Depending on the van you have, the ramp may be located on either side or the rear. Park the van so there is ample space where the ramp will come down. You do not want to bring the ramp down on someone else's car, and you'll need space at the end of the extended ramp to start pushing the wheelchair up the ramp. Make sure to set the parking brake and turn off the engine so the van doesn't move while loading. The best terrain on which to load a wheelchair is flat and dry, though these are not always available.
Some ramps are manually operated, while some will descend and ascend with just the push of a button. Make sure that before you bring the ramp down, the wheelchair and its occupant are safely out of the way with the wheelchair brakes on; ramps can be very heavy and very dangerous should they land on a person.
Always position yourself behind the wheelchair and downhill on the ramp to roll the passenger up the ramp and into the van. That way you'll prevent the chair from rolling down off the ramp. Once the wheelchair is in the van, secure both the wheelchair and the passenger using the safety restraints available in the van. The National Mobility Dealers Association offers details on the many different types of restraints on their website nmeda.org. The most common type of restraint, called "lock-downs," secure the wheelchair to the floor of the van and cannot be operated by the wheelchair passenger himself. The key to using a lock-down is securing it to an immovable part of the wheelchair, preferably the frame. Never attach lock-downs to the wheelchair's wheels, footrests or any other part of the chair that moves or detaches. Also, set the wheelchair's brakes. An effective way to test how well the chair is secured is to forcefully push and pull the chair from front to back and side to side, but make sure the wheelchair passenger is prepared for this test. If it moves much, you need to tighten the lock downs. Once the wheelchair itself is secured, then you can secure the passenger himself. The passenger must also use a seatbelt secured to the van: any straps used only to secure him to the wheelchair are insufficient in the event of an accident. Once the passenger and his chair are both secured, you may fold up the ramp, close doors and begin driving.
