Segway Blog
Segway — Consistently Working to Reduce Waste
Since Segway’s inception 15 years ago, we’ve understood the importance of being green. After all, we’re the world’s leading manufacturer of electric personal transportation. Over the years, we’ve worked to be part of the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ movement. Our latest initiative included taking a hard look at how to refine our waste management processes. […]
Provides reliable, compliant waste removal and recycling services.
Since Segway’s inception 15 years ago, we’ve understood the importance of being green. After all, we’re the world’s leading manufacturer of electric personal transportation. Over the years, we’ve worked to be part of the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ movement. Our latest initiative included taking a hard look at how to refine our waste management processes. We evaluated how we handle solid and universal waste, as well as how we recycle cardboard and scrap metal, and determined we could do better. Enter WorkWaste, a waste reduction vendor, who helped us make some important and significant changes.
In no time, we began diverting 20 cubic yards of waste per week from a landfill and reducing it to just 2 cubic yards of ash, which generated 2,031 kilowatt hours of electricity — and that’s just the beginning. We’ve also improved our recycling procedures for metals and established upcycling processes for assembly items.
At Segway, we do our part to make a difference, respect the earth and preserve the environment by constantly evaluating all our waste stream programs and taking steps to ensure they meet the very latest environmentally conscious standards.
Author: Segway Inc
On June 1, Segway launched the Ninebot by Segway miniPRO in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Check out the announcement in its entirety here. “The miniPRO is incredibly fun and carefully designed to provide riders with an experience unlike any other two-wheel ride on the market,” said Brian Buccella, VP of Marketing and Business Development. “Built […]
Ninebot by Segway miniPRO
On June 1, Segway launched the Ninebot by Segway miniPRO in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Check out the announcement in its entirety here.
“The miniPRO is incredibly fun and carefully designed to provide riders with an experience unlike any other two-wheel ride on the market,” said Brian Buccella, VP of Marketing and Business Development. “Built with the most advanced balancing technology, the miniPRO glides automatically, based on the rider’s movements, providing the most stable, hands-free ride imaginable,” added Buccella. “Additionally, the miniPRO recently earned UL’s coveted 2272 safety certification, which was very important to us, given our renowned reputation for product quality and rider safety.”
Availability
The miniPRO is exclusively available on Amazon beginning today, June 1, 2016. For complete specifications, please visit http://ift.tt/1XjCjm5.
Author: Segway Inc
Welcome Aboard to 9bot Store — Our First Ninebot Exclusive Distributor in the U.S.
We’re happy to welcome 9bot Store, our first Ninebot exclusive U.S. Distributor, to Segway’s worldwide network. Customers may visit the online store at http://9bot-store.com/ to purchase the complete line of Ninebot personal transporters and accessories. As an Authorized Distributor, 9bot Store carries only legally imported products, many UL certified, that offer a warranty. “9bot Store […]
We’re happy to welcome 9bot Store, our first Ninebot exclusive U.S. Distributor, to Segway’s worldwide network. Customers may visit the online store at http://9bot-store.com/ to purchase the complete line of Ninebot personal transporters and accessories. As an Authorized Distributor, 9bot Store carries only legally imported products, many UL certified, that offer a warranty.
“9bot Store recently joined our team and immediately hit the ground running,” said Mark Render, Vice President — Sales, Segway Inc. “They’ve done a great job positioning and marketing Ninebot products for the U.S. market and we support them one hundred percent.”
“The entire Ninebot product line features advanced technology, extensive features and an amazing fun factor,” said Alexey Khripunov, Director of Business Development, 9bot Store. “We’re proud to bring authentic, high-quality, affordable personal transporters to the United States’ market.”
Editor’s note: This post was edited on 6/10/16
Too busy selling to clean up the warehouse. It’s a good problem to have.
Author: Segway Inc
A Customer Story — Bjorn Pettersson, Segway PT Commuter
Bjorn first heard about the Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) shortly after it was launched. The popular tech sites, feber.se and engadget.com, had posted stories on Dean Kamen, the PT’s inventor, as well as the product’s features and benefits. Finally in 2009, Bjorn had an opportunity to ride one at Sweden’s largest tourism tradeshow. “The PT was […]
Bjorn first heard about the Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) shortly after it was launched. The popular tech sites, feber.se and engadget.com, had posted stories on Dean Kamen, the PT’s inventor, as well as the product’s features and benefits. Finally in 2009, Bjorn had an opportunity to ride one at Sweden’s largest tourism tradeshow.
“The PT was so easy to ride! After trying it, I couldn’t stop thinking about riding again and possibly owning one. I was interested in commuting to my job, using my car less and reducing my carbon foot print.”
Finally, in October 2010, the PT was classified by Sweden as a bicycle. It was now legal to ride on public roads and sidewalks. Bjorn purchased a PT that same year. He added, “I commute to work, which is about 10 kilometers each way and I always get there with a smile on my face.”
Bjorn works at a large campsite that’s visited by families and lots of children, He shares, “I often ride my PT around camp, which is a large property. I get around quickly and the PT helps me to be more visible. The extra height it provides ensures that I can see children playing and riding their bikes — and they can see me. At camp, it’s all about having fun while being safe.”
The most entertaining aspect of being a PT owner is having people envy your ride. Bjorn shares, “When I first purchased my PT, my family and friends thought it was an expensive investment. I disagreed and conveyed that I was excited to leave my car at home, save on fuel, not have to hunt for a parking space and so much more. Now, they see how much fun I have and how happy I am. They want to ride my PT — and they never want to get off!”
Author: Segway Inc
A Customer Story — Hans Willems, Segway PT Traveler
Hans Willems purchased a Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) in October 2010. He keeps it in the back of his car so he has it when he needs it. He rides just about every day. “When I first realized the Segway PT could change my life, I was excited,” said Hans. “It’s an amazing way to […]
Hans Willems purchased a Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) in October 2010. He keeps it in the back of his car so he has it when he needs it. He rides just about every day.
“When I first realized the Segway PT could change my life, I was excited,” said Hans. “It’s an amazing way to get around. I’m completely independent. I can go where I want, when I want, and its fun!”
Hans primarily rides his PT in his hometown of Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands. He says, “I do my shopping, visit my doctor or go to the gym. Hans also rides while on holiday in Paris, Nice and Amsterdam and adds, “I’m 70 years old. My PT gives me the freedom to enjoy my life to the fullest.”
“My friends, and even passersby, often comment on my PT, saying things like — How does it work?…You’re movements are so fluid…It looks like you’re dancing,” shared Hans. “I’m glad people are interested in the product. The Segway PT genuinely enriches my life. Whenever I’m riding there’s a smile on my face.”
Author: Segway Inc
Authorized Segway Dealer Spotlight — Segway of Central Florida in Mount Dora, FL
Absolutely Awe Struck! Dave Holzapel first had an opportunity to ride a Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) after his brother-in-law, Rodney, purchased one of the earliest models — the p133. Dave commented, “Rodney used the PT to commute. I tried it and was absolutely awe struck!” Soon after that experience Dave and his wife, Sandy, ventured […]
Segway of Central Florida
Dave and Sandy Holzapel, Owners
Absolutely Awe Struck!
Dave Holzapel first had an opportunity to ride a Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) after his brother-in-law, Rodney, purchased one of the earliest models — the p133. Dave commented, “Rodney used the PT to commute. I tried it and was absolutely awe struck!” Soon after that experience Dave and his wife, Sandy, ventured to Mount Dora, Florida to take an off-road Segway PT Tour. They enjoyed it so much they purchased two Segway x2 PTs.
Looking for a Change
While purchasing those units from the local Authorized Segway Dealer, Dave and Sandy became friendly with its owners. At the same time, Dave was contemplating a career change after working in an executive sales role for an inventory management company for several years. Dave shares, “It was February 2008. After weathering several corporate mergers and acquisitions, I was looking for a change. Sandy and I were confident that I could easily transfer my business, and particularly my sales experience, and together we could make the dealership a success.”
Business Exploded
The Holzapels began their new venture in an 800 square foot retail location with an inventory of 8 PTs. Four short years later, in 2012, they purchased a building in close proximity. This new 2,500 square foot space retail store front, staffed by 6 people, includes a training area, service shop, warehouse as well as a considerable inventory of PTs, accessories and parts. “The business has always been solid, but once we opened our expanded location, business exploded and we’ve never looked back. Our model is built on exemplary customer service. This location empowers us to deliver high-level service on every front.”
Easy to Service, Easy to Own
Dave strongly believes in ensuring the PT is easy to service and therefore easy to own. The customer base is made up of approximately 75% commercial customers, which include convention center, resort and hospital operations, security and catering teams as well as tour operators, security firms and law enforcement departments. Dave says, “Our team is Level 3 service trained, a notable competitive edge. This means that we provide the same level of service expertise as Segway factory technicians. Quite literally, 95% of our service business is built around my commercial customers. They can’t afford to be immobile as it directly affects their efficiency and productivity. I’m consistently on the road providing service and keeping my customers up and running.”
You can always expect great customer service
Building a Loyal Clientele
The dealership’s employees, who are all cross-trained as PT ride trainers, sales people and service technicians, have built a loyal clientele. Dave says, “We all believe that the Segway PT is a billboard. It’s our job to be PT ambassadors — to continually showcase the product and its applications while also promoting the brand. Every opportunity has the potential to translate to sales.” The business relies heavily on its website to offer customers a glimpse into all that Segway of Central Florida offers. Dave and Sandy devote a substantial portion of the marketing budget to developing and maintaining http://ift.tt/2e2nOns and leveraging Google Adwords. Dave adds, “Customers want access to us, our products and service options. They want to make purchases and have them shipped that day. They want to request service and have us arrive that same day. We can accommodate them, which builds trust and loyalty.”
An Incredibly Unique Appeal
The Segway PT has an incredibly unique appeal for a wide variety of markets. “We impact people’s personal or professional lives — day in and day out — and that’s not an overstatement. That’s why we own this dealership…it’s rewarding,” says Dave, “It’s the Segway PT’s technology, quality and reliability that put us in business and keep us in business.”
Become an Authorized Segway Dealer
Interested in learning more about the benefits of becoming an Authorized Segway Dealer? Begin the process by visiting www.segway.com, selecting ‘Become a Dealer’ and completing an application.
Author: Segway Inc
Segway of Scottsdale — Bringing Segway PTs to the West’s Most Western Town
Getting to Know Segway Darcie Williams, Owner and Tour Guide at Segway of Scottsdale, first caught a glimpse of the Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) when working in Phoenix, Arizona. “The security guards at the building I was working in rode Segway PTs to patrol the campus and parking lots,” recalls Darcie. “I was instantly curious […]
Come enjoy beautiful Scottsdale, AZ
Getting to Know Segway
Darcie Williams, Owner and Tour Guide at Segway of Scottsdale, first caught a glimpse of the Segway® Personal Transporter (PT) when working in Phoenix, Arizona. “The security guards at the building I was working in rode Segway PTs to patrol the campus and parking lots,” recalls Darcie. “I was instantly curious about the product and how it worked.”
One year later Darcie began following Segway Inc., learning more about the PT and exploring the possibility of opening an Authorized Segway Dealership. “At that time there was all sorts of coverage in the news about rising gas prices and green transportation alternatives. In addition, the Segway brand was earning a reputation around the world for being innovative and building high quality, safe products. Before long, I’d purchased a PT!” said Darcie. “I genuinely appreciated the mobility, maneuverability and fun it brought to my everyday life, and in no time, I made the decision to build a business around it.”
The Business Opens and Grows
Just one year after that, Darcie was celebrating Segway of Scottsdale’s Grand Opening. Initially, business revolved around selling Segway PTs to corporate campuses, law enforcement, private security and even construction companies who needed to efficiently move people — as well as servicing units as needed. However, before long the dealership’s first tour was launched. In fact, tours were popping up all across the world. Darcie adds, “In my opinion, the Segway PT revolutionized the tour industry and I was determined to capitalize on that growth.”
Today, Segway of Scottsdale is not only a successful Authorized Segway Dealer; it’s also a prosperous Affiliated Segway PT Tour. “We offer our guests three distinct tour options year round. They include tours of Tempe Town Lake, Downtown Phoenix and Old Town,” comments Darcie. “We consistently take up to 100 people on 12 tours each day and rank in the Scottsdale area’s top activities. I’m very proud of that.”
In fact today, TripAdvisor ranks Segway of Scottsdale’s tours as the area’s #1 and #2 rated tours in the area! To learn more or to book a tour, visit http://ift.tt/1NtT1XM or call 480.306.4801.
Become an Affiliated Segway PT Tour
Interested in learning more about becoming an Affiliated Segway PT Tour? Click here.
Author: Segway Inc
Montevideo, Uruguay’s Police Response Squad Deploys 12 Segway Patrollers
The city of Montevideo, Uruguay’s Police Department recently deployed 12 Segway Patrollers in a concerted effort to improve police presence throughout the city and deter pickpocket robberies. The Response Squad, consisting of 17 police officers, was the first group trained to ride. Immediately the officers appreciated the smooth ride, visibility and maneuverability the Patroller units […]
Montevideo Police
The city of Montevideo, Uruguay’s Police Department recently deployed 12 Segway Patrollers in a concerted effort to improve police presence throughout the city and deter pickpocket robberies.
The Response Squad, consisting of 17 police officers, was the first group trained to ride. Immediately the officers appreciated the smooth ride, visibility and maneuverability the Patroller units delivered.
“Montevideo’s Chief of Police as well as local politicians and businesspeople are very pleased with Segway and its Segway Patroller products,” said Emilio Palay of Iberfix, Uruguay’s Authorized Segway Distributor. “They’re confident that pickpockets will be dissuaded from committing crime given the police’s improved presence and ability to more quickly respond to incidents.”
Click here to visit our website where you can download spec sheets, view videos, review case studies and more. To get connected with the Segway Patroller team and schedule a Patroller product demonstration, contact us at PatrollerSales@Segway.com.
You may also connect with the team via:
Facebook: http://ift.tt/2e2nIfT
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SegwayPatroller
Author: Segway Inc
Segway Robotics Tests New Prototype on Milton Cat Construction Site
A contingent from Segway’s robotics and marketing teams recently visited a Milton Cat (authorized dealer of Caterpillar products, including heavy equipment, heavy trucks and stand-by generators) construction site in New Hampshire for a photo shoot of a new robotics platform prototype, designed for R&D use in the field of autonomous material handling and transport systems. […]
A contingent from Segway’s robotics and marketing teams recently visited a Milton Cat (authorized dealer of Caterpillar products, including heavy equipment, heavy trucks and stand-by generators) construction site in New Hampshire for a photo shoot of a new robotics platform prototype, designed for R&D use in the field of autonomous material handling and transport systems.
Segway’s latest prototype is a heavy duty variant of our RMP 440, a rugged, all-terrain, four-wheel drive, skid steer mobility platform. This RMP 440 “HD” features twice the torque, as well as a wider footprint for improved performance and stability for up 600 lbs. of payload and a top speed of 9 mph. Prior to heading to out, the engineering team had established clear specs for this prototype’s speed and payload and completed some preliminary field performance testing. However, the opportunity to thoroughly test this beast in a rugged outdoor environment while demonstrating a product concept for the construction market was invaluable.
If you’d like to learn more about this new prototype or any of our other commercial mobility platforms for robotics research and development, please contact us. To stay connected with Segway Robotics, visit our website to sign up for our newsletter and RSS feed or follow us on Twitter.
Author: Segway Inc
Segway Employee Profile — Jason Hauntsman
He’s a jack of all trades, master of many — he’s Jason Hauntsman, Segway’s Facility Maintenance Manager Extraordinaire! Jason joined Segway Inc. in 2002 working for the Quality Assurance team. Not long after, he transitioned to a Gearbox Assembly role. Several years later, after management realized he could quite literally do it all, Jason transitioned […]
He’s a jack of all trades, master of many — he’s Jason Hauntsman, Segway’s Facility Maintenance Manager Extraordinaire!
Jason joined Segway Inc. in 2002 working for the Quality Assurance team. Not long after, he transitioned to a Gearbox Assembly role. Several years later, after management realized he could quite literally do it all, Jason transitioned to the Facilities Maintenance Department. He’ll celebrate a lucky 13 years of dedicated service in June!
Jason comments, “I’ve been with Segway for so long for three reasons — I genuinely love the Segway PT. Even after all these years, I’ve never lost interest in how it can improve a person’s everyday life. I enjoy my co-workers. We are a close-knit, funny, bright, hardworking bunch and we’re incredibly proud of our ‘Made in the USA’ product. Finally, I really do learn something new every day — and I’m not just saying that!”
On any given day Jason can be found tinkering on the production line, ensuring it’s running smoothly and that Segway PTs are being built efficiently. However, he’s responsible for a whole lot more than that. Maintaining Segway’s World Headquarters requires him to have expertise in a variety of areas. Jason oversees the facilities’ HVAC and electrical systems, its waste and extensive recycling programs, manages outside building and property service vendors and he’s always quick to share his sarcastic sense of humor with co-workers.
“When it comes to the facility and the surrounding property, I’m a resource for every employee and department. Although some departments — particularly the motley crew in marketing — do take advantage of me from time to time,” says Jason. “Seriously, I have the opportunity to use a lot of different skill sets and contribute in many different ways. My days are never boring and I really like that.”
Author: Segway Inc