NMEDA MUST READ!!!!!

As someone who is disabled I know how important it is to find the organizations out there that can help out someone in need.  NMEDA is one of those non-for-profit organizations.  This is the only organization out there that promotes safe driving and equipment for disabled people.  This organization does not sell anything.  It is their dealers (members) that sell handicap vans and vehicle modifications that must adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

The reason you want to go to NMEDA and not just get a handicap accessible van or anything off the internet or ad is because going through one of their dealers you can get a personalized car.  This is a good thing because no two people with a disability are exactly the same.  You can see that just looking at people in my family who all have the same disability.  We all have different symptoms and different issues that would need to be dealt with differently in a car.

The NMEDA has Dealers and then they also have Quality Assurance Program Dealers.  QAP Dealers are held to a much higher standard than other dealers.  In order to be a QAP Dealer they must abide by certain requirements.  

The QPA is also the only recognized accreditation program for the mobility equipment industry.  I have listed the QPA requirements below.

QAP Requirements:

Ø  Maintain Product and Completed Operations and Garage Keepers insurance for liability purposes.

Ø  Have certified welders if they perform structural modifications to vehicles.

Ø  Have technicians certified for the equipment they sell, install and service.

Ø  Maintain records of all adaptive work.

Ø  Undergo an inspection/audit process at least annually by an independent auditing firm to ensure compliance to the NMEDA Guidelines, certain aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and “Make Inoperative” mandates.

Ø  Abide by the Mediation Committee’s decisions when a complaint is lodged by a consumer, a Dealer, or any other person or entity.

Ø  Provide 24 hour service to their customers.

Ø  Meet shop facility and equipment requirements.

Ø  Have four-corner scales.

If you have a QAP Dealer around you it would be more beneficial to go to that dealer because you get a lot more guaranteed from their services.

I looked up the dealers around me and there are two within 50 miles of me and both of them are QAP dealers.  I plan on looking at both of them and seeing what they have to offer and see if there is anything that I can benefit from.  There are over 600 Dealers now a part of NMEDA across the nation.

Now that you have learned all about them head on over to NMEDA and find your closest location then come back here and tell me where it is and how close!