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Updated RecentlyWheelchair Getaways vs J.D. Byrider Systems Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Wheelchair Getaways vs J.D. Byrider Systems including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $40,000 - $112,000 | $349,750 - $672,500 |
| Franchise Fee | $17,500 | $50,000 |
| Royalty Fee | $550/van/yr. | 2.5% |
| Advertising Fee | - | $1.5K/mo. |
| Year Founded | 1988 | 1979 |
| Year Franchised | 1989 | 1989 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | $5K | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/No | No/Yes |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | No/Yes |
| Equipment | No/No | No/Yes |
| Inventory | No/No | No/Yes |
| Receivables | No/No | No/Yes |
| Payroll | No/No | No/Yes |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | On-The-Job Training: Varies Classroom Training: Varies Additional Training: Web-based curriculum |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software |
| Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app |
| Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. 25% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
40% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 12 - 20
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (28% of current franchisees are owner/operators)
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Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Wheelchair Getaways
In 1921 the Pennsylvania-based Van Artsdalen Express was a successful freight company. By 1972, it had been restructured to operate school buses instead of trucks. While working for the company, J. Edward Van Artsdalen noticed that people using wheelchairs were some of the most poorly served individuals in the transportation market. Motivated by this discovery, Van Artsdalen founded Wheelchair Getaways Inc. in 1988. The company rents wheelchair-accessible vans to individuals and groups. The company began franchising in 1989 and was purchased by J. Stewart and Jean Gatewood in 1994. Wheelchair Getaways is now based in Versailles, Kentucky and owned by Richard Gatewood and Moon Ko.
About J.D. Byrider Systems
Owner of a Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership in Marion, Indiana, James F. DeVoe learned how profitable used cars could be when he added a used car dealership to his operation in 1979. With a $19 ad in the local paper, DeVoe sold eight cars the first week for a gross profit of $1,000 each.
Ten years later, DeVoe founded J.D. Byrider (http://www.jdbyrider.com/) in 1989 to deliver dependable used cars and affordable financing.
Indianapolis-based J.D. Byrider specializes in 5- to 10-year-old cars sold for an average of $7,000. The target customer is a blue-collar worker with a blemished or limited credit history, a segment that has grown with the rise of personal bankruptcies. Unlike most dealerships, where customers pick a car and then figure out how to finance it, J.D. Byrider reverses the process: Credit counselors guide customers toward vehicles within their price range.
Every J.D. Byrider franchise (http://www.jdbyrider.com/) is two companies working together: a used car sales company, J.D. Byrider, and a sub-prime auto finance company, the CarNow Acceptance Co. (CNAC). Both are independently owned and operated by franchisees.