How Wheelchair Van Seating Works With AutoFloor

Every full-sized accessible van sold from MoveMobility comes with AutoFloor installed. This track system allows drivers to quickly change the layout of their van, adapting from ride to ride. But only if you know how to use it properly. In this video, I’ll go over how AutoFloor works, how to move seats, how to secure a wheelchair, and finally, maintenance and cleaning. So let’s start with what AutoFloor actually is, because once you understand this, everything else makes sense. AutoFloor is a track system built right into the floor of your van. Those tracks run down the passenger area, and they’re what your seats and your wheelchair restraints lock into. No tools required. Everything anchors into that track. With fixed seating, you plan your day around the van. With AutoFloor, the van adapts to your day. Same vehicle, different layout. That track is the foundation for everything we’re about to do. Now let’s go inside the van and start with the thing you’ll do most often: moving a seat.

Every seat sits on that track, held by a locking mechanism. To take one out, the process is simple. Reach under the seat and pull the red pin. Hold it up. Then pull the red handle back, and you’ll hear, and feel a click. That click matters. It’s telling you the lock has released from the track. Now do the exact same thing on the other side, because both sides have to release before the seat will move. Once both handles are back, tilt the seat backward. The seats have wheels built right into them, so you’re not hauling a heavy seat out of the van. You tilt it back, and you roll it out. Your team will appreciate this. Lifting seats every day is how backs get hurt, and this spares them that strain. Putting a seat back in, or moving it to a new spot, is just as easy. Make sure the seat is facing forward. Then line the front legs up into the track, check that they’re sitting in it properly, and push the red handles forward. That locks it back down. When those legs are seated right and the handles are forward, that seat is part of the vehicle again. That’s your seating sorted. But the whole reason you got an accessible van was to transport wheelchair users. So next, let’s secure a wheelchair.

When you’re transporting a wheelchair user, their safety comes first. And few things are more dangerous than a wheelchair that wasn’t secured properly. For the safety of everyone, go over the detailed instructions that came with your specific restraints. For now, I’ll give you a general overview. AutoFloor works with a four-point restraint system. Four straps that anchor into that same floor track. Here’s the order. First, get the passenger facing forward and position the chair where it’ll travel. In a side-entry van, that may mean turning the chair to face the front. Set the brakes, and if it’s a power chair, switch it off. Now the four restraints. One into the track at each corner of the chair: two at the front, two at the back. Hook each strap onto the solid frame of the wheelchair. Never onto a removable part like an armrest or a footrest, because those can come off. Keep each strap at about a forty-five degree angle, make sure there are no twists, and don’t cross or overlap them. Then tighten them down so the chair can’t shift or roll. Last, the passenger’s own belts, separate from the chair. The lap belt goes low across the pelvis, again at about forty-five degrees. The shoulder belt runs from the hip across to the opposite shoulder, just like a car seatbelt, and it should never sit tight against the neck. Get this right and your riders travel safely. And keeping it all working comes down to one last thing you won’t want to overlook.

AutoFloor barely asks anything of you for maintenance, but the little it does ask makes a real difference. The track is what does the locking, so you want to keep it clear. Sweep it out regularly, or blow it clean with compressed air. Grit, gravel, road salt, that’s the stuff that builds up over a Canadian winter, and keeping it out is what keeps your seats sliding and locking smoothly. The seats themselves are even easier. They’re made from transit-grade vinyl, so they wipe clean with just water and a cloth. That’s it. No special products, no complicated upkeep. Keep the track clear, wipe the seats down, and the system keeps doing its job. So that’s AutoFloor, made for flexibility. If you’ve got any questions about using your system, reach out. We’re always here to help.