What does a compliant securement station include?
- Four-point tie-downs: four straps anchoring the wheelchair frame (not the wheels, not footrests) to floor track or pockets. Front straps hold the chair from rolling back; rear retractors take the driving loads.
- Occupant restraint: a lap belt anchored to the vehicle or tie-down system plus a shoulder belt. Securing the chair without belting the rider is the single most common compliance failure we see.
- Clear floor space: room for the chair, its occupant, and a staff member to work the securements from the aisle side.
TESCO installs and warranties Q'Straint securement systems. The retractable QRT family is widely standardized on by senior living and paratransit operators because staff can complete a full four-point securement in under a minute without threading straps.
How does a four-point tie-down actually work?
Attach the two rear retractors to the chair's frame junctions first, then the two front straps, then tension. Federal accessibility regulations (49 CFR Part 38) require the secured chair to move no more than 2 inches in any direction under normal operating conditions. If it moves more when you push it, re-tension and test again. Then the occupant belt goes on, snug across the pelvis, shoulder belt anchored above and behind. Reverse the order to release. Train every driver on the same sequence; mixed habits are how steps get skipped on a rainy Tuesday.
What do ADA rules require on the vehicle side?
ADA-compliant buses pair the securement stations with a lift or ramp certified to federal standards, handrails through the door, and an interior path a chair can actually navigate. When you buy from TESCO, the vehicle arrives with its lift or ramp certified and the securement layout matched to the floor plan on the order, and you can ask us to walk your staff through a complete securement cycle at delivery.
The mistakes that fail inspections
- Straps hooked to wheels, armrests, or footrests instead of the frame
- Lap belt run through the wheelchair's own armrests (belt must contact the occupant's pelvis)
- Retractors mounted in worn or unrated floor pockets
- Missing shoulder belt at a "part-time" position
- No securement at all for a rider who "prefers to hold on", which is never permitted while the vehicle moves
Where to see these systems in person
Every lift- and ramp-equipped unit on our lot has its securement stations installed and ready to demonstrate. Browse wheelchair-accessible inventory, or start with our guide on choosing an accessible bus for senior living. Questions about retrofitting positions into a bus you already own? Ask our service team.