Taxi with Wheelchair Access

A Miami company is about to tour the country to show off a vehicle, with seating for four in the rear & room for a wheelchair.

The vehicle, the MV-1 (for the first mobility vehicle), has been designed and engineered to offer easy access for wheelchairs. It features a manual access ramp (designed to withstand heavy power wheelchairs); an anti-slip floor and ramp surface; and a restraint system to secure the wheelchair. It also includes a spacious entry way and interior, which allows the wheelchair or scooter user to easily maneuver to be able to sit in the front, next to the driver.

The vehicle will make its official debut in Philadelphia, the first stop on a 27-city road show that includes New York on July 2-4 & ends in San Diego in mid-September. The MV-1 will be shown at rehabilitation centers, assisted living centers & hospitals, giving fleet operators, caregivers & consumers a chance to check it out.

The price is expected to be under $40,000 for the base vehicle. More than 4,000 advance orders have been placed, Mr. Schembri said. About 40 percent of the orders are for vehicles that will use a compressed natural gas fueling system.
Currently, consumers who want wheelchair accessible vehicles must first buy a vehicle and then arrange to have it retrofit. Production of the MV-1 is expected to begin in the fourth quarter.