The whole point of a mobility scooter is to help you gain independence and travel around your local area. But what happens when you want to leave your neighborhood? You can’t exactly drive your scooter on the highway, so what happens next? Well, you need to transport it. That’s why you need to know how to transport a mobility scooter.
The answer is simple but might cost you a fair amount of money. To transport a mobility scooter, you need a large amount of space and the safety equipment to keep the mini vehicle safe. Let us guide you on how to transport a mobility scooter.
Where Can Mobility Scooters Be Stored?
Mobility scooters must always be stored in the cargo area of a vehicle or hitched onto the car. This means they shouldn’t be slotted into a passenger compartment.
Although most cars couldn’t fit a scooter into the passenger seats, some buses and coaches can.
Because scooters are considered powered and heavy, they need to be under control. If they aren’t clamped in place they could cause an accident.
However, how they are clamped, and how they enter the vehicle is another matter. The laws and regulations aren’t super strict, as long as you can safely say the scooter is secure.
Travel by Car
You will most likely travel by car when you want to leave your neighborhood. There are three main ways to put your scooter into your vehicle, but each of them requires adapting the car to best fit your needs.
The best one way to transport a mobility scooter will depend on your scooter size and your car’s size.
Ramps
Ramps are the cheapest installation. All you need is the metal ramp itself, and you can keep it tucked in the car as storage until it’s needed.
You need to measure the ramp to make sure it’s wide enough to fit your scooter and strong enough to hold its weight. Lightweight ramps aren’t necessarily weak, and in all honesty, most ramps will fit this description.
Although this option is the cheapest, it will only work if your vehicle has a large enough space to hold the scooter as it is.
If your scooter can fold, or has a narrow body you might be able to drive it into place and force it until turning without any issue.
Make sure no one is sitting in the scooter when you do this, as they won’t fit under the car’s roof. Instead, use the toggles while standing to the side.
You will likely need a friend or able-bodied partner to help transport a mobility scooter this way.
Fixed And Non Fixed Hoists
Not all ramps can fit snugly onto a car, and you need the fit to be perfect to ensure the scooter is secure.
If you cannot find a ramp that fits, but the size of your scooter isn’t an issue, consider a hoist.
Fixed hoists are machines that are screwed into your car. They are a lot heavier than scooters, but you don’t need to set them up every time.
Using their metal arm, they wrap around the body of the scooter and lift it into the car without any assistance.
As long as your scooter can fit in the car with room, and the hoist isn’t too heavy for the car’s suspension, this transporting method is the simplest for everyday use.
Non-fixed hoists work in the same way as fixed ones, but they are lighter and can be removed from the car when not needed.
For example, if a friend or family member owns the car, they can keep the hoist in your home and only attach it when they come over and take you out.
Because of their lightness, these hoists cannot hold as much weight as the fixed version.
In both cases, these hoists are most suited for smaller folding scooters. They can be very expensive, but they are very good at keeping lighter scooters secure while on the move.
Trilift
Trilifts are relatively new in the mobility scooter market. They are best used on cars that don’t have the storage space for a scooter, as the seat is attached to the back of the car instead.
Like a trailer or a bike rack, you will need a small modification on your car to allow the vehicle to carry the soccer. The trilift will lift the scooter off the ground and keep it in a secure attachment as you drive.
Most trilifts come in three weight categories – 79 kg, 136 kg, or 204 kg. Before buying or installing one of these transportation adjustments, talk to your supplier about your car first.
Most cars should be able to handle the back weight of the scooter, but your supplier might give you tips to keep the car balanced.
For example, avoiding putting anything in the trunk of your car or driving below a specific speed limit.
Tell the supplier what type of scooter you have and what model of the car you have too. They can do the research for you so you can safely transport a mobility scooter.
Travel by Bus
To keep your independence strong, you should learn how to transport a mobility scooter by bus. This way you don’t need to wait until friends are ready to drive, and you can go into town all by yourself.
Each bus company will have its own rules and policies, however, most will have at least one space dedicated to disabled passengers.
This area is normally near the front or near the bus – wherever it stores cargo. Remember they have to treat the scooter as cargo due to the hefty nature of the machine.
The bus will have a ramp to give you access to the main floor, and you should see a square to park your scooter. Put the scooter in a locked, stationary position, and everything should be good to go.
If another scooter is already in that spot, the driver might not allow you onto the bus as they have no room for you.
Travel by Plane
If you’re traveling by plane you need to inform the company that you require a scooter.
Ideally, you should contact the company before you book the ticket to make sure you can transport yourself.
Most won’t have an issue with this request, however in the odd case that your flight doesn’t have a suitable storage facility you will need to look elsewhere.
Once you have booked a flight with an appropriate airline, make sure you call a day or two before your flight.
On the call, you should remind them about your scooter and that you’ll need a wheelchair while you’re without it (if that is the case).
When you arrive, make yourself known. The flight attendants should take your scooter and ask you to board the flight first.
When you depart, you should be offered another wheelchair while you wait for your scooter to arrive.
Calling ahead when traveling by plane will prevent hold-ups or undignified stances. Make sure to call both the departing airport and the arriving one too.
For cars, make sure you consider the type of scooter you have and a type of car. It might be worth having a smaller folding scooter for long travel purposes.
Hi! My name is Johnathan, and I am the creator of ScooterAdvice360.com. Having been riding motor scooters and bikes for over 20 years, I have picked up a few things! I ran my own scooter store in Florida, selling all manner of motor scooters, mobility scooters, hoverboards, e-scooters and accessories, from Forzas to Vipers, Hellcats to Vespas.
Here, at ScooterAdvice360.com, I want to ensure everyone has access to the information that they need to enjoy their bikes and scooters for longer.
