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History
Larry Hills, missionary in Zaire (now Congo), Africa, told Reverend Mel West of the great need for three-wheeled, hand-cranked wheelchairs for victims of polio and landmines. Mel contacted Earl Miner, product designer and long-time friend and mission partner; and the process of the prototype design began.
Larry Hills
Earl Miner
Mel West
When prototype development was ready for field testing, four were shipped to Larry Hills with the instructions to “put these in the worst place you can find, and see if they pass the test.” Larry did, and the Personal Energy Transportation (PET) Carts did. Shipments began to Zaire, where Larry had set up a place to receive the frames, put on the wooden beds, and distribute them. Later the operation moved to Zambia and was known as PET Zambia at New Life Center, led by Delbert Groves, United Methodist Missionary, Kitwe, Zambia, Africa.
Early prototype with car-like seat
Early PET prototype
Rodney Miner in Darby, Montana, began to build and ship carts and steel frame parts mostly to Congo/Zaire, where they locally add the wooden bed and then distribute the finished Mobility Cart.
Bishop Machado of Mozambique saw the cart and requested a project there. Others did likewise. With limited funds and operating out of the West’s garage, and a room at Community United Methodist Church, the project grew.
Tom Algiere, shop teacher, was sent by the United Methodist Church to Mozambique where he set up two cart production shops which we helped support.
Reverend Mel West set up a production, receiving and shipping facility in Columbia, Missouri USA. The PET Place facility receives parts made by volunteers and donated by businesses. Then the carts are assembled and shipped to various areas of need around the world. Missionary Larry Hills set up a production shop in Penny Farms Retirement Center located in Penny Farms, Florida USA to focus on mobility needs in Haiti.
Jake and Gwen Royall, members of First Christian Church, set up a production shop in Luling, Texas USA. PET-TX Luling transitioned to PET TX-Brazos Valley in 2009.
Over 1,000 carts are produced and shipped from across the US.PET International is incorporated. (See name change to Mobility Worldwide in 2016.) Our founding Columbia shop held a fundraiser to jump start the operation of PET International. Our founder, Mel West, thought it was important to have an international level organization that would oversee the growing number of production shops and do quality control of the Mobility Carts.
New shops:
PET TN – Murfreesboro (transitioned to AL – North Alabama)
PET FL – Tampa
PET MO – Southwest
PET NY – East Jewett (no longer in operation)
PET WA – (no longer in operation)
PET KS – Moundridge
PET TX – San Antonio
2007
PET IA – Hawarden
The Pull cart was developed for those who didn’t even have upper body power or coordination.
PET ME – Waterboro
PET FL – Jacksonville
PET TX – Austin
PET MI – Holland
PET TX – Rio Grande Valley (no longer in operation)
PET MI – East Michigan
PET TN – Memphis
PET IA – Leighton
PET MN – Twin Cities
PET IN – DeMotte
PET UT – Northern Utah (no longer in operation)
2013
PET OH – Stow
Significant changes were made in seat design for the crank carts for more adjustability and comfort for the recipients.
2014
PET MI – Saline
PET celebrates its 20th anniversary.
PET PA – Carlisle (no longer in operation)
50,000th PET Cart celebrated
Mission wide family name becomes Mobility Worldwide for easier identification. Our production shop is now known as ‘Mobility Worldwide MO-Columbia’.
60,000th Mobility Cart delivered
2019
25th Anniversary year. Columbia produces 1,856 carts.
78,000th Mobility Cart ships out by June.
November groundbreaking of first owned, Columbia production shop building.
2020
Construction continues on the 12,500′ Mel & Barbara West Cart Center. Check out the construction slide show. July 2020 moving begins. August 2020 full production and shipping operation.
Mel & Barbara West Cart Center
2022
With generous supporters, our board approves an annual budget to build 40 carts per week. With continued issues in supply chains, we were only able to produce 1,420 carts YTD (27 per week). Still many more helped by you. Carryover funds allowed us to approve construction & shipping of more carts in 2023.
2023
In February, we built the 30,000th Mobility Cart in Columbia. This year, we have updated our manufacturing process. With your kind gifts, we are striving to build 50 carts per week.