First Time Traveling with my Power Chair...Have Questions

[dylansdad]

How early do you arrive at the airport gate area?
Is it a hassle to go through security with my chair?
Do you need to make special arrangement to get from MCO to BWI?
Do we have to use Mears Shuttle?
All tips and advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Sam

 

[Buckimion]

If you arrive at the standard requested 2 hours prior to your flight you should not have too many problems getting boarded on time.

We recently flew from Columbus, OH (CMH) to LAX for Disneyland. for comparason, my wife and DD shot through security in about 5 minutes each way. I took twice that in Columbus and nearly 30 minutes in LAX because some of my medications sent back readings similar to explosives. Oils from my skin were all over my scooter. Expect security to throughly examine your chair.

Make sure your airline knows in advance you are traveling in a wheelchair.

When you make your Mears (or any other service) reservations, make sure they understand you're in a chair and there should not be too much problem. They may ask if you can transfer or not. I believe every shuttle and towncar service has at least one wheelchair-capable vehicle. (Sometime though, it is a van and there may be a higher charge than a standard bus or towncar.)

 

[Talking Hands]

So far I have had one re[ly to my inquiries about getting a wheelchair accessible vehicle and they cannot accommodate me. I have a feeling Mears may have a complete monopoly on transporting people who use power wheelchairs.

 

[Talking Hands]

So far I have had one re[ly to my inquiries about getting a wheelchair accessible vehicle and they cannot accommodate me. I have a feeling Mears may have a complete monopoly on transporting people who use power wheelchairs.

Confirmed that Mears has a monopoly on this type of transfer.

 

[pugdog]

How early do you arrive at the airport gate area?
Is it a hassle to go through security with my chair?
Do you need to make special arrangement to get from MCO to BWI?
Do we have to use Mears Shuttle?
All tips and advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Sam

maybe an hour earlier at most depending on your airport and airline.
security can really vary.
Are you using DME? if so just make sure they know so you will get a bus with a lift. and if you are using DME thewn you don't need to use Mears except for going off property. and they do not cost anymore then it would for anyone else, alittle thing about the ADA prevents them from doing this.
If you ask more specific questions we can be more specific with answers.
Are you traveling with a power chair or just a manual??

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The real experts to answer this are Bill Sears and Andrew Bichard, both of whom fly with their power chairs.

P.S. For Pugdog -- Look at your question and the thread title.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So far I have had one re[ly to my inquiries about getting a wheelchair accessible vehicle and they cannot accommodate me. I have a feeling Mears may have a complete monopoly on transporting people who use power wheelchairs.

I have a business card from a taxi service that can accommodate ECVs (and so I assume wheelchairs as well). Yes, they do business with Mears, but they don't work for that company. Please let me know if you want the number.

 

[Talking Hands]

I have a business card from a taxi service that can accommodate ECVs (and so I assume wheelchairs as well). Yes, they do business with Mears, but they don't work for that company. Please let me know if you want the number.

I would aprreciate it.

 

[dylansdad]

Thank you- Our plan is to drive, but we wanted to see if it could be done easily if we decided to fly. We would fly airtran out of Philadelphia. We will be at BWI August 1-5, and the HRH till the 15th. Is it too late to call the DME to make arrangements for a transport?

 

[Buckimion]

they do not cost anymore then it would for anyone else, alittle thing about the ADA prevents them from doing this.

Yes, they cannot charge more for the van transport than anyone else but they can get away with charging more that their regular 'bus' service if their busses are not cheelchair equipped and your ONLY option is to use their vans.
I admit I don't have experience with Mears so I don't know what their policy is. I DO know on our recent trip to LA I was told that if I wanted a completely HC acessable van (If I couldn't transfer from my ECV) there would be a higher charge because they classified that service as 'private van' instead of bus.

 

[autumnblue]

What is the easiest way to get in touch with Bill Sears and Andrew Bichard? I'm possibly flying with my powerchair for the first time and I have a lot of questions.


Autumn

 

[SueM in MN]

What is the easiest way to get in touch with Bill Sears and Andrew Bichard? I'm possibly flying with my powerchair for the first time and I have a lot of questions.


Autumn

Both of them show up here fairly often.
You could also try sending them a PM.

For the OP, check on your airline's website. They may have a page about travel with wheelchairs. For sercurity, it should not be any different than travel with a manual wheelchair - which we do often. If you can walk thru the scanner, they would ask you to do that. Meanwhile, they would take the wheelchair to the other side and scan it with a hand scanner and pat down. If you can't walk, they would take you in the wheelchair to the other side and then scan you in the wheelchair.

Here's a link to the Transportation Security Administration page about travel with mobility disabilities.

Yes, they cannot charge more for the van transport than anyone else but they can get away with charging more that their regular 'bus' service if their busses are not cheelchair equipped and your ONLY option is to use their vans.
I admit I don't have experience with Mears so I don't know what their policy is. I DO know on our recent trip to LA I was told that if I wanted a completely HC acessable van (If I couldn't transfer from my ECV) there would be a higher charge because they classified that service as 'private van' instead of bus.

I'm pretty sure that is not legal (although there are probably companies getting away with it every day. They might have a loophole if they say they could transport your scooter in the baggage area of the bus and you were able to get onto the bus and transfer to a seat, but chose to be transferred by a fully accessible bus. (Actually, I found a Federal Transit Authority link that specifies that a scooter is considered a wheelchair for transport purposes and you can't be required to transfer) so I don't think they could do that.
They would not be able to get away with that though for someone like my DD if she needed transport for her power wheelchair because she could not ride in the regular bus. (That would not be fair for them to charge more because the company chose to provide a more expensive service rather than choosing to make their buses accessible).
I'm pretty sure the private bus companies are covered under
this part of the ADA. Too long to quote, but it's in this part: §37.103 Purchase or lease of new non-rail vehicles by private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting people.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

What is the easiest way to get in touch with Bill Sears and Andrew Bichard? I'm possibly flying with my powerchair for the first time and I have a lot of questions.


Autumn

I would suggest that you just ask your questions!!!!

Andrew

 

[Andrew Bichard]

I have a business card from a taxi service that can accommodate ECVs (and so I assume wheelchairs as well). Yes, they do business with Mears, but they don't work for that company. Please let me know if you want the number.

I have the phone number of TWO wheelchair/ECV accessible taxis. Can we exchange numbers by Private Messages? I would like to have as many numbers as possible for my next trip.

I notice that the Disabilities FAQ thread includes contact details of all the medical supply companies. Perhaps Sue would include our wheelchair accessible taxi contact numbers too, if we asked her nicely?

Andrew

 

[SueM in MN]

I have the phone number of TWO wheelchair/ECV accessible taxis. Can we exchange numbers by Private Messages? I would like to have as many numbers as possible for my next trip.

I notice that the Disabilities FAQ thread includes contact details of all the medical supply companies. Perhaps Sue would include our wheelchair accessible taxi contact numbers too, if we asked her nicely?

Andrew

You don't even have to ask all that nicely.
I have one problem with the disABILITIES FAQs. When I closed it the last time, I can't open it back up to add anything.
I am in the process of getting a Personal Care Attendent for my daughter. Hopefully when I do, I will have a little more time to do some of the "Housekeeping" things around here.

 

[Buckimion]

Yes, they cannot charge more for the van transport than anyone else but they can get away with charging more that their regular 'bus' service if their busses are not cheelchair equipped and your ONLY option is to use their vans.
I admit I don't have experience with Mears so I don't know what their policy is. I DO know on our recent trip to LA I was told that if I wanted a completely HC acessable van (If I couldn't transfer from my ECV) there would be a higher charge because they classified that service as 'private van' instead of bus.

I'm pretty sure that is not legal (although there are probably companies getting away with it every day. They might have a loophole if they say they could transport your scooter in the baggage area of the bus and you were able to get onto the bus and transfer to a seat, but chose to be transferred by a fully accessible bus. (Actually, I found a Federal Transit Authority link that specifies that a scooter is considered a wheelchair for transport purposes and you can't be required to transfer) so I don't think they could do that.
They would not be able to get away with that though for someone like my DD if she needed transport for her power wheelchair because she could not ride in the regular bus. (That would not be fair for them to charge more because the company chose to provide a more expensive service rather than choosing to make their buses accessible).
I'm pretty sure the private bus companies are covered under
this part of the ADA. Too long to quote, but it's in this part: §37.103 Purchase or lease of new non-rail vehicles by private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting people.

Chalk up another strike against 'Mickey's Space Ship Shuttle'. Actually, I think they did want to know if I could transfer first, claiming the 'private van' service was higher. I didn't push them on it since I could transfer but I should have called their bluff.

 

[SueM in MN]

Chalk up another strike against 'Mickey's Space Ship Shuttle'. Actually, I think they did want to know if I could transfer first, claiming the 'private van' service was higher. I didn't push them on it since I could transfer but I should have called their bluff.

I think that's how they get away with it.
People are not in a position to question it - they just want to get where they are going. And if the compnay makes it sound logical, like they did for you, even people who thought they had read something else would think they were mistaken.

 

[pugdog]

Both of them show up here fairly often.
You could also try sending them a PM.

For the OP, check on your airline's website. They may have a page about travel with wheelchairs. For sercurity, it should not be any different than travel with a manual wheelchair - which we do often. If you can walk thru the scanner, they would ask you to do that. Meanwhile, they would take the wheelchair to the other side and scan it with a hand scanner and pat down. If you can't walk, they would take you in the wheelchair to the other side and then scan you in the wheelchair.

Here's a link to the Transportation Security Administration page about travel with mobility disabilities.

I'm pretty sure that is not legal (although there are probably companies getting away with it every day. They might have a loophole if they say they could transport your scooter in the baggage area of the bus and you were able to get onto the bus and transfer to a seat, but chose to be transferred by a fully accessible bus. (Actually, I found a Federal Transit Authority link that specifies that a scooter is considered a wheelchair for transport purposes and you can't be required to transfer) so I don't think they could do that.
They would not be able to get away with that though for someone like my DD if she needed transport for her power wheelchair because she could not ride in the regular bus. (That would not be fair for them to charge more because the company chose to provide a more expensive service rather than choosing to make their buses accessible).
I'm pretty sure the private bus companies are covered under
this part of the ADA. Too long to quote, but it's in this part: §37.103 Purchase or lease of new non-rail vehicles by private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting people.

Sue you are right on. I had a slow day acouple of months ago and read that. The ADA mandates that any private or public company that provides transportation to the public MUST provide handicapped service at no extra cost. NYC taxi and limo companies have been sued numerous times because of this and have lost every time.
Mears charges $29 rt per person wither you ride the big bus or you ride one of their lift vans. They are about the only company in the us that does it without any hassle.
As far as the taxis go yellow and one of the others down there are both owned by Mears. I have never heard bad things about them but have never used them personaly yet.
Unlike the local taxi here in MSP that didn't pick us up the last trip we had. Sue don't ever use Airport taxi.

 

[SueM in MN]

I found a lot of information on lawsuits against NYC.
We've been thinking about taking DD's power wheelchair for about 5 years, so I have been doing research for quite a while.

One thing that makes me mad is the companies that take advantage of people not having the information that the companies must be well aware of.