MESA, Ariz. (July 11,2008) -- Banner Baywood surgeon Daniel Rowland, MD, has been on a roll lately. Literally.
The Las Sendas resident has recently started taking a new route to work at Banner Baywood Medical Center, via the Segway Personal Transporter. The two-wheeled phenomenon is powered by electricity, so Rowland saves on gas and auto emissions.
“I probably save five bucks a day on gas,” said Rowland, who used to drive a Buick Enclave to work every day.
Rowland is just one of the many Banner Baywood Campus commuters who are “going green.”
The Banner human resources department reports that carpooling numbers are skyrocketing.
For the 2007 carpooling season, which runs from June 07 to May 08, there were 33 total carpoolers.
In the first month alone of the 2008 season, there have been 77 carpoolers.
Rowland says he is going green by using the Segway three to four times a week, stashing his OR scrubs into a bag and changing when he gets to the hospital. He is a nationally known gynecological surgeon who specializes in noninvasive techniques with laparoscopic cameras and robotic surgery.
Or, as he is now known around the hospital: “The Segway Surgeon.”
The Segway is allowed to travel on sidewalks and bike paths, and can accelerate up to 12.5 miles per hour. Arizona does not require a driver’s license, license plate or registration to use the Segway. It runs on a battery, which can be charged for about 12 cents and is good for up to 24 miles.
Rowland, 40, says his 8-mile commute is a breeze and that he turns plenty of heads on the street. He is constantly asked what he’s doing and where he bought the machine.
Rowland said he spent about $5,200 on his Segway i2 Commuter, which comes complete with a cup holder, a messenger pouch and iPod-ready speakers. It even has headlights, so Rowland can head home after a long day in surgery.
The other Segway model, the x2, is more rugged and built for off-road riders. But Rowland said the difference is huge: “The i2 is like driving a Lexus. The x2 is like driving a Hummer.”
The doctor likes his Segway so much he has started looking into opening a dealership in east Mesa. He said he thinks there would be a market for the transporters there, especially to those who do not want to drive to Scottsdale to find them.
The Segway was invented by Dean Kamen, who started the company in 1999. It now has a presence in 80 countries, according to Segway.com.