The Chairman Wheelchair vehicle
There is a short training session for our new drivers, and anyone wishing to help transport
people for CHAIN, including families who want to take an elderly relative out for the afternoon etc.
This session is usually conducted by our Health & Safety person, and there is no charge to you.
You have to be over 25 years old and have a full licence to drive this vehicle. Our new vehicle is a FIAT DOBLO Easy Multijet MPV.1.6 Diesel, Automatic, modified by Gowrings of Newbury.
The training is very simple and runs through the use of the ramp, winch, electrics and safety straps etc for the wheelchair. We also check over the various safety points on the vehicle, tyres, petrol, oil and water etc.
When we have covered how the vehicle works, we go for a short drive to ensure that you are confident in it’s use. This gives us chance to ‘shave off any sharp edges’ so that your passenger enjoys a good, safe and comfortable journey. The wheelchair passenger sat up high, is more affected by ‘cornering and braking’ motions, especially as this is probably one of the rare occasions that they get out of doors, so the speed is far more exaggerated to them.
If you are undertaking this assessment as a CHAIN driver then we sign off the assement form, which is held on file back at the office.
Kept in the vehicle is a big red folder, this contains :-
The Journey log sheet, (fill in at start and end of your journey).
Fault reporting sheet (fill in as required), please contact the person (or Office), on the front of
the folder if it has to be attended to before the next service.
Copy of Insurance and Green Flag rescue, we have the full complete cover.
Suggested journey contributions and envelopes for same, for handing into the office.
Blue Badge parking.
Please leave the vehicle with at least a half tank of petrol, ready for the next journey.
As mentioned earlier there is an electric winch to make it easier on the wheelchair incoming
and exiting. Some drivers don’t use it but I always do as it helps my back, and it can certainly act as a third hand / brake.
For the wheelchair passenger there are 5 securing straps, a conventional across the chest
seat belt, two inertia belts that attach to the front of the wheelchair, and two rear straps that attach to the rear of the wheelchair. The winch rope also acts as another ”strap”. We also
set the wheelchairs brakes to ‘on’.
There are two front seats (including the driver’s) and one slim rear seat, enabling enough
room for wider the wheelchair.
If you would like to have a trial run before committing yourself further to CHAIN, please
contact the office and they will be delighted to arrange it for you.