<tr><td>Planning a vacation can become a job in and of itself. From
researching destinations to shopping around for airfares, from booking hotels
to figuring out if your insurance will transfer to a rental car--it's a time
consuming and complex process. For persons with disabilities, the challenges
are even greater, as they must struggle with issues of accessibility and
special needs. But help is in sight.
We've recently come across three very useful companies that we think will make
travel just a little bit simpler for people with medical and physical
disabilities.
The first, Wheelchair Getaways, is a nationwide chain that rents vans
specially remodeled for persons in wheelchairs (some of the franchises also
have cars with hand controls). The vehicles all have either raised roofs or
lowered floors, four-point wheelchair tie down with seat belts, air-
conditioning and power steering, locks and brakes. Franchise offices are
located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida,
Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and Virginia. Although
they've been asked to, the company does not provide drivers or guides, but
according to owner Stewart Gatewood, the staff is quite knowledgeable in the
needs of mobility impaired travelers, and happy to help with advice and
suggestions (for accessible restaurants, tourist sites and the like). For
more information or to book a vehicle, call 800/536-5518. Their Web address
is <A HREF="http://www.coast-resources.com/wheelchair-getaways">www.coast-
resources.com/wheelchair-getaways</A>.
Next, we have Scoot-Around North America, a firm that connects clients with
scooter rental companies in every major tourist and business destination in
the United States and Canada. This firm is especially helpful for slow
walkers and persons with mobility impairment who like to have the option of a
scooter, but prefer not to travel with their own. Scoot-Around charges a
booking fee of $30 per trip, a fee that is sometimes (although not always)
offset by the discounts they can obtain from some of the companies in their
network. Scoot-Around will be branching out in the fall, and forming their
own budget-priced scooter rental companies in Tampa, Orlando, and Fort
Lauderdale. The need for this service is especially great in Orlando, where
scooter prices tend to be overblown--if you rent a scooter at a Disney
themepark, the cost will be $40 a day and they won't guarantee a reservation
on the vehicle. Average cost everywhere else in the country is only $100 per
week! In addition to scooters, the company can book manual and electric
wheelchairs. To contact Scoot-Around North America, call 888/441-7575 or
visit their Web site at <A HREF="http://www.dpmg.com/scoot-around">
www.dpmg.com/scoot-around</A>.
Finally, there's the National Oxygen Travel Service, which as you might guess,
arranges for oxygen equipment and supplies for travelers (they also book
medical equipment for people with severe heart conditions and sleep disorder
problems). Another network of service providers, N.O.T.S. can arrange for
equipment to be delivered to airports, cruise ships, homes and hotels anywhere
in the continental U.S and to some foreign destinations. Fees for their
services are on a sliding scale, and they are able to obtain discounts with
many of their service providers. N.O.T.S. can reached by calling 800/862-NOTS
or 937-848-6029.
For more information on travel for people with disabilities, please visit the
"Special Travelers" section of our Web site (
<A HREF="http://www.frommers.com/specialpeople">www.frommers.com/specialpeople
</A>). It contains extensive articles organizations that specialize in
planning vacations and tours for persons with mobility impairments, hearing
impairments, sight impairments, medical disabilities and developmental
disabilities. <
To comment on this or any other article in our Daily News
Magazine of Travel, simply send an e-mail to
<A HREF="http://www.frommers.com/comments">Arthur_Frommer(AT)prenhall.com.</A>