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Call 877-275-4907 to connect with a MobilityWorks specialist and discover how you can stay independent and confident on the road, just like Jamie.

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When it comes to living life on your own terms, having independence makes all the difference. For this driver, that meant finding the right vehicle — and the right team — to help him get there.

After going through a driving evaluation with equipment that technically worked but didn’t feel quite right, Jamie Smith decided to start doing his own research. That’s when he discovered Electric Mobility Controls (EMC) joystick-operated driving technology, and immediately knew it was exactly what he needed.

Of course, getting behind the wheel wasn’t as simple as just ordering the equipment. First, he had to go through training, pass evaluations and find someone who could build the van to fit his needs. That’s where Certified Mobility Consultant Stacy Krubsack and the team in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, came in.

“They were awesome,” he said. “They explained everything and showed me exactly what the finished setup would look like. They worked with me and worked with the state of New Jersey for funding on it as well. They told me exactly who I needed to talk to, what I needed to tell them I needed, the whole process.”

When Jamie’s van was ready, he was ready.

“If I want to go anywhere, I just hit the button on my key fob attached to my wheelchair. The door and ramp open up, and I drive right in,” he said. His wheelchair locks into place right where the driver’s seat would normally be, and he easily transitions from his wheelchair joystick to the vehicle’s joystick to hit the road.

Since getting his first van (which has over 270,000 miles on it — and he still has it!), he’s made the most of his freedom. He’s taken trips to Florida, helped his sister move home from college, and even strapped a mattress to the roof once to make it all happen.

This summer, he’s got tickets to several Phillies games and a handful of concerts, and the best part is, there’s nothing holding him back. Now driving his second accessible vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, he’s ready for even more adventures.

“If I want to go, there’s nothing to stop me,” he said. “Just going to a concert or a sporting event, or if my sister says she’s taking my nephews to the playground across town, I can jump in the van and go meet up with them over there. I can go do any activity that any able-bodied person would want to go do.”

His van didn’t just open up his social life, it changed his future. Being able to drive himself meant he could work more full time, move out of his hometown and buy his own house.

“It gives you an immense amount of freedom,” he said. “Things that I would never be able to imagine doing if I couldn’t drive, because the resources just aren’t out there to get you where you need to go when you need to get there.”

His biggest advice for anyone going through the process of getting an accessible vehicle? Don’t be afraid to speak up.

“Ask the questions. If something doesn’t feel right, say something. The people I worked with were great — they made everything adjustable and tailored it to what I was most comfortable with,” he said. “If you go with a setup that you’re not 100% comfortable with, then you’re always going to feel a little uneasy and a little on edge when you’re driving. You don’t want to do that. Ask the questions and get it right the first time.”

Thanks to the right equipment, the right team and a lot of determination, Jamie’s not just getting from point A to point B — he’s living life without limits.

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