This Week's Herman Trend Alert Purpose Emerging as Important Driver of Engagement

The Herman Trend Alert July 6, 1999 Neighborhood Transportation Innovations 178 days until January 1, 2000 In 1954, as suburban sprawl took hold in America, community public transportation was in its infancy. Families had one car, which Dad drove to work. Mom was stranded at home with the kids and errands to run. Two companies called Nash and Hudson, soon to merge into American Motors, created a new car to meet the short-drive needs of the suburban family. The Metropolitan was popular for almost a decade. The cute little 2-door car had room for two adults, a couple of small kids, and groceries. Economical and fun to drive, the "Met" filled the needs of a changing lifestyle and helped usher in the era of compact cars. Now another neighborhood transportation innovation is catching attention. Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) are on the threshold of popularity for a wide range of uses. These environmentally-friendly vehicles are like fancy golf carts, but they're moving off the golf courses and onto the streets. In 1998, the US government established a new class of motor vehicle, the Low Speed Vehicle (LSV), to encourage more aggressive development of electric cars. LSVs have a top speed of no more than 25 mph. They may be licensed and driven on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. These cars have a range of 25-30 miles, depending on terrain, and recharge in 6-8 hours using 110 Volts AC at a cost of about 40 cents. Current models, seating 2-4 adults and/or carrying cargo will find increasing localized applications. Research shows that 80% of trips are within 10 miles and 50% take less than 10 minutes. NEVs are well-suited for gated communities, urban and suburban areas, as well as office and college campuses. They'll be great second cars for aging Boomers. NEVs are already working in neighborhood security, perfectly suited for the community policing model of law enforcement. Watch for them in developing countries. So far only two companies manufacture NEVs. Retail prices (around $8000) will gradually drop. When we test-drove an NEV recently, 3-point seatbelts connected, we were delighted with the pickup, power to take hills, and simplicity. NEVs are in your future. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." WHO SENDS OUT YOUR NEWSLETTERS? We are convinced there is no better choice than ours! We have happily used DataBack Systems to deliver The Herman Trend Alert for over 10 years and. Visit their website (http://www.databack.com) or call Byron directly at 503.941.0427. You'll be glad you did. IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2. STRUGGLING TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED? VETJOBS CAN HELP! Recently, hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of capable people. If you are looking for qualified candidates, you need to hire a veteran using VFW-sponsored VetJobs, the largest military employment site on the Internet. Thousands of returning veterans are looking for good jobs now. Mention this ad in The Herman Trend Alert and receive a 10% discount on job postings. Call Ted Daywalt at 877-838-5627 or inquire at info@VetJobs.com. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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