At VCI Mobility, our mission is to understand our customers’ needs and then combine our experience and our resources to create practical, everyday, cost-efficient solutions.
In our business, there is no such thing as the “typical” person, because everyone’s mobility needs are unique. However, there are certain patterns that emerge that let us predict and prepare solutions that will be helpful to a lot of people, particularly those who have a partial disability.
Mobility Options for Many!
An example of a unique personal mobility equipment solution is a pre-owned 2005 Toyota Sienna in which we added a great combination of products to provide improved mobility to those who need it.
Two Mobility Products, One Mobility Solution
We took the Toyota Sienna pictured and equipped it with two assistive mobility products from Bruno:
- The Toyota Lift-Up Seat (Bruno TAS-2560)
- The Joey Wheelchair and Scooter Lift
The Toyota Lift-Up Seat (Bruno TAS-2560)
The Joey Wheelchair and Scooter Lift
The combination of the lift-up seat and the Joey lift enables a person to more easily enter and exit the vehicle, as well as quickly stow a mobility scooter or wheelchair for transport. Now, people who suffer from mobility loss—and/or those who care for them—can dramatically expand their world with more frequent and less difficult transportation.
Who Can Benefit from Something Like This?
The person most likely to use a solution like this would be a wheelchair or scooter user who has enough mobility to walk short distances and has the ability to stand and turn so that he or she can sit in the assistive seat. The application would not work for an adaptive driver (an individual driving from a wheelchair).
In addition, the seat, lift, and minivan shown have dimensional requirements and weight restrictions. In general, this application would work well for a person who was less than 5’11” tall and weighed less than 300 pounds. The wheelchair or scooter to be used could weigh no more than 300 pounds.
The greatest challenge with all assistive seating is ensuring that users have enough room for their legs to swing into the vehicle without getting hung up on the door. If you are close to the height limits, we will want to evaluate your situation very carefully.
What’s the Cost?
The Toyota Lift-Up Seat (Bruno TAS-2560)
The Joey Wheelchair and Scooter Lift
The vehicle spotlighted here, as well as the two mobility adaptations added to it, were pre-owned and therefore available at a very reasonable price. The Toyota Sienna is an XLE with 88,829 miles. The Joey lift, once a demo, is a platform that you can drive an unoccupied power scooter or wheelchair onto. With a push of a button, the lift moves the power chair safely and effortlessly into the hatch of the vehicle. By touching and holding a button, you can turn the Toyota Lift-Up Seat out and lower it so that those in need of mobility assistance can easily enter a vehicle. The used Toyota Sienna minivan equipped with Joey lift and Lift-Up seat is selling at a price of $23,995.
If you were to compare that pricing to brand-new products, Toyota Sienna minivans range from $29,000 to $39,000. The Bruno Joey lift and Lift-Up seat are around $3,000 and $7,000, respectively. So, new, this setup would cost approximately $39,000 to $49,000.
Lower-Priced Options
As you can see, we can often create a mobility solution that is less expensive. The mobility solution in this situation is ideal for someone who is smaller and/or has a smaller, lighter scooter/wheelchair.
Ask an Expert!
If you think that using mobility-enhancing products such as these could improve your daily life—or that of someone you care for—be sure to give us a call at 800-784-8267 and talk to one of our experienced Mobility Consultants. We are helping people overcome mobility challenges every day and would love to help you with yours.