Segway Hype Outpaces Sales

Sales of the Segway Human Transporter are only about one-tenth of projections but it is popular with police departments.

2 minute read

April 14, 2004, 1:00 PM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Segway says its human transporter will take you almost anywhere, replacing a car for short hops and saving the environment to boot. But the fortunes of the motorized scooter's parent company appear to be headed in just one direction: south. People aren't buying the $4,500 machine in the great quantities expected. A recall last year raised questions about reliability. President Bush fell off one. And theme parks including Walt Disney World and cities such as San Francisco have banned Segways, which travel up to 12 1/2 mph, from sidewalks. 'We're not disappointed it hasn't caught on,' said Melanie Brunson, executive director of the American Council of the Blind. 'People don't necessarily have as much control over these devices, moving at that rate of speed, as you like to think they would.' Segways went on sale in November 2002 amid projections that more than 50,000 would be sold in the first year. Instead, by September 2003, when all Segways were recalled for a minor repair, just 6,000 had been sold. New Hampshire-based Segway LLC also reportedly ran through its $100 million start-up money and has been forced to raise $31 million more. But despite Segway's failure to live up to the initial hype, some in Maryland say it's just catching on. Police at Baltimore-Washington International Airport are wrapping up a favorable two-week trial of the machines, and an entrepreneur in Annapolis plans to begin renting them out this weekend."

Thanks to Richard Layman

Saturday, April 10, 2004 in The Baltimore Sun

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Large building under construnction in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia at sunset.

Charlottesville Temporarily Has No Zoning Code

A judge ordered the Virginia city to throw out its newly revised zoning code, leaving permitting for new development in legal limbo.

15 minutes ago - Charlottesville Tomorrow

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab