Disabled RV customers find few options, can customize

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) - For Mark Neurohr traveling in his recreational vehicle is about enjoying life.

"It is about getting out and living," he said. "There is no sense sitting at home."

President of the Handicapped Travel Club, based in Ottawa, Illinois, with around 150 members scattered around the United States, Neurohr himself used to struggle to get around, although recently things have improved.

"I am still able to get up the steps of my RV," he said.

For a majority of club members who rely on wheelchairs or other mobility devices to get around however, getting into an RV can be a challenge. Normally, RVs consist of small doors, tight spaces and little accessibility options for disabled individuals.

"Very few companies custom make RVs for disabled individuals, there are not many on dealer lots," said Neurohr.

Mark Douglass understands the struggles that many disabled individuals face when they want to purchase an RV and hit the open road. Co-founder of the RVing Accessibility Group he travels around the country rating RV parks, campgrounds and RV units on their compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

"There is just not a lot of awareness in the RV industry about the needs of disabled travelers," he said. "Some manufacturers in the RV industry will custom build models for disabled individuals, but then the customer has to wait 6 to 8 months before their unit is delivered, by then the RV season is over."

Douglass, who was once wheelchair bound, said that about one-in-five Americans are disabled and that around 60 percent of those individuals utilize some form of mobility device. He estimates that around 20 to 30 percent of those individuals are interested in camping or RVing.

"How many want to go, but can't?" he questioned.

In Elkhart County, North American RV custom builds RVs for disabled individuals across the country. Terry Hiser, president of North American RV, said that they work with another local RV company, Recreation By Design, and disabled customers, to build a floor plan that will work for them.

"It is rewarding work because the customers are very excited when they receive their units," said Hiser. "They can get out and enjoy the same experience as ambulatory individuals."

They custom make travel trailers, fifth-wheel models and even Park Model RVs, which are meant for long-term stays at camping sites. Price wise, Hiser said that depending on the features the customer wants, the custom made models can cost $10,000 to $14,000 more than a base model RV right off the manufacturer's line.

"It really depends on the ability of the customer and the features they need installed," he said.

Winnebago Industries and Nappanee-based RV maker Newmar manufacture wheel-chair accessible Class A Motor Coaches depending on the needs of the customer. Sam Jefson, public relations specialist for Winnebago, said that they can craft RVs with wider doors, lifts and ramps.

A Winnebago brochure also says the company offers roll-in showers and conveniently located controls. Jefson could not provide the number of RVs they manufactured for disabled customers over the last year.

Ken Julien, human resources director for Thor Industries, the world's largest manufacturer of RVs, said that Thor does not manufacture RVs for disabled customers, but that they work closely with their dealers.

"The dealers have avenues they can use to retrofit RVs for disabled customers," he said.

Julien said that he hasn't seen many RVs that were retrofitted for disabled customers and that Thor dealers do not receive many request for such RVs.

Douglass said that it is great some manufacturers are willing to make RVs for disabled customers when they get orders, but that the industry has a lot of work to do before they will be fully compliant with ADA requirements.

He notes that a lot of RVs being custom made by manufacturers are still falling short for disabled customers, with cabinets and microwaves that are out of reach for a wheel-chair bound individual.

"The industry needs to reach out and learn more about how they can make their models even more accessible for disabled customers," he said. "I always tell them that they need to sit in a wheelchair and move around an RV to see what needs changed."

Douglass also noted that the RV rental industry has almost disappeared for disabled customers.

"Renting before buying allows a disabled customers to see what the experience would be like before they commit to spending a lot of money on a unit," he said.

While there is still a lot of work to do in the industry to meet the demands of disabled customers, Neurohr said he is grateful for the experiences RVing has given to him and his club members.

"It really does change your attitude when you can get together and have fun," he said. "We are like one big family."

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Source: The Elkhart Truth, http://bit.ly/2rmb65O

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Information from: The Elkhart Truth, http://www.elkharttruth.com