We read every review we get. Not just the five-star ones, all of them. And after a while, a pattern becomes impossible to miss. Nobody hires a wheelchair accessible vehicle because they’re excited about the vehicle. They hire one because of what it lets them do: get to a wedding, say goodbye at a funeral, keep a hospital appointment, finally take the family on holiday.
So we pulled together some of the stories our customers have shared, in their own words where we could, to show what actually matters to people when they’re deciding who to hire.
Reviews tell you more than a spec sheet ever will
Nobody compares WAVs the way they’d compare washing machines. What people actually want to know is simpler: will this company turn up when they say they will, will someone explain how everything works properly, and will they be treated like a person rather than a booking reference? That’s what the stories below are really about.
The moments that can’t wait
Some of the hires that mean the most to us are the ones tied to a day that wouldn’t be moved. A family got in touch at very short notice to arrange a vehicle for a funeral. They specifically asked for a dark-coloured car, out of respect for the occasion. We made sure that’s exactly what turned up, and collected it again afterwards without them having to think about it twice. Another family needed a vehicle to bring their mum to their dad’s funeral, and told us how much smoother the whole day felt because that part, at least, was taken care of.
Also Read: A WAV Road Trip To Lancaster And An Unforgettable Sunset
Linda, who booked for a similarly short-notice occasion, mentioned her delivery driver Andrzej by name in her review. She said nothing was too much trouble for him, and that he told her to call him directly if she had any problems using the car. When you’re already dealing with something difficult, having one real person’s name and number to hold onto matters more than any terms and conditions document.
And then there are weddings. Alyce got in touch because she wanted her wheelchair-using uncle at her wedding, and found us after a quick search. We had a vehicle sorted for him within a couple of days, delivered well ahead of when she needed it. She told us afterwards it made her day and she’s since been thinking about a longer hire to take him away somewhere for a few days. That’s one of our favourite kinds of follow-up.
Life carrying on as normal.
Not every hire is tied to a big occasion. A lot of them are just about ordinary life not grinding to a halt.
One customer hired a WAV while their own adapted vehicle was off the road, purely so they could keep taking their wife to her hospital appointments without a gap. A missed MOT slot shouldn’t mean a missed appointment, and that’s exactly the kind of gap we exist to fill. Another customer wanted their cousin, who uses a wheelchair, to actually enjoy a visit to family in Norfolk rather than dread the journey there. Independence isn’t usually about one big dramatic trip. It’s about the small plans staying possible.
The holidays that almost didn’t happen
Some of our favourite reviews are about the quiet, ordinary moments rather than the big ones. One family hired with us over Christmas so they could get together with grandparents — and what stuck with them wasn’t anything dramatic, just going out for a meal and a walk in the local park together. Another family took their nine-year-old son on a longer trip from Edinburgh up into the Highlands, and told us the level of care didn’t drop off just because the journey was longer than usual.
Check Open Road Access Trustpilot Reviews
First time hiring a WAV? You’re not the only one who’s nervous
We hear this a lot: people worried their wheelchair simply won’t fit. One customer told us how thorough our team was in checking her daughter’s wheelchair dimensions against the vehicle before anything was booked, not just “should be fine,” but actually confirmed.
Anna’s review is a good example of what that looks like in practice. She mentioned Jade in our office by name as the person who made booking straightforward, and said the car itself was spotless when it arrived, with delivery and pickup just part of the price, nothing extra to arrange. Reviews like Anna’s tend to be the ones nervous first-timers read most closely, because they’re about a real person, not a department.
Other customers have told us they rang round several companies before choosing us, and that we were the only one willing to offer a genuine one-day hire instead of insisting on a longer minimum they didn’t need.
No long contracts, no paying for days you don’t need
That last point comes up again and again. Nobody wants to pay for three days when they need one, or sign up to something long-term when their circumstances might change in a few weeks. Being able to hire from a single day right up to a year is often the detail that makes the whole thing workable — and for some people, it’s the reason they choose hiring over buying or leasing outright.
The people behind the five stars
Read enough of our reviews,s and you’ll notice something: people rarely write about “the company.” They write about Jade, or Andrzej, or whoever delivered their vehicle and took the time to explain it properly. That’s not an accident. For most families, a five-star review isn’t really about the van. It’s about whether someone treated them well on a day that mattered to them.
Also Read: Customers’ Experience Story: Open Road Access Hiring
We don’t only share the goodness
Not every review is perfect, and we don’t think we should only show you the ones that are. One customer told us their vehicle collection was delayed, and left it sitting outside their house for longer than expected. Abbi from our Customer Experience Team replied directly, thanked them for the feedback, and made sure it got passed on to the branch involved. How we respond when something doesn’t go perfectly probably tells you more about us than the five-star reviews do.
What to ask any WAV hire company before you book
A few things come up often enough in reviews, ours and others’, that they’re worth asking about wherever you’re thinking of hiring from:
- Will it actually fit your wheelchair? Ask for the exact dimensions to be checked against the vehicle before it’s booked, not after it arrives. This matters even more for powered or larger manual chairs.
- Is delivery and collection included? Not having to get yourself to a depot makes a bigger difference than people expect, especially around a stressful event.
- What’s the minimum hire period? Some companies insist on three or four days minimum regardless of what you actually need. We don’t think you should pay for days you’re not using.
- Is insurance and breakdown cover already included? A clear, all-in price with nothing added at collection tends to make for a much better experience than one with extras tacked on at the end.
What we hope this shows you
Reading through all of this, one thing feels consistent. A good wheelchair accessible vehicle should fit around whatever actually matters to you, whether that’s a wedding, a funeral, a hospital run, or a holiday you’ve been putting off. It shouldn’t ask for more commitment than you need. And it should come with people who explain things properly and treat you like more than a transaction.
That’s what we try to do every time. If you’re hiring for the first time, or just comparing your options, get a quote and see how it feels to talk to us.
About Open Road Access
Open Road Access (ORA) is a UK-wide wheelchair accessible vehicle hire company. We offer short-term, flexible, and long-term hire from one day to one year, with nationwide door-to-door delivery and collection. All hires include insurance, breakdown cover, and a demo of the car at delivery.
.
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RSUdTXfbeYSmCU9A7
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/openroadaccess
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/openroadaccess/
LinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-road-access/
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenRoadAccess
