platform while in mid-air.
 
* A hand crank for manual operation if there is a power failure. These
require an attendant to operate but will allow the lift to be lowered in
emergencies.
 
* Controls: Various types of control switches are available for
operating the lift up and down, folding and unfolding, and a powered
door operator. These can be mounted in multiple locations for the
convenience of a person in a wheelchair or an attendant. Full sets of
controls can be mounted near the driver's seat, and in a locking
compartment on the exterior of the van. An up and down control can be
mounted on the lift.
 
* Other van accessories: power seat, power door, portable ramp, lowered
floor, raised top, low effort and zero effort steering, low effort
braking,  hand controls, power parking brake, auto hand rail, auto
safety barrier, and remote starters and door openers.
 
 
ALTERNATIVES TO VAN LIFTS 
Ramps can be used with all vans. Folding ramps can be bolted to the
floor inside the side or rear door. When not in use the ramp folds in
half and stores in an upright position just inside the door. Portable
ramps or folding tracks can also be used. These are not permanently
fastened and must be repositioned for each use. Some ramps have foot
cleats or steps in the center portion to provide better footing for the
attendant pushing the wheelchair,but these cannot be used with the
three-wheeled scooter type wheelchairs. Some mini-vans can be purchased
with a ramp already in place.  Wheelchair  loaders and carriers provide
other options. Loaders can be mounted in a van,the trunk of a car, or in
the back of a pick-up truck to load the wheelchair into the vehicle
after the person has transferred from the chair. Various models of
wheelchair carriers are available for manual and powered wheelchairs.
Carriers are available that can be mounted to the bumper trailer hitch,
or on the top of the car.
 
"Kneeling" conversions are also available for mini-vans. Using a remote
control switch the floor of the van lowers closer to the ground to allow
use of a ramp with a minimal grade for entry or egress. The ramp opens
and closes automatically during the kneeling operation. The door and
ramp can be manually operated during emergencies. The kneeling feature
can be purchased on a van or installed on an existing van but it can
only be used with selected mini-vans, check with manufacturers.
 
Bibliography 
"Aids for the Disabled Driver"; Paraplegia News, Vol 36 No 6, June 1982;
pp 46-54.
 
Ford & Duckworth; Physical Management for the Quadriplegic Patients; 2nd
ed.;Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company; 1987; pp 601-605.
 
Garee, E; Going Places in Your Own Vehicle; Bloomington, IL: Accent
Special Publications; 182
 
 
Hamilton, L; Why Didn't Somebody Tell Me About These Things: A
Collection of lnformation and illustrations of Equipment, Aids,
Clothing, Skills and Other Things of Interest for the ALS Patient and
Patients with Similar Diseases and Handicapping Conditions; Shawnee
Mission, KS: Inter-Collegiate Press; 1984.
 
Latson, L; "Overview of disabled Drivers' Evaluation Process"; American
Occupational Therapy Association Physical Disabilities Special Interest
Section
Newsletter, Vol 10 No 4, December 1987; pp 1,7.
 
Transportation I: A State of the Art Conference on Personal
--- PPoint 1.96
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