Travel Scooters
Offer an Easy Way to Go

by Bill Norman

Fold ‘em up or
break ‘em down.
Toss ‘em in the
trunk — and go!

Electric scooters are a great option for people who are partially ambulatory, whose muscle weakness is not progressing quickly, and who just want some help getting around.

But people with disabilities may not be best served by heavy scooters that can’t readily be lifted, or that require a special vehicle or lift to transport them.

In this case, a more viable alternative may be a travel or transport scooter.

These are typically smaller-sized scooters that can be easily disassembled into several pieces and fit neatly inside a car trunk or airplane cargo hold. The heaviest piece usually weighs less than 40 pounds.

Travel/transport scooters generally aren’t used as a full-time method of transportation, but for visits to the mall or grocery store, or on vacation where a portable transportation option is needed, says Pat O’Brien, marketing manager for the scooter manufacturer Golden Technologies.

Depending on the rider’s muscle weakness, a caregiver or friend may be required to handle disassembly, stor-

age in vehicles, removal and reassembly of a travel scooter.

A tale of two scooters

Josh McDermott, 18, of Walden, N.Y., has a dual perspective on travel scooters because he uses two different three-wheel models, both products of

Josh McDermott on one of his rides.