Council road-tests Segway transporters


	Bruce Green, an account executive with Segway, instructs City Councilwoman Jan Drago on the operation of the Segway Human Transporter outside the Public Safety Building yesterday. Paul Joseph Brown / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Click for larger photo

"I really like it," she said. "It would be very practical, and make it a lot easier to maneuver in and out of traffic."

The bad news for parking scofflaws is that it might also help her hand out more tickets.

The city's Fleets and Facilities Department said yesterday that it is considering adding the Segway Human Transporter to its collection of vehicles.

Department director John Franklin said he envisions the scooter being used by police officers and public utilities employees, such as meter readers.

Franklin said the city will try to figure out during the next six months which departments could benefit from Segways, then start a yearlong test of the scooters.

The scooters cost about $9,000 each, according to the manufacturer. They run on batteries that cost about 5 cents to recharge and will travel about 11 miles between recharges.

Franklin said the Segway costs about half as much as the Cushman electric carts used by the city's parking enforcement officers.

The state Legislature recently approved the Segway for use on sidewalks and streets. The scooters can travel at speeds up to 12 mph and don't require a license to operate.

Some Seattle city employees and City Council members tested the Segway outside the Public Safety Building yesterday.


	City Councilman Nick Licata is among those who watched as Green even took a spin in the City Hall elevator. The city is looking at ways the scooters might be used by meter readers and other city workers to save money and prevent pollution. Paul Joseph Brown / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Click for larger photo

Councilwoman Jan Drago, who hadn't heard much about the Segway before this week, said, "The possibilities are very exciting for an urban city with lots of congestion."

A subtle shift in the rider's weight directs the scooter forward or backward. It turns with a twist of the handle.

"It feels very natural," Councilwoman Heidi Wills said.

Segway salesman Bruce Green said other public and private agencies are considering Segways to increase worker efficiency and to reduce pollution.

He said the scooters are being tested by the U.S. Postal Service in San Francisco. The National Park Service is testing the transporter at the Grand Canyon. Emergency medical services in Boston used the scooters during the Boston Marathon to reach injured runners. Disneyland employees scoot around across the amusement-park grounds on Segways, Green said.

Steve Nicholas, director of the office of Sustainability and Environment, said the city is always searching for ways to reduce the environmental effect of its fleet.

"This could be a way that we can improve environmental quality and save money at the same time," he said.

P-I reporter Kathy Mulady can be reached at 206-448-8029 or kathymulady@seattlepi.com

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