# How to Get a Heavy Wheelchair Into a Car — and When to Skip It Entirely

> Struggling to load a heavy wheelchair into a car on Long Island? Learn practical lifting tips, tools, and when professional NEMT is the safer choice.

Source: https://dachiplus.com/resources/how-to-get-a-heavy-wheelchair-into-a-car/

## Photo: DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ / Pexels

By [Nabeel Majahid](https://dachiplus.com/about/#owner), Owner

Updated September 2026

Getting a heavy wheelchair into a car safely means reducing the chair's weight before you lift, using the right loading angle, and knowing when the chair is simply too heavy to load without a professional vehicle. For residents of Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island, a dedicated wheelchair-accessible transport service is often the safer — and sometimes cheaper — option. Call DachiPlus at [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777), or if you have Medicaid, call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270).

**Quick answer:** Remove footrests and armrests first (saves 10–15 lbs), tilt the chair onto its rear wheels, slide it into a hatchback or SUV rather than lifting straight up. Power chairs and bariatric chairs usually can't be loaded by hand at all — use a WAV with a ramp or lift instead.
**Medicaid:** call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270).
**Private pay:** call [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777).

## Why Wheelchair Weight Is a Real Loading Problem

The weight of a manual wheelchair varies more than most people expect. A basic transport chair runs about 19–25 pounds, but a standard self-propelling model lands at 35–50 pounds, and a bariatric manual chair can top 70 pounds. Add the caregiver's own fatigue — many are older spouses or parents on Long Island caring for a family member — and even a "medium" chair becomes a back-injury waiting to happen.

The loading angle makes things worse. A sedan trunk sits roughly 30 inches off the ground. Hoisting a 45-pound chair straight up and then folding it through a narrow trunk opening is awkward even for a fit adult. A hatchback or minivan with a lower, wider cargo opening is meaningfully easier. If you are regularly loading a chair that weighs more than 40 pounds solo, you are in injury territory over time.

For patients heading to appointments at facilities like [Good Samaritan Hospital](https://dachiplus.com/facilities/good-samaritan-hospital/) in West Islip or [Huntington Hospital](https://dachiplus.com/facilities/huntington-hospital/) in Suffolk County, calling a service equipped for this from the start is often the practical answer. Our guide on [how to transport someone in a wheelchair](https://dachiplus.com/resources/how-to-transport-someone-in-a-wheelchair/) covers the broader picture.

## Step-by-Step: Reducing Weight Before You Lift

The single best technique for loading a heavy wheelchair into a car is to make it lighter before you try. Most folding manual wheelchairs have removable parts that together weigh 10–20 pounds.

- **Footrests:** Swing them out or unpin them — each footrest is about 3–5 lbs.
- **Armrests:** Many desk-style armrests lift straight off, saving another 3–5 lbs total.
- **Seat cushion:** A thick foam or gel cushion can add 4–8 lbs. Toss it in the backseat first.
- **Anti-tip bars:** If present, fold or remove them so the chair collapses fully flat.
Once stripped down, fold the chair by lifting the seat sling upward (on most standard frames), then position it beside your vehicle's trunk or cargo area. Tilt it onto its rear wheels so the front casters clear the bumper, then slide it in at an angle rather than lifting straight up. Two people — one at the push handles, one at the front frame — makes this much smoother in Nassau County neighborhoods where parking is tight and there's little room to maneuver.

Nassau County families managing this for trips to dialysis centers like Fresenius in Commack or DaVita in Selden often tell us that stripping the chair takes two extra minutes but saves their back for months. Still, this only works for folding manual chairs in reasonable condition.

## Tools That Actually Help: Ramps, Lifts, and Hoists

When the chair is too heavy to load by hand even stripped down, aftermarket loading aids can bridge the gap — though they have real limits. For Nassau and Suffolk County families considering a vehicle modification, here is what exists:

- **Hitch-mounted wheelchair carriers:** These attach to a trailer hitch and hold a folded manual chair in an enclosed pod outside the vehicle. They keep the chair out of the passenger space and require almost no lifting — you roll or slide the chair onto the platform. Weight capacity varies; most handle up to 50 lbs.
- **Portable vehicle ramps:** A folding ramp propped against an open minivan or SUV cargo door lets you roll the folded chair up rather than lifting it. Only practical if the chair rolls well when folded (not all do).
- **Overhead or trunk hoists:** Electric hoists mount inside a van or SUV cargo area and winch the chair up via a harness. They cost $800–$2,500 installed and require professional fitting. For heavy chairs used daily, this is worth serious consideration.
None of these tools help if the chair is a power wheelchair. Power chairs weigh 150–400 pounds and require a full WAV (wheelchair-accessible vehicle) with a hydraulic ramp or lift. Attempting to load one by hand risks destroying the chair and injuring everyone involved. Our [wheelchair van explainer](https://dachiplus.com/resources/wheelchair-van-explained/) walks through how purpose-built accessible vehicles handle this.

## When Professional Wheelchair Transport Is the Right Call

At some point — usually when the chair weighs over 50 pounds, the caregiver has a physical limitation, or the chair is a power model — professional [wheelchair user medical transportation](https://dachiplus.com/services/wheelchair-transportation/) is simply the right answer. It is not giving up; it is risk management.

DachiPlus provides wheelchair-accessible transport across Nassau County and Suffolk County, Long Island. For manual wheelchairs, drivers are trained to safely load and secure the chair. For power wheelchairs and heavier equipment, we coordinate with licensed WAV partners who have factory-installed ramps and tie-down systems that meet New York State vehicle standards.

Patients traveling to Bay Shore, Brentwood, or elsewhere in Suffolk County for recurring appointments — chemotherapy at [South Shore University Hospital](https://dachiplus.com/facilities/south-shore-university-hospital/), infusions, or dialysis runs three times a week — quickly find that outsourcing the loading task protects the caregiver's health as much as the patient's. See our [dialysis transportation](https://dachiplus.com/services/dialysis-transportation/) page for how that works on a recurring schedule.

[Wheelchair-accessible taxi options on Long Island](https://dachiplus.com/resources/wheelchair-accessible-taxi-long-island/) exist but are limited; a dedicated NEMT provider gives you consistent equipment and trained drivers who know the chair is coming.

## Payment Options: You May Not Have to Pay Out of Pocket

One reason families keep struggling with a heavy wheelchair in a personal car is the assumption that professional transport is expensive. That is not always true on Long Island, and it depends entirely on your coverage.

- **Medicaid:** New York Medicaid covers NEMT — including wheelchair-accessible transport — when a physician certifies that the patient cannot use standard transport. In Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Medicaid members call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270) at least 72 hours before the appointment and request DachiPlus by name. Read the full process in our [MAS Medicaid guide](https://dachiplus.com/resources/mas-medicaid-guide/).
- **Medicare Advantage:** Many Medicare Advantage plans now include NEMT as a supplemental benefit. Check your plan's Summary of Benefits or see our [Medicare Advantage transportation benefits](https://dachiplus.com/resources/medicare-advantage-transportation-benefits/) overview.
- **Long-term care insurance:** Some policies cover medical transportation. DachiPlus bills [long-term care insurance](https://dachiplus.com/pay/long-term-care-insurance/) directly.
- **Private pay:** Credit and debit cards accepted. Call [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777) for a rate quote.
Workers' compensation and no-fault auto insurance also cover transport in appropriate cases. Our [coverage and payment options](https://dachiplus.com/pay/) page lists everything DachiPlus accepts.

## Frequently Asked Questions

Most standard manual wheelchairs weigh between 35 and 50 pounds. Bariatric models can exceed 70 pounds. Even the lighter end is hard to lift solo if you have a back condition or are an older caregiver.

It depends on the chair's weight and the loader's strength. Removing the footrests and armrests first can drop 10–15 pounds. A transfer belt and a hatchback or SUV with a lower lift height make solo loading more realistic, but for chairs over 50 pounds most people need a second person or a vehicle lift.

Private-pay rates vary by provider. For Medicaid members in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, MAS coordinates no-cost accessible transport when a physician certifies medical need. Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours before your appointment.

Power wheelchairs typically weigh 200–400 pounds and cannot be manually loaded. They require a WAV (wheelchair-accessible vehicle) with a ramp or lift. DachiPlus coordinates WAV transport through licensed ambulette partners across Nassau and Suffolk County.

Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours before your appointment and ask for DachiPlus by name. Have your Medicaid ID (CIN number) and the appointment details ready.

## Sources

- [Medical Answering Services (MAS) — NY Medicaid transportation broker](https://www.medanswering.com/)
- [NY State Dept. of Health — Medicaid Managed Care](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/members/)
- [CMS — Non-Emergency Medical Transportation](https://www.cms.gov/medicare-medicaid-coordination/fraud-prevention/medicaid-integrity-education/downloads/nemt-booklet.pdf)

## Book Wheelchair-Accessible Transport on Long Island

DachiPlus serves Nassau County and Suffolk County, Long Island. Whether you need a manual chair secured in a standard accessible van or a power chair loaded via ramp, we coordinate the right vehicle for the trip — so nobody has to hurt their back in a parking lot again.

**Medicaid patients:** call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270) at least 72 hours before your appointment and request DachiPlus by name. **Private pay / all other coverage:** call DachiPlus directly at [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777), Monday–Saturday, 6 AM–8 PM.

## Wheelchair rides with DachiPlus

Our drivers carry wheelchair users who can move to a car seat with a hand from the driver, and the chair rides folded in the trunk. If you need to stay in your wheelchair for the trip, we arrange it with a licensed wheelchair van (WAV) partner.

## Related resources

Part of our guide to [wheelchair rides and mobility](https://dachiplus.com/resources/topics/wheelchair-transportation/).

## How to Get a Free Wheelchair for Seniors (LI Guide)

## How to Get a Wheelchair Taxi in NYC

## How to Get a Wheelchair-Accessible Ride on LI

## Are There Wheelchair Taxi Apps? Long Island Options