UPDATE from the initial Aug. 1, 2014 post: We talked with Ram Commercial’s Mike Pultorak and Neil Mendel to learn more and see a demonstration of the mobility options in the 2015 Ram ProMaster and ProMaster City commercial vans.
While the new Ram ProMaster vans provide our hard-working commercial customers with numerous best-in-class features, some of our commercial customers, like those with limited mobility, require specialized equipment in order to continue working.
Several upfitters that specialize in mobility equipment dropped by Chrysler Group headquarters this week to show us mobility-equipped ProMaster and ProMaster City vans that will keep these customers in the workforce.
“Both vans have been outfitted with adaptive equipment designed specifically to provide the limited-mobility commercial customer with the freedom to continue doing the work that they enjoy,” said Commercial Van Product Planning Manager Mike Pultorak. “With these vans, we’re showing what is possible. These are just two examples of how our full-size and compact ProMaster vans can be adapted to fit the specific needs of these commercial customers.”
Commercial Van Product Planning Manager Mike Pultorak demonstrates how to transfer from the wheelchair to the swiveling power driver’s seat in the ProMaster full-size van.
The ProMaster City, smaller than ProMaster, is right sized for an urban environment and personal use. It is equipped with a rear lift for a motorized scooter, power front seats that swivel and extend out of the van to aid in entry, adaptive driver hand controls and right side adaptive foot controls. The rear power lift not only lifts the scooter, but also slides it into the van for enclosed transportation. The scooter is stored in the rear without having to eliminate the second row of seating.
The ProMaster full-size van features a locking mechanism for a wheelchair behind the driver’s seat. The power driver’s seat has been adapted so that it swivels sideways and elevates to the same level as the wheelchair making the transfer easier from wheelchair to driver’s seat. The van is equipped with hand controls for acceleration and braking. Wheelchairs would enter the van by using a power sliding side door and power lift. The van is also equipped with rear shelving units providing storage for a Mobility Work Van.
The Ram Truck brand and Chrysler Group’s Automobility Program will display both of these vans at this weekend’s 38th annual Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) Conference in Buffalo, N.Y. This conference is in part for driving instructors who evaluate adaptive equipment needs for drivers with disabilities.
