Your Safety Deserves a Certified Standard
Buckeye Mobility is proud to hold NMEDA’s Quality Assurance Program accreditation — the only nationally recognized certification for wheelchair accessible vehicle dealers in North America. When it comes to your mobility, credentials matter.
Talk to Our TeamWhat Is NMEDA — and Why Should You Care?
The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) is a non-profit trade association established in 1989 that serves the auto mobility industry across the United States and Canada. NMEDA’s mission is straightforward: ensure that people with disabilities have access to safe, reliable, professionally modified vehicles.
NMEDA is the certifying body behind the Quality Assurance Program (QAP) — the only nationally recognized accreditation program for mobility equipment dealers in North America. Not every business that sells or modifies wheelchair accessible vehicles holds this accreditation. The ones that do have demonstrated a documented, audited commitment to doing the work right.
Many state vocational rehabilitation agencies require QAP accreditation for any business that modifies vehicles in their jurisdiction. When public agencies set QAP as their standard, that tells you something about the program’s credibility.
What QAP Accreditation Actually Requires
QAP isn’t a badge you buy — it’s a set of standards you prove. Here’s what Buckeye Mobility maintains to hold this accreditation:
Certified Technicians on Staff
Every QAP location must have at least one NMEDA Certified Technician (NCT) on staff at all times. The NCT program covers electrical systems, quality assurance procedures, fastener integrity, federal safety compliance, and shop safety — with recertification required every two years.
Annual Independent Audits
An independent engineering firm audits every QAP location at least once a year. Auditors verify compliance with NMEDA guidelines, NHTSA federal motor vehicle safety standards, ADA facility requirements, and proper documentation practices. There’s no self-reporting — a third party checks the work.
Manufacturer-Certified Training
Technicians must hold current certifications from the manufacturers of every piece of mobility equipment they install and service. This goes beyond the NCT — it’s equipment-specific, hands-on training direct from companies like BraunAbility, Vantage Mobility, and others.
Calibrated Equipment & Tools
QAP dealers are required to use calibrated tools — torque wrenches, multi-meters, and four-corner vehicle scales — on a documented schedule. Proper calibration ensures that every installation meets exact safety specifications, not approximations.
Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
QAP accreditation requires four types of liability insurance to protect you, the technician, and the manufacturer. This coverage goes well beyond standard automotive shop insurance and reflects the specialized nature of mobility equipment work.
Documented Quality Control
Every QAP dealer maintains a formal quality control manual and keeps detailed records of all adaptive work for a minimum of seven years. Every vehicle conversion is traceable — from the initial assessment through final inspection and customer delivery.
24-Hour Emergency Service
Your wheelchair accessible vehicle is essential transportation, not a luxury. QAP dealers are required to provide 24-hour emergency service support. If something goes wrong with your mobility equipment, you won’t be waiting until Monday morning for help.
ADA-Compliant Facilities
The dealership itself must meet ADA accessibility standards. This should be obvious for a business serving people with disabilities, but QAP makes it a verified requirement — not an assumption.
Why This Matters When You’re Choosing a Dealer
A wheelchair accessible vehicle conversion is not like buying a car off the lot. It involves structural modifications, electrical system work, ramp or lift installation, wheelchair securement systems, and often adaptive driving controls. The quality and safety of that work directly affects the person riding in — or driving — the vehicle.
Not every dealer that sells wheelchair vans is NMEDA-certified. Some businesses install mobility equipment without any third-party oversight, without certified technicians, and without the annual audits that catch problems before they reach customers. The work might look fine on the surface, but without rigorous quality control, safety gaps can go undetected.
When you work with a QAP-accredited dealer like Buckeye Mobility, you know the conversion work is performed by trained, certified professionals, inspected against documented quality standards, and backed by a dealer that’s held accountable by an independent third party every year.
The OEM Warranty Question
One of the most common concerns: will a vehicle conversion void the manufacturer’s warranty? When modifications are performed by a QAP-accredited dealer using products from NMEDA-compliant manufacturers, the original equipment manufacturer’s warranty remains protected. That’s the kind of protection you get when the work is done right, by people who are certified to do it.
Meet Bill Graves, General Manager
General Manager & NMEDA Certified Sales Consultant
When you contact Buckeye Mobility, Bill Graves is the person you’ll work with. As General Manager, Bill guides every customer through the process — from initial needs assessment through vehicle selection, funding navigation, and delivery. He’s not a middleman routing you to someone else. He’s the person who knows your situation, understands the equipment, and sees the process through.
Bill is an NMEDA Certified Sales Consultant who has completed the full scope of NMEDA’s education and training programs — going beyond what’s required to ensure he can speak to every aspect of wheelchair accessible vehicles, adaptive equipment, and the QAP standards Buckeye Mobility upholds.
What Bill Brings to Your Experience
Certified Technicians Behind the Work
Bill guides the process. Our NMEDA Certified Technicians do the hands-on conversion, installation, and service work. Every technician on our service team holds the credentials required by NMEDA’s Quality Assurance Program — plus manufacturer-specific certifications for the equipment they install and maintain.
This is the other half of the trust equation. It’s not enough to have a knowledgeable person walking you through the purchase. The people physically modifying your vehicle and installing your mobility equipment need to be trained, certified, and accountable to documented quality standards.
NMEDA Certified Technician (NCT)
Five-module program covering electrical systems, QAP standards, federal safety compliance, fastener integrity, and shop safety. Recertification required every two years.
BraunAbility Certified
Trained and certified by BraunAbility to install and service their wheelchair accessible vehicle conversions — the industry’s leading manufacturer of accessible vehicles.
Q’STRAINT Certified
Certified in the installation and service of Q’STRAINT wheelchair securement and occupant restraint systems — the equipment that keeps wheelchair passengers safe during transit.
Toyota Certified
Our team carries Toyota manufacturer certifications, reflecting Buckeye Mobility’s roots as part of the Buckeye Toyota family and ensuring OEM-level competence on Toyota platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NMEDA?
What does QAP accreditation mean for me as a customer?
Will a vehicle conversion void my manufacturer’s warranty?
What is an NMEDA Certified Technician?
Does Buckeye Mobility offer service on vehicles purchased elsewhere?
How can I verify Buckeye Mobility’s NMEDA accreditation?
What area does Buckeye Mobility serve?
Ready to Work with a Certified Dealer?
Whether you’re exploring wheelchair accessible vehicles for the first time or need service on existing mobility equipment, our certified team is here to help. No pressure, no rush — just honest guidance from people who know this industry inside and out.
Or call us directly: (740) 653-0168