SAN FERNANDO, Calif. — Larry McNutt, a longtime advocate of vehicle accessibility for students and other passengers with mobility challenges, died on Friday. He was 69 years old.

McNutt, who was the west region sales manager of commercial products for Ricon, joined the company in 1996 as a sales representative and served in a variety of managerial and sales capacities for the wheelchair lift and ramp supplier, including as head of the Acti-Van division, and director of customer support.

Tony Ward, national sales manager of commercial products for Ricon, said that McNutt was well known and well liked throughout the industry for his friendly and personable nature, and was a popular presence at state, regional, and national industry trade shows.

McNutt was an ardent advocate of vehicle accessibility for physically challenged passengers and students. He was active in school bus associations nationwide, including the California Association of School Transportation Officials and the National Association for Pupil Transportation, as well as paratransit associations, including California Association for Coordinated Transportation and Community Transportation Association of America. He contributed to numerous articles in School Bus Fleet, School Transportation News, Metro, and Mass Transit magazines.

McNutt began his transportation industry career in 1972 as an assembler for school bus builder Wayne Corp. He also served Paramount Equipment Sales in Sylmar, California, as vice president of sales.

A native of Richmond, Indiana, McNutt is survived by his spouse Marie, Scott McNutt (Christie), Tracey McNutt Miller (Jeff), Cameron Serra, Chelsea Serra Johnson (Jeremy), and grandchildren Kailey, Taylor, Tyler, Finnley, Wyatt and Cole Ellora, Eli, Emma, and Emmett. He lived in Valencia, California, a suburb of Los Angeles.

A Celebration of Life service is planned for McNutt in January.