Independence: Trac Fab Maneuvering
Can you put a price on your mobility? What if you were unable to enjoy the beach, or make your way down your favorite nature path, hunt in the woods, or fish right from the banks of the river? For folks with physical disabilities that may rely on alternative methods for mobility, such as wheelchairs, some of these activities can be difficult to maneuver due to the terrain and the limited capabilities of an ordinary device.
In Slippery Rock, Butler County, there is a company that has taken wheelchair design and manufacturing off the grid…literally. Trac Fab was started in March of 2013. Two cousins David Kennedy and Ben Ridenbaugh, worked together to design an all-terrain tracked wheelchair. The first of which was developed and utilized for their Grandmother.
Trac Fab is a unique rugged-ized mobility device that is offered in several different models. The electric models will hold a charge for approx. 8-9 miles. There are a number of features which can be personalized on each model, including adaptive devices for controlling speed and maneuverability. Additionally the seat portion can be customized for therapeutic positioning and comfort. The seat also has built in suspension to help minimize the impact of traveling over rough terrain. And, speaking of terrain the ‘all-terrain’ treads on the base of the Trac Fab are designed to allow the user to maneuver through mud, sand, snow, and rocks. There is also a gas model, which gets an average of 35 miles to the tank. All of the specs can be found on their website under products. https://www.tracfab.com/products
The Trac Fab wheelchair is not approved for coverage by insurance. But in some instances, grants or funding may be available to assist in the cost. One authorized dealer of Trac Fab-Wheels for the Woods, LLC, has a page of Grants and Resources at this link https://wheelsforthewoodsllc.com/grants-%26-resources. Again, how can you put a price on your mobility? Think about what we spend on vehicles to get us to places we need and want to go. And when you take a look at the Trac Fab website or the Facebook page, there are countless photos of Trac Fab owners. They are now pursuing activities in so many different terrains and environments that may have been too challenging previously. Some have attached lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and even snow plows to their Trac Fab . They are now able to enjoy those past times while maintaining independence.
For more information and to get a look at all of those great photos, check out Trak Fab’s website, https://www.tracfab.com/ and facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/tracfabrication/ Maybe TracFab is just what you need to get you where you want to go.
