Facts Sheet
Understanding the Need for Accessibility
Industry Findings and Research
Today, more than 2 million people are in search of a wheelchair accessible vehicle. This number grows 8 percent every year—and only 4 percent have access to a private vehicle.
Public wheelchair transportation is not available to more than 45 percent of the population. The lack of access to wheelchair accessible transportation is a leading limiting factor in educational attainment and day-to-day living.
Access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle can be empowering and impactful in changing outcomes as it is often the most significant constraint in educational attainment and income equality.
According to a report by the National Council on Disability, individuals with disabilities are 150 percent more likely to live in poverty than those without disabilities. In 2016, the poverty rate for people with disabilities was 25.5 percent, compared to 10.5 percent for people without disabilities.
High school graduation rates for students with disabilities utilizing a wheelchair are 11.8 percent lower than students without disabilities (67.1 percent versus 76.1 percent for students without disabilities – National Longitudinal Transition Study).
A person without a disability is 81 percent more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher than a person with a disability (29 percent versus 16 percent – National Council on Disability).
There is a significant income gap between wheelchair users and able-bodied individuals. Studies have consistently found that individuals with disabilities, including wheelchair users, earn less on average than individuals without disabilities.
According to a 2019 report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment-population ratio for persons with a disability was 19.3 percent, compared to 66.3 percent for those without a disability.
In 2020, the median weekly earnings for workers with a disability was $19,292 annually less than a worker without a disability ($64, 896 for a person without a disability versus $45,604 of a person with a disability – US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
According to a report by the National Council on Disability, individuals with disabilities were 150 percent more likely to live below the poverty level than those without disabilities. In 2016, the poverty rate for people with disabilities was 25.5 percent, compared to 10.5 percent for people without disabilities.