We thank the Boston Globe for the opportunity to continue a public dialogue about the appropriate use of Segway PTs in Boston. We want to make it perfectly clear: Allan Danley, proprietor of Boston Gliders, is not an employee nor representative of Segway Inc. either as an authorized dealer nor tour operator.

Segway Inc. has long supported efforts to have its product properly regulated, thus ensuring its safe usage on public ways. In fact, since 2001 Segway Inc. has supported efforts within the Massachusetts Legislature to properly regulate Segway PTs, as the majority of U.S. states do, while also providing for local government control.

Throughout the world, Segway PTs are being used commercially, such as in neighborhood policing to personally for commuting to work. The fact that people are turning to the zero emissions Segway PT over gas-powered vehicles is encouraging. As well, thousands of people each year visit Authorized Segway Tour providers, ensuring that both they and the operator are meeting the highest safety standards and abiding by all applicable state and local laws.

Segway Inc. welcomes the opportunity for further dialogue with state and city officials, community and neighborhood groups to insure proper and appropriate usage of the Segway PT.

Cutting congestion and transport emissions, increasing mobility and improving use of urban areas and space are key political issues. Electric personal transporters (including the Segway PT) could help to provide a contribution to the solution of such problems and encourage modal shift away from cars in urban areas.

The consultation presents a unique opportunity to find an immediate solution which would allow the government, individuals, local authorities, police forces and security organizations to embrace these environmentally-friendly, sustainable, and innovative technologies.  If you’re a Segway PT owner/supporter/enthusiast, we urge you to consider responding positively to the consultation.

Submitting a response won’t take long.  Here’s a copy of a Segway Inc. corporate response and a copy of a submission from a London user. Feel free to use both examples to help you complete the response document.  Once completed, it should be returned by Tuesday, March 30th to the EPV Consultation at the Department for Transport via e-mail at EPVconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk or  by writing to Zone 2/04, Great Minister House, 76 Marsham Street, LONDON SW1P 4DR.

We also encourage you to share this with others to help us gain as much support for swift regulatory approval. You can do that by using the Share/Save link just below the post.

Additionally, Segway also received funding that will be used to support the continued growth of the company.

Since 2007, we’ve offered our Renewable Energy Credits (REC) program to new customers as a way to demonstrate our commitment to make personal, green transportation a viable solution to a real problem.  RECs, or carbon offsets as they’re sometimes referred to, “work to replace traditional polluting sources of electricity with clean, secure, and sustainable sources of energy that come from solar and wind power” (Bonneville Environmental Foundation) .  These renewable energy projects produce clean energy, which helps to secure energy independence and fight global warming by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Less carbon dioxide in the environment + a smaller carbon footprint = good news for everyone.

At the beginning of each year, we round up these registrations and purchase the credits from a supplier, offsetting the electricity typically used in one year to charge your Segway PT (if you ride a lot, that’s about 200 kilowatt hours).  Last year, our credits from BEF went to power communities in North Dakota (Wilton Wind), California (Rooftop Solar in Moreno Valley), and Washington (White Creek Wind) and saved over 18, 000 lbs. of CO2, the equivalent of nearly 23,000 miles of automobile mileage.

It’s last call on 2009’s credits and we’re looking to best last year’s numbers. We encourage every new owner, whether you’re a small business, patrolling officer, or a casual user, to sign up here. It’ll only take a minute of your time (more like 30 seconds) and you’re on your way to offsetting a portion of your carbon footprint for 2010. What better way to start off the New Year a little lighter in the carbon department?

Learn more about keeping it green with your Segway PT. For a detailed look at the Segway PT’s impact in reducing global warming, read our whitepaper.

Not an owner? Check out our carbon calculator on Segway Social and see what you could save by using a Segway PT.

Did you know that Segway Inc. is a leader in the world of mobile robot development platforms?

To shed some light on these high-tech, products and their applications we just launched a new blog that’s all about robotics, all the time. Psyched? We are.

Our Robotics Mobility Platform (or RMP, for short) uses much of the same technology found in the Segway PT, including optional dynamic stabilization, but in a highly customizable package for robot applications.

Commonly used by researchers, developers, and engineers, Segway RMPs have become the preferred starting point for building integrated systems that require robust, flexible, and reliable two- or four-wheeled electric mobility.  Over the past six years RMPs have been used to research and address some of the most challenging (and off-the-wall) applications out there. Here are a just a few:

• Robosoccer
• NASA Robonaut
• Target practice

You won’t find this info on our corporate website, so be sure to bookmark the blog or sign up for the RSS feed and get updates delivered to your inbox. @SegwayRMP will keep you updated on the latest Segway Robotics updates, or you can follow the more general #Robotics feed on our site if you enjoy Twitter.

Photo credit FireSmile

And since that day we’ve continued our mission, becoming the leader in personal, green transportation, transforming the way people work, play and live. Our efforts are focused on developing personal, zero-emission transportation solutions that challenge convention and solve real world congestion and environmental challenges.  Seeing this industry grow from when we started it, we’re happy to have others on board in support of that long-term vision too.

Over the years, our customers have helped shape our products; we’ve introduced new models, packages and accessories that help people go about their daily business more efficiently and developed a social networking site to help them connect and communicate with other owners. We’ve seen regulations drafted and passed in support of our product’s safe use in and around cities. We’ve also shared advanced development projects that showcase existing technologies like dynamic stabilization, battery management and electric propulsion, including the GM Opel Flextreme collaboration, the four-wheeled Centaur prototype, and Project P.U.M.A.  Don’t forget about our Nintendo Wii Fit game either.

At the end of the day, the Segway PT is a product that enables people to do more with less. Whether it’s getting from Point A to Point B in an office environment, patrol route or the daily commute, the Segway PT allows individuals to be more productive, cover more ground and have more fun, while using less energy, less space and creating fewer emissions.

Thanks for sharing in our journey over the last 8 years and here’s to many more.

Find us on the social web:

Photo credit: butaho on Flickr

The winner receives the most recent official Segway accessory to be released -  a Segway laptop sleeve.

We’ve added the complete photo gallery to our Flickr and Facebook pages too. Follow our Twitter feed for contests, fun facts, and the latest and greatest at Segway Inc. and check out our online store for official Segway gear.

Please vote [only once] for your favorite now! We’ll close the poll before the weekend and announce the lucky winner soon after.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

We’ll publish the complete photo gallery to Flickr and Facebook soon. Don’t forget to follow @SegwayInc for the results!

Hey folks! It’s fall here in New England, one of the most beautiful seasons in our humble opinion. Not only are we surrounded by brilliant reds, oranges, yellows and more, but we get to enjoy the great outdoors while the temps are still above freezing!

To celebrate the season, we’ve decided to hold a photo contest. That’s right – submit your best fall photo and enter for a chance to win a new Segway laptop sleeve! Your photo should showcase the colors of the season (we recognize that it’s not fall everywhere, but…) and focus on the scenery, so this contest is open to owners and non-owners alike!

From today through next Tuesday, the 27th, we’re accepting your submissions. Please tweet your pic(s) by replying to @SegwayInc using one of Twitter’s popular photo sharing services like Twitpic. Next week, we’ll pick our top three faves and let you decide the winner in an online poll.

Here’s a few of our own for inspiration:

We’ll post the finalists and the winner next week. Good luck!

If you’re not using Twitter, sign up for an account here.

In case you haven’t heard, we recently launched an online accessory store. It’s chock-full of genuine Segway accessories for your Segway Personal Transporter (PT) that was built in response to some feedback we heard from customers who wanted easier access to their favorite Segway accessories.  Now you can shop from the convenience of – well, pretty-much anywhere – even by phone if you don’t have the opportunity to get to your local dealer that often. So, head on over and check it out!

We wanted to let you know now that currently, we’re only able to process U.S. orders, so please see your local Authorized dealer if you live outside of the United States. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.

New accessory packages
Some of our best-selling accessories and customer favorites have inspired special packages to outfit your Segway PT, making the ride even more convenient and comfortable. These are also available to order online:

•    i2/x2 Commuter package
•    i2 Cargo package
•    x2 Adventure package

Stay in touch
Sign up for our quarterly newsletter to receive new product announcements, special offers and promotions, and other discounts we extend to our subscribers. You can also follow us on Twitter or become a fan of our Facebook page to keep up with the latest and greatest at Segway Inc.

Feedback, suggestions and comments are always welcome! Please submit them following this post.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chipgriffin/ / CC BY 2.0