TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Mobility

Two Companies Disrupting the Wheelchair Rental Market for Good

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woman looks at art in museum while sitting in a mobility device by Whill/ScootaroundPeople that rely on mobility devices will no longer have to stress about having to travel with a wheelchair because they will be able to rent a personal EV (through an app) at the airport and/or final destination, thanks to the merger of two cutting-edge companies. WHILL – makers of the cutting-edge Model Ci and Model A Intelligent Personal Electric Vehicles (EVs), which won the CES Innovation Award at the Computer Electronics Show in 2018, and Scootaround a leading wheelchair and scooter rentals solutions company servicing 2500 locations in North America. Together, they will be the first to provide a worldwide Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) model. “This will improve the current travel landscape for mobility device users by increasing their freedom and independence,” says Justin Gagnon, vice president of sales and marketing for WHILL/Scootaround. Gagnon offered TravelAbility Insider some interesting insights about the market:

  • Currently, the company is piloting six trials worldwide, two of which, Dallas and Winnipeg, are in North America. In Winnipeg, Delta Airline agents offer disabled passengers who are awaiting connections the opportunity to test drive a WHILL Ci so they can maneuver around the airport independently.
  • WHILL wheelchairs appeal to cruise line companies as they are smaller, sleeker and designed to maneuver around small spaces, which means they may also be used in non-ADA staterooms.

Our take: Vertical integration comes to the airport wheelchair rental market as the demand for motorized wheelchair rentals rises significantly. This disruption will not only require less staff but will also give travelers who need mobility options more independence.

photo courtesy WHILL/Scootaround

Handicap Accessible vs. Wheelchair Accessible: Do You Know the Difference?

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Entire family with Dad in front sitting in wheelchair

All accessibility is not equal, although there is some crossover, according to an informative post on thrivingwithparalysis.com. The author clarifies the differences according to her personal experience as a caregiver. This piece covers all the details from ‘the dreaded aisle seat, the perfect table for a wheelchair user and more.  

OUR TAKE: There’s no better expert than a traveler with a disability or their caregiver. This blog, with all of its details, couldn’t possibly be written with such detailed and trustworthy advice had in not been done by a caregiver whose got a lot of real-life knowledge to share. Destinations, attractions, and hotels would be wise to take caregiver through a tour of a place and do some on the spot usability testing.  It’s the little things that can make a huge difference in a traveler’s experience.

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7 Wow-Worthy Destinations Where Using A Wheelchair Isn’t a Hassle

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centuries old trees in a park with green grassThe Getty Museum offers wheelchairs for free. The San Diego Zoo provides special parking, restrooms and access to shows. New Orleans’ oldest parks have plenty of paved paths to get around.  And of course, there’s always The White House. 

OUR TAKE: If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Accessibility shouldn’t be a second thought—it should be top of mind and easy to find on your website, in advertising when visiting. Yes, the destination is the real gem, but if 1 in 5 people with a disability can’t access all it has to offer, it loses some of its sheen. See all of MSN.com’s picks in their slideshow.
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Personal Story: Arriving in the City That Never Sleeps Without My Legs

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When fashionista Madison Wilson arrived in New York City for Fashion Week, her wheelchair never made it off her departing flight and got left across the country. So, she had essentially arrived in the city that never sleeps while American Airlines left her legs in Chicago. When her wheelchair finally arrived in NYC five days later, it was broken and continued to become increasingly broken on the flight back home…READ MORE

OUR TAKE: Making connections with real people with real disabilities is the path to understanding them and the challenges they may face while traveling. At TravelAbility Summit, we take this idea seriously and our board, our content and our plans for our upcoming Summit all include the voices and experiences of people with disabilities. Use the links here to learn more about our Summit speakers and the Advisory Board instrumental in helping is to find such top-notch expertise.

photo credit: Madison Wilson

 

How to Plan a Cruise That’s Not a Snooze for People With Low Mobility

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flip flops at the edge of a pool that says 1.00M The flip flops have the British flag on them

Barbara and Jim Twardowski write about travel, lifestyle and boomer topics from the New Orleans area. In this piece for the New York Times, they have compiled some evergreen tips for cruise travel that are worth sharing, whether you’re worried about how to get from the plane to the ship or need an activity plan that caters to people with low mobility.  READ MORE

OUR TAKE: Planning is key to making the most out of a trip for people with disabilities. As part of the travel industry, it’s also one way you can make your organization stand out. Offering great service and suggestions to people who often feel overlooked (the disability community being one)is a great way to build incremental business and freshen up your collateral online and onboard.

 

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