When my father-in-law had a stroke, the right side of his body was paralyzed. He cannot move his right arm, hand, and legs so he had to use a wheelchair. This has affected his self esteem. He no longer wants to go with us on family outings and preferred to stay at home. We asked him why and he said this is because he doesn’t want to cause us the trouble of getting him into the car and finding space for his wheelchair.

I had a talk with my spouse and decided that we should find a way to improve his mobility. We have decided to purchase a wheelchair van. We want him to enjoy life to the fullest. He should not limit himself at home just because he’s bound in a wheelchair. So we didn’t waste any time. We searched the internet to find dealers that offer wheelchair vans. We compared prices to find one that offers the best rates and services.

It was not easy to select a specific vehicle because the dealer carries a wide selection of new and used wheelchair vans from reliable and established manufacturers with different features and equipment. They have wheelchair vans with scooter and wheelchair lifts. We opted for a wheelchair van with a fully automatic wheelchair lift.

The wheelchair lift was installed in the side door of the vehicle. We have to make sure that the lift is strong and dependable so we chose one with dual hydraulic lifting arms. The lift can fold in and out of the wheelchair van so it will only require a small space. We can operate the lift easily with a remote control so my father-in-law will not feel that he’s causing us trouble because all it takes is a simple press of a button on the remote control.

Of course we did not forget his safety when we travel so we made sure that the wheelchair van is equipped with a reliable locking and restraint system. We choose a system installed to the floor of the wheelchair van that will lock the wheelchair into place inside the vehicle and can release it with just a touch of a button. This is more convenient than a tie-down system.

We’re lucky to find a dealer that offers good services like repairs, maintenance, and regular check ups. We can even arrange for pick up and delivery. They have a 24-hr hotline so we could call their trained technician anytime we need some help or assistance. The wheelchair van comes with an extended warranty so we don’t have to worry about the quality of the vehicle and their services.

The wheelchair van really is a big help to us and to my father-in-law because now we could all go together on an outing and even to the mall. The features and equipment of the vehicle really made traveling in a wheelchair so easy for him. We’re sure that he’s having a great time every time we go out with the whole family and we’ll do everything we can to keep him happy.

Relocating or moving one’s residence from one city to another is an exercise that most of us would have undertaken some time or other during one’s lifetime. The reasons may vary from transfer of jobs, studies or education to health or retirement. It can be a daunting task especially for a large family when you consider the amount of items to be moved from household goods, furniture, car etc. This article briefly discusses some issues related to auto shipping in US.

Finding the right auto transport company to ship your car is the first task that you need to undertake. With the advent of internet, the job has been made easy with booking, requesting quotes, finding information about auto transport companies are all just a click away. There are many websites that provide directory of car shipping companies and orders can be placed online. User reviews and ratings of hundreds of auto shipping companies that aid in judging a shipping company are also available.

Auto transport service may be either door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal. Door-to-door service means that your car will be picked up from as close to your place of origin as possible and delivered as close to your place of destination as possible. Terminal-to-terminal service means that your car will be taken from and delivered to large storage areas called terminals that are located in many metropolitan cities. They are usually cheaper than the former and are useful in cases where a car has to be picked up and / or delivered at a specific day and time. The car will be housed in the terminal by the auto transport company until it is convenient for you to pick it up.

The time taken for transporting a car within continental US is usually 8 to 10 business days. Advance notice of 2 weeks would ensure prompt pick up and delivery. The actual time would depend on the place of origin and the place of destination. For example auto transport from New York City to Los Angeles, California would require only about 5 days. The car will be inspected by the auto transport company before being picked up and a bill of lading will be issued. It will be verified again before the car is delivered at the destination. As per US department of transportation (DOT) regulations, no household items should be packed inside cars while transporting it.

It is important to ascertain insurance coverage during transit provided by the auto transport companies as well as your personal car insurance company to avoid any unpleasant situations in case of any damage during the transit. Personal belongings kept inside the car at the time of transport are not insured. Cars may be transported in an open carrier or a closed one. The former exposes the car to vagaries of weather and road conditions. When you transport your car from places like Pennsylvania, Maine, New England, New York etc during the harsh winter months it is better choose closed carriers. It is particularly advisable for antique or expensive custom built cars.