This is the most primo van in the country, Jon Geiger says as he demonstrates how a $28,000 joystick can accelerate, brake and steer a 1997 Ford Econoline van.

Geiger is a driver education specialist at the SIUC Evaluation and Development Center, and the van is the newest addition to the center.

The van will become the workhorse of the only downstate driver education and evaluation program for people with disabilities. SIUC operates the program in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Human Services.

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The equipment featured on the van may accommodate drivers with varying degrees of paralysis, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, head or spinal cord injuries, or hearing and vision impairments.

With after-market add-ons, the van cost $125,000, although SIUC used a grant from the Illinois Office of Rehabilitation Services to pay for the vehicle.

Some of the equipment featured on the van includes:A moveable floor that helps drivers in wheelchairs attain the most comfortable seating position.

Four different steering wheels, ranging from 6 to 12 inches around, that can be fitted on the steering column. Ergonomic hand grips can be attached to each wheel. The steering wheels can be mounted vertically and operated by a hand crank.

Acceleration and braking can be accomplished with a variety of hand controls that can be mounted to the left or right of the steering column.

By leaning against the headrest, drivers can activate turn signals, high- and low-beam headlights, heating and air conditioning, wiper blades, and more. On-off switches are also mounted in overhead and dashboard panels.

The cargo door and wheel chair lift on the van can be easily opened and operated by drivers in wheelchairs by using a magnetic touch card.

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A joystick that can be used by people with one usable hand and a limited range of motion to accelerate, brake and steer the vehicle.

Variable-effort power steering cuts down on muscle fatigue. Drivers may choose three resistance levels, from conventional power steering to reduced effort and zero effort.

Driver training in the van is in high demand, and there is usually at least a six-month waiting list.

Debby Kiesling, a Herrin resident, found herself in a wheelchair after surgeons removed a spinal cord tumor. She took the driver training through the center, and she said it was worth the wait.

You could say it was a driving force in helping me get out and be independent, she said. Kiesling is now able to heft her chair into her specially equipped car and commute to work in Carbondale.

In addition to driver education, individuals may take the van for a test drive to determine that features they would like to mix and match in their own vehicles.

Geiger has been teaching people with disabilities to drive for 14 years and belongs to the Association of Driver Educators for the Disabled.

Anywhere from 60 to 80 people receive driving assistance at the center each year. More than half annually qualify for drivers licenses, Geiger said.

I tend to work with people and not give up on them. When they finish here, they won’t wonder for the rest of their lives Gee, could I have been a licensed driver?’ They’ll know, he said.

To find out more about the driver education program, call the Department of Human Services, Office of Rehabilitation Services at 1-800-275-3677 (Voice, TTY and Spanish).

To contact Geiger, call the SIUC Evaluation and Developmental Center between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at 453-2331.