Transportation Vehicles for Adult Day Care and Group Homes: What to Consider
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For adult day care programs and residential group homes, transportation is an important part of daily operations. Employees may need to transport residents or clients to appointments, programs, community activities and other destinations throughout the day.
Choosing the right vehicle can make those trips easier, safer and more manageable for your organization. But with options ranging from passenger cars to full-size vans and specialized lift-equipped vehicles, determining which vehicle is the best fit requires careful consideration.
The right transportation vehicle depends on several factors, including the number of passengers you regularly transport, accessibility needs, how the vehicle will be used and how much time your staff can dedicate to fleet management.
Consider How Many People You Need to Transport
One of the first questions to consider is how many people your organization typically transports at one time.
A smaller organization or program may only need a passenger car or minivan for individual appointments and smaller trips. Organizations transporting larger groups may benefit from a larger passenger van.
For example, easy fleet vehicle options can include:
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Honda Accord for smaller transportation needs
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Chrysler Pacifica for flexible passenger transportation
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Chevy Express for larger passenger groups
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Ford Transit 350 for higher-capacity transportation needs
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Ford Metrolite for organizations with specialized transportation requirements
The goal isn't necessarily to choose the largest vehicle available. Instead, organizations should select a vehicle that provides the right amount of capacity for their typical transportation needs.
Consider Accessibility Needs
Accessibility can be an important consideration for adult day care programs and residential group homes.
If your organization transports individuals who use wheelchairs or have mobility limitations, a standard passenger vehicle may not provide the accessibility or flexibility you need.
Specialized lift-equipped vehicles can provide another option. Depending on your organization's needs, easy fleet vehicle options can include vehicles such as the Ford Transit Lift, Ford Metrolite and BraunAbility Chrysler Voyager.
When evaluating an accessible transportation vehicle, consider:
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The number of passengers you typically transport
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Whether you need wheelchair lift access
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How frequently the vehicle will be used for accessible transportation
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The amount of space needed for passengers and mobility equipment
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Whether staff can comfortably operate and use the vehicle
Choosing a vehicle based on the needs of the people you serve can help your organization provide more consistent transportation while making daily trips easier for staff and passengers.
Consider How the Vehicle Will Be Used
Not every organization uses its vehicles in the same way.
An adult day care program may need vehicles for regularly scheduled transportation to and from the program, while a residential group home may use vehicles for a combination of appointments, errands, employment, community activities and recreational outings.
Think about your organization's typical transportation schedule:
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How many miles do your vehicles travel each week?
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How many passengers are typically transported?
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Are trips primarily local or longer-distance?
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Do multiple employees use the same vehicle?
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Are vehicles used every day?
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Do you need a vehicle for specialized transportation?
Understanding how your vehicles will actually be used can help determine whether a car, minivan, passenger van or specialized vehicle is the right choice.
Safety and Vehicle Performance Matter
When you're transporting residents and clients, vehicle performance and safety are essential considerations.
A fleet vehicle needs to be ready to handle the demands of regular use. That means maintenance shouldn't be something your organization thinks about only after a problem occurs.
With the easy fleet program, vehicle performance, safety and maintenance are a priority. We helps organizations manage the ongoing maintenance needs associated with their fleet so staff don't have to handle everything themselves.
Hassle-Free Maintenance
When an easy fleet vehicle is due for scheduled maintenance, typically every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, organizations can contact our service team.
Rideshare connects the organization with a nearby maintenance and repair partner. At a convenient time, the facility swaps the regular vehicle with a temporary replacement so the organization can continue its transportation operations while maintenance is completed.
The service includes:
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Lube, oil and filter service
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An 85-point safety inspection
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Tire maintenance
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Battery maintenance
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Brake maintenance
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Needed repairs and maintenance
Once the work is complete, the regular vehicle is returned to the organization.
For adult day care and group home administrators, this approach can help reduce the amount of time staff spend coordinating routine vehicle maintenance.
Consider Vehicle Visibility and Driver Behavior
Managing a fleet also means knowing how vehicles are being used.
All easy fleet vehicles are equipped with GPS tracking technology. Organizations have access to their own dashboard where they can review and analyze vehicle data.
GPS tracking can help organizations:
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Monitor driver behavior
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Identify speeding incidents
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Monitor after-hours vehicle movement
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Identify unauthorized travel
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View the real-time location of vehicles
For organizations with multiple vehicles or multiple employees using fleet vehicles, this information can provide greater visibility into how vehicles are being used.
It can also help administrators identify patterns and address potential issues before they become larger concerns.
Consider Your Organization's Long-Term Needs
The right transportation vehicle isn't just about what your organization needs today. It's also worth considering how your transportation needs may change over time.
For example, an organization may start with a smaller passenger vehicle and eventually need additional capacity as its program grows. Another organization may determine that an accessible vehicle is necessary as the needs of its residents or clients change.
Before choosing a vehicle, consider:
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Whether your organization expects to expand
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Whether the number of passengers you transport may change
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Whether accessibility needs may increase
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How frequently vehicles will be used
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Whether you anticipate adding additional vehicles
Planning ahead can help organizations make vehicle decisions that support their transportation needs over the long term.
Finding the Right Transportation Vehicle Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
Adult day care programs and residential group homes have different transportation needs. Some may need a car for smaller trips, while others require passenger vans or specialized lift-equipped vehicles.
The key is finding a vehicle that matches the people you serve, your typical transportation schedule and your organization's operational needs.
With the easy fleet program, organizations can choose from a range of vehicle options, from four-passenger vehicles to full-size passenger vans. Options can include cars, small and large passenger vans and specialized lift-equipped vehicles.
And vehicle selection is only part of the solution. With maintenance support and GPS tracking included, easy fleet is designed to provide organizations with a complete fleet solution.
Need transportation vehicles that fit your organization's needs? Learn more about how our easy fleet program can help your adult day care program or residential group home get the right vehicles to better serve the people who rely on you.