Follow federal guidelines and safety regulations when building disability vehicles

The U.S. federal government has established minimum safety standards and modification regulations for disability-adaptive vehicle manufacturers.

I recommend: Understand the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Make Inoperative Prohibition that governs how much you can alter stock cars or vans to make handicapped accessible vehicles, for instance by increasing the weight with wheelchair lifts.  The U.S. Department of Transportation also has minimum Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), which all structural vehicle modification businesses must meet.

Participate in respected quality programs for handicapped vehicles

Quality drives a successful business. Altering vehicles to fit them with adaptive equipment for the disabled demands rigorous quality assurance.

I recommend: The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) offers a comprehensive nationwide quality assurance program for structural vehicle modification companies. Adaptive equipment professionals can broaden their knowledge and education through the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) information and training programs.

Benchmark against successful handicapped vehicle manufacturers

There is no reason to reinvent the wheel when there are companies that are leaders in retrofitting vans and cars for adaptation to handicapped drivers. If your business is a start-up, or you are striving to improve the handicapped vehicle services your business offers, take a chapter from some of the industry-leading disability-adapted vehicle manufacturers.

I recommend: Find reputable handicapped van manufacturers and handicapped bus manufacturers in your state that qualified for  NMEDA's Quality Assurance Program. Strong expertise in wheelchair-accessible vehicles can be found at Liberty Motor Company and Advanced Vehicle Modifications. The National Institute for Rehabilitation Engineering and  the Technological Research and Development Authority are examples of novel ideas in vehicle adaptation for the disabled.