Lifting system for lifting a person into a vehicle

A lifting system in combination with a construction vehicle, for lifting a person into the construction vehicle for operation thereof, comprising:

• a wheelchair compatible seat which is operative to detach from a wheelchair;
• and
• a lifting mechanism comprising a rack and pinion mechanism that is mounted to a top portion of the construction vehicle, a rack portion of the rack and pinion mechanism being movable outwardly and inwardly with respect to a side of the construction vehicle, a crane assembly disposed on the rack portion of the rack and pinion mechanism and having a lifting cable with a clip mounted on an end of the lifting cable, and a lifting harness connected to the wheelchair compatible seat and operative to be connected to the clip,
• wherein when the clip is connected to the harness of the wheelchair compatible seat, the crane assembly of the lifting mechanism is activated and the wheelchair compatible seat is lifted up from the wheelchair, moved inwardly by the rack portion to a seat position of the construction vehicle, and then lowered into the seat position.