Page 58 - 2021 MHA Start-up Guide

BASE VEHICLE TYPES

There are six base vehicle types most commonly utilized in mobile healthcare . Which vehicle type
you decide to purchase will once again be driven by budget, care delivery model, geography and
the design considerations above. Here’s a quick look at each.

Class A Motorhome, Coach or heavy-duty truck designed as a mobile medical unit from
the chassis up.
• Gross vehicle rate weighting (GVRW): Up to 55,000 pounds
These vehicles are positioned at the top of the mobile health vehicle spectrum as far as interi-
or space, flexibility, comfort and amenities are concerned. Between 36 and 44 feet long, each
starts as a rolling chassis with a powertrain, axles, a steering column and hook-ups for the
dashboard . The health vehicle manufacturer then adds the entire truck or coach body from
bumper to bumper . Class A coaches may come with four to six axles and up to four slide-outs .

Class B Motorhome or specialist Van Conversion
• GVWR: Up to 12,500 pounds
This vehicle typically starts as a full-size van, possibly with 4 x4 design into which the ap-
propriate medical or dental interior and hardware are added . Class B vans are easy to drive
and park, are readily serviced by most dealerships, and often achieve significantly better fuel
economy than Class A vehicles. Some feature extended fiberglass tops to create more interior
space and headroom .

Class C Motorhome
• GVWR: Up to 15,000 pounds
Class C motorhomes may start as a commercial cab and chassis unit to which the appropri-
ate medical body is added . The cabs themselves may be a full-size pickup or medium-duty
commercial truck . The latest versions of these vehicles may be as long as 40 feet, with two
slide-outs . Conversions of existing lightweight motorhomes are not advised

Travel Trailer
• GVWR: Up to 10,000 pounds
These trailer-style units are single level and come with as many as three axles. They require
a tow vehicle, can house slide-outs and can be as long as 40 feet . Travel trailers fall into two
categories: those below 4,000 pounds and those greater than 4,000 pounds

Tractor with Fifth Wheel and medically equipped Trailer
• GVWR: Up to 80,000 pounds
While these fifth-wheel trailers with a tow vehicle — mainly heavy-duty pickups — have be-
come very popular in the recreational market, they are not widely used for healthcare purpos-
es in part due to the high floor level. They are, however, extremely maneuverable.

Medical Trailer
• GVWR: 10,000 pounds
These specialized medical vehicles require a commercial tractor as the mode of power. A
commercial driver’s license (CDL in the US or Class 1 in Canada) is required to operate these
vehicles . The trailers, which run up to 53 feet in length, may be designed with multiple slide
outs and allow a wide variety of internal configurations for medical or dental use.
56 MOBILE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM STAR T-UP GUIDE