Wheelchair-Accessible van service for rides and appointments

Individuals and families paying privately, care homes and retirement residences, home care agencies, and sometimes municipal or health programs that contract out trips.

Per-trip or per-kilometre fares, hourly waiting time, and regular repeat bookings or monthly contracts with care providers.

• Patient, respectful manner with passengers
• Safe, careful driving
• Securing wheelchairs correctly
• Reliable scheduling

• Check your province's driver licence class and your municipality's vehicle-for-hire or taxi licensing rules for paid passenger transport
• Commercial auto insurance is needed, personal car insurance usually does not cover paid passenger trips
• Check vehicle inspection and wheelchair securement standards for your province
• Vehicle costs, maintenance and winter driving conditions can be significant
• Check WCB/WSIB rules in your province if you hire drivers

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $15,000 to $70,000, depending mainly on the van and its ramp or lift. Vehicle costs, maintenance and winter driving conditions can also be significant, so budget for them.

Check your province's driver licence class and your municipality's vehicle-for-hire or taxi licensing rules. Commercial auto insurance is needed, as personal car insurance usually does not cover paid trips. Also check vehicle inspection and wheelchair securement standards for your province.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $10,000, depending on how many trips you complete and who books them. Plan for at least about 20 hours a week. Vehicle running costs and winter conditions can affect what you keep.