Needing accessible transport does not always mean you need to buy a vehicle.
You might be waiting for a Motability vehicle, recovering after an injury, adjusting to a new wheelchair or simply trying to work out what type of accessible vehicle best suits your everyday life.
In situations like these, long-term accessible vehicle hire can provide another option.
Depending on your needs, that could mean a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV), an adapted car, an internal-transfer vehicle or another type of accessible vehicle.
At ORA, our longer-term hire is offered as a subscription, with terms of 3, 6 and 12 months, as well as 2 and 5 years.
So, when might long-term accessible vehicle hire make sense?
1. You are waiting for a Motability vehicle or another long-term solution
Sometimes you already know what your long-term transport solution will be, but it is not available yet.
You might be waiting for:
- a Motability vehicle to arrive
- a new accessible vehicle
- adaptations to be completed
- funding or approval
- a longer-term vehicle decision to be made
The problem is that everyday life does not necessarily stop while you wait.
You may still need to travel to work, attend appointments, take children to school, visit family or simply get out and about.
Hiring an accessible vehicle for several months can help bridge that gap without requiring you to buy a vehicle you may only need temporarily.
For example, you could take a 3- or 6-month subscription while you wait for your own vehicle. If your permanent vehicle arrives before the minimum term ends, ORA does not charge an early return penalty.
And if your permanent solution takes longer than expected, you can move onto a monthly rolling arrangement once your minimum term has ended.
2. You are going through rehabilitation and your transport needs may change
Transport needs can change significantly during rehabilitation.
After an accident, injury, operation or hospital discharge, it may not yet be clear what your longer-term mobility will look like.
You might initially need to travel in your wheelchair, for example, but later be able to transfer into a passenger seat or drive using vehicle adaptations.
Your wheelchair or other equipment might also change during recovery.
That can make it difficult to commit to buying a particular vehicle too early.
Long-term accessible vehicle hire can give you reliable transport while your needs become clearer.
ORA also offers an optional vehicle swap add-on, which may be useful if the type of vehicle that suits you at the beginning of your rehabilitation is different from the one you need later.
For people recovering after an injury or adjusting to changed mobility, that flexibility can be particularly valuable.
3. You need accessible transport regularly, but you are not ready to buy a vehicle
There is a big difference between needing accessible transport occasionally and needing it as part of everyday life.
You might need a suitable vehicle for:
- getting to work
- school, college or university
- medical and therapy appointments
- visiting friends and family
- shopping and errands
- days out
- weekends away
If you are travelling regularly, booking short-term hire every time you need a vehicle can quickly become inconvenient.
Long-term hire means the vehicle is available to you throughout your subscription period, giving you more freedom to travel when you want to.
It can also make the practical side of running the vehicle easier to plan.
ORA subscriptions include insurance for two drivers, routine servicing and maintenance, and breakdown cover as standard.
They also include 800 miles per month, with additional mileage options available if you expect to travel further.
4. You are still working out what type of accessible vehicle you need
If accessible vehicles are new to you, it is not always easy to know what will work best from a short test drive or vehicle viewing.
There are often much more practical questions to answer.
For example:
- Do you need to stay in your wheelchair while travelling?
- Can you transfer into a standard passenger seat?
- Would driving adaptations allow you to drive independently?
- How easy is it to get the wheelchair in and out?
- Is there enough headroom?
- How much space do you need for other passengers?
- Do you regularly carry mobility equipment or luggage?
- Will the vehicle fit comfortably where you normally park?
- Does it work equally well for short journeys and longer trips?
Using an accessible vehicle over several months gives you much more opportunity to understand what works in real life.
That can be particularly helpful if you are considering buying or leasing a vehicle later.
And if your requirements change during the subscription, ORA’s optional vehicle swap add-on can provide additional flexibility.
Long-term hire does not necessarily replace buying a vehicle. In some cases, it can simply help you make a more informed decision before committing.
5. You only need an accessible vehicle for a particular period
Not everyone who needs an accessible vehicle needs one permanently.
There are many situations where you might need one for a few months, a year or a defined stage of life.
For example, you could need accessible transport while:
- recovering from an injury
- completing a period of rehabilitation
- studying or working somewhere temporarily
- supporting a family member whose circumstances have changed
- deciding what your longer-term transport arrangements will look like
In situations like these, buying a vehicle may not always make sense.
Long-term hire allows you to choose a term that more closely matches the period for which you expect to need the vehicle.
At ORA, accessible vehicle subscriptions are available for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years and 5 years.
What types of accessible vehicles can you hire long term?
The right vehicle depends on how you travel, not just whether you use a wheelchair.
For some people, that will mean a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV), allowing the wheelchair user to remain in their wheelchair during the journey.
Others may be able to transfer from their wheelchair into a standard passenger seat and need a different setup. In those cases, ORA may be able to provide a standard car with features such as a wheelchair hoist to help transport the wheelchair separately.
We can also look at vehicles with driving adaptations or driver-support features, depending on the individual’s needs. This may include adaptations that support easier or safer driving, as well as features intended to help with things such as fatigue management.
For some customers, an internal-transfer vehicle or a larger accessible vehicle may be more appropriate, depending on their wheelchair, equipment, passenger numbers and how they travel day to day.
The important thing is not simply finding an “accessible vehicle”. It is finding a vehicle and setup that works for the person using it.
What is included in an ORA accessible vehicle subscription?
ORA subscriptions are designed to make longer-term accessible vehicle hire simpler.
As standard, subscriptions include:
- insurance for two drivers
- routine servicing and maintenance
- breakdown cover
- 800 miles per month
Additional mileage options are available if you expect to travel further.
Customers can also choose an optional vehicle swap add-on or additional drivers insurance where greater flexibility may be useful.
What is the difference between short-term accessible vehicle hire and long-term hire?
The main difference is usually how often you need the vehicle and for how long.
Short-term accessible vehicle hire can work well for things like:
- holidays
- family events
- weekends away
- temporary travel needs
- occasional journeys
Long-term hire is designed for situations where you expect to need regular access to an accessible vehicle for several months or longer.
If you only need a vehicle occasionally, short-term rental may make more sense.
If the vehicle is becoming part of your everyday life, longer-term hire may be worth considering.
Is long-term accessible vehicle hire right for everyone?
Not necessarily.
If you only need an accessible vehicle for a few days or weeks, short-term rental may be more appropriate.
But if you expect to need an accessible vehicle for several years, that does not automatically mean you need to buy one. ORA also offers 2-year and 5-year subscription options, which can suit people who want longer-term access to a suitable vehicle without taking on vehicle ownership.
For some people, buying or leasing may still be worth exploring. For others, a longer-term subscription may be more attractive because insurance for two drivers, routine servicing and maintenance, and breakdown cover are included as standard.
The right option depends on how long you expect to need the vehicle, how certain you are about your requirements, and whether you would prefer to own the vehicle or have more of the ongoing vehicle management included.
Talk to ORA about your accessible transport options
There is no single right way to access an adapted or wheelchair accessible vehicle.
What works best depends on your mobility, your wheelchair or equipment, who will be driving, how often you travel and how long you expect to need the vehicle.
If you are considering longer-term accessible vehicle hire, speak to the ORA team.
We can talk through your circumstances, help you understand which type of accessible vehicle may be suitable and explain the different subscription terms available.
Get in touch with ORA to discuss your accessible vehicle options.
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