Summary

Linking transit stations to homes, offices, and other locations using low-speed, electric mobility devices could encourage the use of public transportation in the Bay Area. There are three specific devices in this project: the Segway Human Transporter (HT), the electric bicycle, and the traditional bicycle.

The initial phase of this project tested how feasible Segway HT's were in transporting commuters from Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Pleasant Hill Station to several employment centers. There was a review of literature on low-speed, electric mobility device safety, and a chronicling of the legislative and regulatory history of the Segway HT. A feasibility analysis was published for the research pilot project.

The proposed expansion of this project would include testing electric bicycles and traditional bicycles, evaluating the safety of Segway HT's, and determining whether a clean fuel station (or a fuel cell stack) for shared-use electric vehicles would be required. This project will provide a comparative analysis of three (maybe four) electric mobility devices and possible cost-effective solutions to transit access.

The project requires three steps: first, two groups of commuters who work close to the BART station and employee-based day users are going to participate in the demonstration project, which has a manual reservation system and storage facilities for the devices. Secondly, the devices will be assessed for their economic, societal, and transportation effects using bystander surveys, economic analyses, focus groups and interviews, and questionnaires and travel diaries. Lastly, a final report will be prepared describing the operations and technology of the project and evaluating the before and interim data of the project.

Related PATH Articles/Journals

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