FLORENCE, AL – Public safety officers at the University of North Alabama (UNA) got a little more visibility thanks to the addition of three Segways — electric-powered personal transport vehicles — to the campus security fleet, according to www.timesdaily.com. There are plans to add two more Segways to the department in the future.

Earlier this semester, UNA purchased three Segways for nearly $21,000. Increased visibility, as well as patrol flexibility and expansion were the goals in mind, according to David Shields, vice president for student engagement.

Three of the 11 public safety officers attended a trainer’s school to teach the other officers how to use the Segways. On a single charge, the battery-powered vehicles will last throughout a shift.

Segways, based on dynamic stabilization technology, first rolled out of the factory in December of 2001. Since then, they’ve become almost commonplace on college campuses, as well as fixtures at airports and with police and fire departments across the country.