Accessible minivans a growth market

From USA Today:

The market for wheelchair-accessible minivans isn't exactly something most people think about until they or a loved one use a wheelchair. Then you think about it. A lot.

A few companies are cutting an interesting market segment out for themselves with handicapped-accessible minivans. One of them is BraunAbility, which converts Toyota Sienna minivans to accommodate wheelchairs with a side ramp.

Business dipped during the recession a bit, but overall has been stronger than for the rest of the auto industry, says Nick Gutwein, president of BraunAbility. In fact, the company is hiring again to meet demand.

About 85% of the minivans have side entry for wheelchairs, according to the company. The rest have rear entry, which is especially popular with taxis for wheelchair-bound passengers. Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country still have the largest share of the market, but Gutwein says Sienna is gaining.

But you'd never recognize any of the vans during the conversion process. It involves a complete transformation of the interior of the vehicle:

•The original floor is removed, and a new floor is installed approximately 10" lower than the original.

•The body is often raised slightly, and these two steps allow for a door opening that is tall enough for wheelchair entry.

•The interior is completely stripped, ramp installed and a kneeling mechanism is placed on the rear axle to lower the vehicle in sync with the ramp deployment.

In addition, the electronic system is integrated with the vehicle's "information highway" to provide automatic deployment of the ramp and kneeling, using the original key fob, BraunAbility says.

The vehicle is rebuilt to look just like the original minivan, with necessary modifications to the exhaust, air conditioning, brake lines, fuel system, interior plastic and much more. Vehicles are crash tested to ensure compliance with appropriate standards, the company says.