Over 50 Years of Removing Barriers
What started as one man's faith-driven determination to help others overcome the same physical challenges he faced every day has grown into one of the Southeast's most trusted mobility and accessibility companies. This is the story of Custom Mobility — built on family, faith, and the conviction that serving the Lord means serving those who need help the most.
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Richard "Rick" Hanson Bennett
June 12, 1950 – November 11, 2024 | Founder, Make-A-Way Corporation
Rick Bennett courageously and bravely faced many physical handicaps and challenges throughout his life with determination and a strong faith in the Lord.
Born June 12, 1950, in Athens, Georgia, Rick was one of six children of Curtis and Adeline Bennett. He attended public schools in Athens and graduated at the top of his class at Athens Technical College with a degree in mechanical engineering. Always looking for ways to improve his quality of life, Rick spent decades inventing and tinkering with electrical implements for use on his wheelchair, in his van, and in his home — solving accessibility problems long before anyone asked him to.
In 1990, guided by his faith and a deep conviction that serving others is the highest calling, Rick formalized what he'd been doing for years and founded Make-A-Way Corporation — a company specifically designed to meet the needs of others facing similar challenges to his own. The name itself reflected his mission: to make a way for those who needed one. What began as a small operation driven by one man's ingenuity, faith, and empathy grew into something much larger as his nephew Curt joined him in the business. Together, they transformed Make-A-Way from a personal mission into a professional mobility service provider.
Rick retired in 2010, leaving behind a company — and a legacy — built on the principle that physical limitations should never define a person's possibilities. Every stairlift we install, every wheelchair lift we service, and every home we make accessible carries forward the spirit Rick put into motion over half a century ago.
Our Journey
Over 50 years of removing barriers — from Rick's workshop to the Southeast's most trusted mobility company
Make-A-Way Corporation Founded
Richard "Rick" Bennett founds Make-A-Way Corporation in Athens, Georgia — a company built to help others overcome the same physical challenges he faced every day. The business starts small, focused on wheelchair repairs and adaptive modifications.
Curt Bennett Joins the Business
Rick's nephew Charles "Curt" Bennett joins Make-A-Way, and together with his wife Michelle, they begin transforming the small repair shop into a full-service mobility and adaptive equipment provider. The operation expands across much of the state of Georgia.
Rebranded as Custom Mobility
Under Curt's leadership, Make-A-Way Corporation is rebranded as Custom Mobility Van & Lift Sales & Services, shifting the primary focus to providing affordable, reliable wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) while maintaining the service and repair roots Rick established.
Rick Bennett Retires
After two decades of building Make-A-Way into Custom Mobility, Rick retires, leaving the company in the hands of Curt and Michelle. His legacy of innovation, empathy, and determination continues to drive the company's mission.
Acquisition of Accessibility Solutions
Custom Mobility acquires Accessibility Solutions, an Atlanta-based home-adaptive solutions business specializing in stairlifts, vertical platform lifts, ceiling lifts, pool lifts, and ramps. This acquisition expands Custom Mobility's capabilities into residential and commercial accessibility — far beyond vehicle modifications.
Mobile Services Division Created
Custom Mobility launches its Mobile Services Division, deploying factory-trained technicians to school districts, transit fleets, and commercial facilities for on-site wheelchair lift preventive maintenance, scheduled service, diagnostics, repairs, and bus A/C system service. This division becomes the backbone of the company.
New Ownership — Agilitas Mobility, Inc.
After years of financial difficulty, Custom Mobility Van & Lift Sales & Services is acquired by Athens natives Jack "Phil" Buchanan and Michael "Shane" O'Neill and reconstituted as Agilitas Mobility, Inc. dba Custom Mobility. The name Agilitas — from the Latin word meaning "mobility, nimbleness, and quickness" — reflects the company's core mission: to restore agility, movement, and independence to every person and organization it serves.
COVID Response — Bus Clean Air
When COVID-19 sweeps through the nation, devastating school systems, hospitals, transit organizations, and senior living centers, Curt Bennett develops the technology behind Bus Clean Air (buscleanair.com) — providing novel, innovative solutions to combating airborne contaminants in enclosed transit environments.
The Whatley Era Begins
After much prayer and consideration — and with inspiration from their cousin Zachary, a lifelong wheelchair user with spina bifida — Dustin and Percy Whatley acquire Agilitas Mobility, Inc. dba Custom Mobility and organize it as the Georgia operating division under My Mobility Center, LLC. Bus Clean Air is established as a separate entity under Curt and continues to provide innovative solutions to airborne contaminants.
Rapid Growth & Expansion
Within 24 months of ownership, Dustin and Percy triple the company's dealership agreements and service offerings, expanding into medical supply, e-commerce, and new product categories. Custom Mobility grows from a regional service provider into a comprehensive mobility solutions company serving five states across the Southeast — Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Dustin & Percy Whatley
Owners, My Mobility Center, LLC / Agilitas Mobility, Inc. dba Custom Mobility
When Dustin and Percy Whatley acquired Custom Mobility in 2024, the decision was deeply personal — and deeply rooted in faith. Their cousin Zachary, a lifelong wheelchair user with spina bifida, showed them firsthand what it means to navigate a world that isn't always built for everyone. That experience, combined with a calling to serve the Lord by serving those who need help the most, shaped their conviction that this was the work God had prepared for them.
In less than two years, Dustin and Percy have tripled the company's manufacturer dealerships, expanded into medical supply and e-commerce, and grown the service territory across five southeastern states. They've invested in factory training, federal regulatory credentials, and a mobile service fleet that serves 126 school districts alongside transit agencies, senior living facilities, churches, nonprofits, and thousands of individual homeowners.
Under their leadership, Custom Mobility has become more than an equipment company. It's a ministry of service — a place where everyone, regardless of ability, can live life fully. From the veteran who needs a ramp to the school district that needs 50 wheelchair lifts inspected before the first day of school, Custom Mobility exists to remove barriers and restore independence.
The mission the Bennett family started and nurtured since 1990 — serving others with faith, integrity, and determination — is stronger today than it's ever been.
What We Stand For
The values that guide everything we do
Faith in Action
We serve the Lord by serving those who need help the most. Every recommendation, every repair, and every installation is guided by what's right for the person — not what's most profitable for us. This isn't just a business. It's a calling.
Excellence Without Exception
Factory certifications. Licensed elevator mechanics. EPA credentials. FMVSS training. We hold ourselves to the highest professional standards because the people who depend on our work deserve nothing less.
Honest to a Fault
We explain every diagnosis in plain English. We quote what it costs and charge what we quoted. If something isn't worth fixing, we say so. Trust isn't a marketing word for us — it's how we operate.
Show Up. Every Time.
We answer the phone at 2am. We drive three hours for a single wheelchair lift repair. We come back six months later to check on a stairlift we installed. We show up because that's what we're called to do.
Do It Right the First Time
Every installation by licensed professionals. Every repair tested before we leave. Every service visit documented for compliance. We don't cut corners because corners are where accidents happen.
Community Roots
Founded in Athens, Georgia. Rooted in the local church. Serving the communities where we worship, serve, and raise our families. We're not a national franchise — we're your neighbors.
The Custom Mobility Difference
Not all mobility companies are created equal. Here's what sets us apart.
What Others Do
- Film and photograph customers on installation day for marketing content
- Pressure customers for five-star reviews before the equipment is even tested
- Disappear after the sale — good luck reaching them when something goes wrong
- Cut corners on installation to save time and move on to the next job
- Treat service calls as an inconvenience rather than a responsibility
The Custom Mobility Way
- We never film or photograph customers unless they specifically ask to be featured
- We never pressure anyone for reviews — our reputation speaks through our work
- We always show up — whether it's a week, a month, or years after installation
- Every installation is done right the first time by factory-trained, certified technicians
- Service and repair is a core part of our business, not an afterthought
We're not here for a photo op. We're here because your independence matters — today, next month, and for years to come. We serve the Lord by serving those who need help the most. That's what Rick built. That's what we carry forward.
Our Story in Pictures
35 years of installations, service calls, and the people we've had the privilege to help
What Our Community Says
Hear from the families, organizations, and fleet operators who trust Custom Mobility
Where We Serve
Headquartered in Athens, Georgia — serving five states across the Southeast
Brands That Trust Us
Authorized dealer and factory-certified service provider for the industry's most trusted manufacturers
Ready to Experience the Custom Mobility Difference?
Whether you need a stairlift in your living room, wheelchair lift service on your fleet, or a power wheelchair that fits your life — we're here. No pressure. No obligation. Just honest help from people who care.
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