-- Featuring the Founder of Mobility Funding --

A Good Idea

By Clive Soden

Finally, there’s a Web site for people with disabilities to obtain financing for their accessible vehicles.  At MobilityFunding.com, it takes just about an hour to get a loan application processed after filling out a secure online form.  “It’s a pretty basic concept – nothing earth shattering other than nobody else is doing it,” said Bob Lundin, the owner of MobilityFunding.com. 

Bob feels there is a great need for his new online service because, in many cases, the financing of accessible vehicles can be difficult due to the expense of the added mobility equipment.  “People with disabilities need financing like everyone else, “Bob said, “but it’s like beating down doors to go to a regular bank or credit union because of the collateral situations they are faced with.”

Bob Lundin, Owner
of MobilityFunding.com

According to Bob, banks and credit unions don’t understand the equipment and the add-ons. “They don’t know the value of them,” Bob said.  He also mentioned that there’s no industry reference book that lists the costs of accessibility add-ons, which typically run around $19,000 per vehicle.  “Banks get scared of the collateral,” Bob said. 

Bob knows the accessible vehicle and equipment business because he also runs another company called Mobility Sales & Rentals, which he started back in 2003.  As is the custom for most companies, Mobility Sales & Rental outsourced the loans to financial institutions.  “Because we didn’t have a secure site, we would just get the basic loan information and call the finance company to get the loan processed,” Bob said. 

It’s for these reasons that Bob started his new MobilityFunding.com company in early 2006.  “MobilityFunding.com is a completely encrypted and secure Web site,” Bob said.  “It’s a funding source for purchasing accessible equipment and accessible vehicles.”  After approval, Mobility Funding’s dedicated consultants will contact applicants, and give them rates and terms of the loan.  The consultants do all the follow-up and paper work with the customers.  All this is done either online or on the phone. “Once they get their loan, they can buy whatever they want and from whomever they want,” Bob said.  Mobility Funding estimates around 90% of loans are approved.  In addition, MobilityFunding.com will soon have a dealer locator feature that will allow people to find dealers in their local areas. 

But MobilityFunding.com is not just for people who need loans.  “It is to help mobility dealers as well,” Bob said.  Dealers of accessible vehicles and equipment can set up their own account with a user name and password.  An account with MobilityFunding.com gives dealers a database of equipment suppliers, financial institutions, people who buy accessible products, and a history of all their customer transactions.  The secure account also allows dealers to fill out loan applications for their customers and get approval on the Internet. “The site is real dealer friendly,” Bob said.

For further information on the services provided by Mobility Funding, visit their Web site at: http://www.mobilityfunding.com.  For the Web site of Mobility Sales & Rentals, go to: http://www.mobilitysales.com.

Clive Soden is a writer and Web developer. His Web site is: www.clivesoden.com.

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