Wheelchair Getaways® was founded in Pennsylvania by J. Edward Van Artsdalen. In 1921, Ed's grandfather started the Van Artsdalen Express, a successful freight hauler that continued to grow while managed by Ed's father, J. Preston Van Artsdalen.
Ed Van Artsdalen joined the company in 1972, just as it was restructured to operate school buses instead of trucks. Although the fleet grew to 280 buses serving a dozen public and private schools, the emphasis was not on rapid growth or size, but on quality and personal commitment to service in transportation.
Of the groups that requested specialized transportation services and group outings, one in particular appeared to be poorly served by the transportation industry: people using wheelchairs. There was a definite market demand for this specialized service and providing this service nationally could best be achieved with a network of franchised businesses. Thus Wheelchair Getaways® was born.
In 1994 the company was purchased by J.Stewart and Jean Gatewood, incorporated in Kentucky and the corporate office moved to Versailles. Gatewood brought to the company his experience in personal and human relations and a specialized knowledge of franchises.
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