About MobilityTrader

Our Mission

Finding the right wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) can be challenging. General car marketplaces often lack detailed accessibility filters and specialist knowledge. MobilityTrader was created to fill that gap — giving buyers and sellers a focused platform where entry type, ramp style, lowered floors, hand controls, and conversion quality matter as much as price and mileage.

Buying Guide – What to Look For

• Entry type: Side-entry is often preferred for driveways and garages; rear-entry can be easier for street parking and may allow more interior space.
• Ramp vs Lift: Power ramps are convenient; manual ramps cost less. Platform lifts are common on larger vans and commercial vehicles.
• Lowered floor: Increases headroom and reduces ramp angle — highly recommended for most wheelchair users.
• Kneeling suspension: Lowers the ramp-side of the vehicle further at the push of a button, easing the ramp angle even more — helpful for manual wheelchairs or lower-powered chairs.
• Hand controls: Essential if the wheelchair user will drive independently — check which type (push-pull, push-rock, etc.) matches their needs.
• Steering aids: A spinner knob or similar aid enables one-handed steering, often paired with hand controls.
• Seating — swivel & transfer seats: A swivel seat rotates toward the door for an easier approach; a power or manual transfer seat lowers to wheelchair height. Worth having even if the wheelchair user won't be driving.
• Wheelchair securing method: Docking systems lock the chair in place automatically; strap-based (4-point tie-down) systems secure it manually. Ask which the vehicle uses, and confirm occupant restraints are present and in good condition.
• Conversion brand: Look for reputable converters (BraunAbility, VMI, Driverge, etc.) and ask about remaining warranties on both the vehicle and the conversion.
• Compliance & certification: Look for FMVSS (US) or CMVSS (Canada) compliance, and ideally a conversion installed by an NMEDA/QAP Certified Installer — both are real signals the work was done to an actual safety standard, not just a garage modification.
• Professional inspection: Have a mobility equipment dealer or qualified technician inspect the conversion before purchase.

Buying from across the border? See Import/Export Considerations below.

Selling Guide – Crafting a Compelling Listing

• Lead with real photos: Wide shots of the whole vehicle, the ramp or lift fully deployed, the interior with the floor/seating layout visible, and any hand controls or steering aids. A listing with no photos - or only a placeholder - gets skipped fast.
• Fill in every accessibility field: Entry type, ramp type, securing method, capacity, and interior dimensions aren't just details - they're exactly what buyers filter and search by. A listing missing them won't turn up in those searches at all.
• Write a real description: Why you're selling, how the conversion has held up, any recent maintenance, and anything a buyer would want to know before driving out to see it. Specifics build trust far more than generic copy.
• Price it honestly: Check comparable listings for the same conversion brand and vehicle age/mileage. Remember a WAV's conversion holds real value on top of the base vehicle - price both parts with that in mind.
• Claim your compliance and credentials: If the conversion meets FMVSS/CMVSS, say so and upload the certificate for a verified badge. Dealers with NMEDA/QAP certification should claim it too - both are the fastest way to earn a cautious buyer's trust.
• Name the conversion brand: BraunAbility, VMI, Driverge, and similar - buyers searching for a specific converter's work won't find an "Other/unspecified" listing.
• Respond quickly: A WAV search is often time-sensitive for the buyer. Listings with fast, direct replies convert to sales far more often than ones left unanswered for days.
• Keep it current: Update the price if it changes, and mark the listing sold as soon as it is - a stale, unavailable listing just wastes a buyer's time and yours.
• Consider a featured boost: For a listing you need to move quickly, a featured boost puts it higher in search results and adds a badge that stands out in the grid.
• Running a dealership? Ask about our Unlimited Storefront upgrade in the Dealer Panel - no per-listing fee, free video walkthroughs, and your own public storefront page.

Selling to a buyer across the border? See Import/Export Considerations below.

Import/Export Considerations

If You're Buying (Importing)

Bringing a vehicle into Canada (from the US)

• RIV admissibility: Check that the vehicle's make, model, and year appear on Transport Canada's Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) admissibility list before you buy — some vehicles, and some modifications, aren't eligible for import at all.
• Compliance inspection window: After crossing, you'll have a limited window to bring the vehicle to an authorized inspection facility to confirm it meets Canadian safety requirements before it can be plated.
• Duties, taxes, and RIV fees: Expect a federal registration fee plus GST, and possibly other levies depending on the vehicle — confirm current amounts with CBSA and the RIV program directly, as these change.
• Provincial registration: Once the federal inspection clears, you'll still need to register and insure the vehicle provincially — requirements vary by province.

Bringing a vehicle into the United States (from Canada)

• CBP entry and compliance forms: US Customs and Border Protection requires proof the vehicle meets US safety (DOT) and emissions (EPA) standards at entry — a vehicle that doesn't conform may require a bond or may not be admissible at all.
• State registration and inspection: Requirements for titling, registering, and inspecting an imported vehicle vary by state.

The part specific to accessibility conversions: the base vehicle's compliance and the conversion's compliance are two separate things. A conversion certified for the US market (FMVSS/NMEDA) isn't automatically recognized as meeting Canadian standards (CMVSS), and vice versa — this is worth confirming before you buy, not after, since it can affect both admissibility and the cost of bringing the vehicle up to standard.

If You're Selling (Exporting)

Selling to a buyer in Canada (exporting from the US)

• Advance notice to US Customs: Vehicles being permanently exported from the US generally must be reported to CBP in advance of the vehicle physically leaving the country — plan for this lead time rather than assuming a same-day crossing.
• Title and lien clearance: Make sure your title is clean (no active lien) and ready to hand over — a Canadian buyer's RIV import will stall without it.
• What your buyer will ask you for: Be ready to provide clear documentation of the vehicle's certification status and, if applicable, the conversion's certification — this is often the first thing a buyer needs to confirm before they commit to importing.

Selling to a buyer in the United States (exporting from Canada)

• Documentation: A US buyer will need proof of the vehicle's compliance status to clear CBP/EPA/DOT entry — have your paperwork (and the conversion's certification, if separate) ready to share.
• Title and lien clearance: Same as above — a clean, transferable title avoids delays on the buyer's side.

Set expectations early: cross-border sales typically take longer to close than a local sale, given the paperwork and inspection steps on the buyer's end. Being upfront about this — and having your documentation ready before you list — makes your listing more attractive to a serious cross-border buyer.

Trading instead of buying or selling outright? Keep in mind both vehicles cross customs independently — the same import and export considerations above apply in both directions at once.

Helpful Resources

Real-world resources for accessible vehicles include specialists such as MobilityWorks, United Access, The Mobility Resource, and national associations like NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association).