Rentals, Sales and More...

Thanks for returning to this month's newsletter. If you're planning a trip by air, you'll appreciate our first two linked articles that discuss the current state of accessibility in air travel along with some newly implemented protections for air travelers with disabilities. And remember to read our Featured Article where we share a real-life story from a Scootaround customer who recently enjoyed great success with our Avis rental program!

Let us know how we're doing by sending us an e-mail. And we'll return the favor in upcoming issues by sharing a number of exciting projects that are on the horizon. Keep in Touch.

Mobility Equipment Delivered to Your Doorstep!

With 10 years in the rental business and thousands of vehicle rentals, Scootaround has come to know a few things about mobility equipment. One of the most important pieces of knowledge we've learned is how to choose the most reliable and functionally useful equipment for our customers.
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Survey Suggests Accessibility of Air Travel Generally Good
About 80 percent of people with disabilities find air travel to be reasonably accessible and comfortable, a new survey concludes, with their leading concerns being ground transportation and baggage claim at the final destination and the need for adequate assistive equipment.
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Protections Increased for Air Travelers with Disabilities
Travelers with disabilities will be getting new protections against discrimination when they fly on a foreign airline flight that begins or ends in the United States, as well as on any flight operated by a U.S. carrier anywhere in the world.
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Reinventing the Wheelchair
A grin stretches across Hunter Yeider's angular face and his eyes brighten with excitement as he twists and turns around a physical therapy center in Truckee on Thursday. "I want to be a speed racer," the 11-year-old exclaimed while adjusting to the new wheels.
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Safety campaign targets mobility scooters
The key to enjoying a cruise vacation in a wheelchair is planning ahead. Cruise ships must provide access to vacationers with disabilities, but so far there's a lack of guidelines telling them how to do so. Therefore, the best way to avoid disappointment is to make special arrangements with the cruise line or travel agent ahead of time.
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An Avis Rental Success Story

My name is Joanne and I have a story to share with my fellow scooter riders. I live in Winnipeg, Canada and have enjoyed many years of traveling abroad with my family. In 2005, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and as a result, it has become increasingly difficult to walk over any long distance. This has affected me greatly since our periodic family trips bring great enjoyment to us all.

I had known about Scootaround for a number of years, so I began to use their scooter rental services for my vacations. For a recent trip to Phoenix, Arizona, I was fortunate to take advantage of their new scooter/motor vehicle rental program that they have developed with the people at Avis. This program allowed me to not only book my scooter rental but to also book my rental SUV at the same time.

Upon landing in Phoenix, the rental car was ready for me with my Scootaround scooter stowed in the back. The rental process was quite seamless. For the next 10 days, I was able to enjoy any and all the areas we wished to travel in Arizona. One location in particular, the Kierland Commons, offered an amazing outdoor access mall with dozens of shops and boutiques spread over a large area. The scooter made it possible for me to go out on my own and to enjoy the excursion at a relaxed pace. I must say that the independence gained through the use of a scooter cannot be taken for granted.

And because of our rentals (both the scooter and the SUV), we were able to attend a Phoenix Coyotes hockey game in Glendale. I was able drive my scooter all the way from the parking lot right into the arena and only had to step down one stair into my seat. This would not have been possible with a walker because the distance would have been too far to walk.

And if not for my rentals, I would not have been able to take part in an outback tour of the Arizona desert. I recall how our Cowboy driver (complete with gun and holster), kept stalling out the Jeep at the top of every ridge. Each time we would roll back precariously, I wished I was sitting in my comfortable scooter instead -- but the outback tour was great fun!

Once the trip ended, we returned to the Avis rental booth and the attendants went the extra mile by personally driving me to the other terminal building so that I could more easily make my plane connection. This additional driving is not something they are commissioned to do, nor are they obligated. It did show me however, that the Avis company byline holds true in Phoenix: "We Try Harder". They proved it on this day. Bravo!

As we waited to board the flight back home, imagine my surprise when up walks Scootaround's CEO Lee Meagher. She asked me how I enjoyed my scooter and I told her about my rental success story and how we were able to put the Scootaround/Avis rental program to such great use. I spoke further with her about an earlier rental on Toronto where I used a Scootaround mobility product but did not book my rental car though Avis. Consequently, that particular motor car rental caused me a number of problems ranging from slow service to a vehicle without an ignition key! I told Lee I would definitely be using the Scootaround/Avis program for all my future travel plans.

There are many more positives I could share about my rental experiences; such as attending a Blue Jays game in Toronto on my scooter; taking part in our city's MS walk where I rode my scooter the entire 7KM leg of the relay or even riding over grassy hills to watch my son play football at his weekly games.

The simple outings that many of us take for granted were in jeopardy for me, but they have been restored through the use of a simple mobility device. I'm so pleased that that I can fully participate in our family holidays and that Scootaround provides this very useful service for us. It really does give our whole family the ability to enjoy the trip in every way.

Joanne F, Winnipeg, MB