After driving an old, beat-up car for years, I finally made the decision to upgrade my transportation. I had set aside a little money every month to use as a down payment, and I was ready to make a new car my own. I searched loads of car dealerships in my area, but one business stood out to me in particular. The salespeople were kind and not pushy, and they had a reputation for fair deals. I worked with them to find the right car, and the paperwork was a breeze. This blog is all about upgrading your transportation, and why you shouldn't be afraid to take the plunge.
Upgrading My Transportation
Four Features You Want In Your Medical Transportation Service
Lauri Kivela
Wheelchair friendly transportation services have helped many people get to medical appointments, as well as regular errands. The services enable people who might otherwise not be able to go many places get out of the house and participate in daily activities. If you're new to this type of service, you might think it's like a more convenient form of bus or taxi, but it's more than that. These services should offer specific features that make traveling with a medical condition and mobility restriction much safer.
Through-Door Service
Also called door-through-door, this service means the driver or an assistant will actually come to your door, help you out of your home and into the vehicle, and then help you into the building when you reach your destination. Unlike a bus with a wheelchair ramp, where you wheel yourself onto the ramp and then onto the sidewalk once the driver lowers the ramp, a door-through-door service means someone is with you the entire time you are moving between the vehicle and a building.
Driver Monitoring
The movement during driving, such as braking, speeding up, bumps, swerving, and so on, can be hard on people in wheelchairs, depending on their ability to move. Drivers need to be extra-cautious, and companies need to be super-cautious about what happens in those vehicles. Many companies have added driver monitoring systems that track what happens with speed, for example; look for companies that have those systems installed.
CPR Training and Drug Testing
In addition to driver monitoring, the company should require drivers to take drug tests. Despite claims by some that certain drugs don't affect driving, you don't want to take the risk. You want drug-free drivers.
You also want drivers who know CPR and at least basic first aid, and who can help you if you begin to experience medical problems while in the vehicle.
Stay-on-Site Options
Sometimes your appointments don't end on time, and you'll usually have a pretty good idea of which ones those will be. If you know you're about to see a doctor who continually runs late, for example, you would benefit from traveling with a service that offers stay-on-site options. These drivers will wait for you, or if you know the approximate time range during which the appointment might be over (as opposed to knowing that you'll get out at a more specific time), the driver can come back later and then wait.
These services for wheelchair users want to make traveling easier than ever. When you find a service that ensures your safety and comfort, you'll find getting out and about to be a real pleasure.
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