USA is charging guests for electric wheelchair use

A new policy at Destiny USA will start charging guests $10 per day to rent electric wheelchairs from the shopping center.Prior to the new charge, the mall would have guests give a refundable deposit in exchange for the electric wheelchair use.

Barbara Potter, who has visited the mall since she was five years old, isn’t happy with the policy. She has kidney disease and other disabilities that prevent her from walking comfortably throughout the mall.“I saw the sign and I was taken aback,” Potter said. “$10 is not okay,”In a statement to News Channel 9, the mall said:

 “Destiny USA prides itself on exceptional customer service and the amenities that we provide our guests, including the use of wheelchairs and electric scooters. Wheelchairs rentals are available free of charge. Due to growing demand, we have replaced and doubled our fleet of electric scooters with new models that make it easier and more convenient for all of our guests to access and navigate Destiny USA. These investments require a nominal rental fee of $10 for all-day use, which allows us to maintain and service the new fleet and provide a better overall guest experience.”

Larger malls, like the Mall of America in Minnesota, charge up to $30 for electric scooter rentals.

In Rochester, N.Y., the East view mall charges just $1 for two hours of use.While guests like Potter don’t necessarily expect the mall to retract its new fee for electric scooters, she still hopes Destiny will be considerate of the needs of the disabled.

“I’m fortunate enough that I do well, but there’s a lot of people out there that aren’t doing so well and scrounge every penny,” Potter said.