For many stroke survivors and their families, an electric scooter or wheelchair is much more than a comfortable and convenient way to get from one place to another. An electric scooter can be an essential link with the rest of the world, a tool for independence.

Lee Meagher witnessed first-hand what an electric scooter can mean to a stroke survivor. Her father, Clarence William Vincent, had a stroke in 1986 that affected his ability to speak, read and walk. At the age of 58, he was forced to retire and adapt to his physical limitations.

"My mother said, "We have to buy dad a scooter. He deserves a life of his own,"" Meagher said. "The scooter gave him the ability to get out of the house and be independent. In 1986, my father started a new life. It wasn’t the life that he would have chosen, but he made the best of it."

Many mornings Meagher’s father would leave the house and spend most of the day riding around town on his scooter visiting friends and family. It wasn’t unusual for him to travel 10 miles or more on his scooter to have lunch with his son or for a game of cards with friends. Clarence passed away in 2004, but in the 18 years following his stroke, he wore out five scooters.

"The scooter gave him a reason to get out of bed every morning," Meagher said. "I believe that it helped him live longer and better. It also changed my mother’s life, because it allowed her to have a life without worrying about dad."

In 1993, Meagher’s family went on vacation to Hawaii, but left the scooter at home. At the time, scooters were powered by acid batteries which needed to be packed in a special container and area for airplane travel. When they couldn’t rent a scooter during a family vacation in Hawaii planted the seed in Meagher’s mind for a future business.

"You could rent a crib or even a cooler for the beach, but you could not rent a scooter," Meagher said. "My brother and I talked about creating a company that would be a kind of Hertz-Rent-a-Car for mobility. The idea was to make it as easy to rent a wheelchair or scooter as it is to rent a car."

In 1997, Meagher and her brother decided to test their idea and launched a Web site. They immediately were contacted by individuals and organizations interested in the service.

Today, Scootaround operates about 125 locations that serve over 500 cities throughout North America. The company rents about 1,000 scooters and wheelchairs every month. Meagher said there are very few places in North America that Scootaround does not serve.

One difference between Scootaround and most car rental companies is you’ll never wait in line to check out a scooter - their 24/7 call center allows you to book in advance and have the scooter waiting at your car rental agency or delivered directly to your hotel, cruise ship or convention center. Once you have finished with your mobility rental, Scootaround will pick up the vehicle for you.

"Your scooter is waiting for you when you arrive," Meagher said. "We understand how important this equipment is to our customers. It’s not like losing your luggage."

Scootaround rents four types of mobility devices: electric scooters, transportable electric scooters designed to come apart and fit in the trunk of most mid-sized automobiles, electric wheelchairs, and manual wheelchairs.

Scootaround customers fall into two general categories. People who own scooters, but prefer not to haul them on to airplanes and cruise ships, and people who don’t own a scooter but who may have some mobility issues and need a scooter to fully enjoy their trips.

Scootaround also offers guided scooter tours in Washington D.C., New Orleans and Chicago IL. The Washington tour takes about three hours and covers six miles. You see all the monuments on the National Mall without ever getting off the scooter.

Scootaround’s Web site (www.scootaround.com) provides information about its services as well as travel information relevant to people with limited mobility. The company also publishes an monthly electronic newsletter filled with articles and travel tips that is sent to 10,000 subscribers.

The ability to travel and enjoy vacations is just as important for families as it is for people with limited mobility. Meagher said there are very few places that can’t accommodate a scooter or wheelchair. While traveling may require some advanced planning, there is no reason why people with limited mobility shouldn’t feel comfortable traveling anywhere in North America.

To honor her father, Meagher recently launched the Clarence William Vincent Foundation, which donates scooters to worthwhile recipients who otherwise could not afford one. There is a strict application and selection process for the donations and Scootaround works with groups like the National Stroke Association to identify survivors in need.

"I know what a scooter meant to my dad and to my family," Meagher said. "A scooter provides more than independence and mobility. It can provide a sense of dignity."

This article appears in StrokeSmart magazine, the publication of National Stroke Association.