Ride the Shweeb, the future of public transportation

The future of public transportation is here, and surprisingly, it does not involve hovercrafts.

Clean, fast, and efficient, the Shweeb has been entrusted the future of personal rapid transport for its ingenious design. If bikes and trains are your thing, then you’ll be thrilled by this mash-up. Shweebs are transparent, full-enclosed plastic pods that are entirely human-powered. In order to move, passengers must put power to the pedal and to accelerate the pod through an overhead monorail track. Another one of New Zealand’s wacky inventions, the Shweeb is the first and only human-powered monorail in the world.

In 2010, the Shweeb has received a $1 Million USD grant from Google as part of Project 10¹⁰⁰, a search for outstanding solutions and innovations to current global challenges. It is now undergoing development from a mere theme park attraction to a wider, and more complex public transportation system.

Meanwhile, while we anticipate for its official launch, we can experience the Shweeb in its native form and original purpose: an amusement park monorail racetrack attraction in Agroventures, Rotorua—apparently the capital of New Zealand’s crazy and amazing innovations. Here you can find a 200-m overhead rail track where you can beat time or friends in a 3-lap race. A prize of $1,000 in cash awaits anyone who can beat a world record!

WOE Media

When On Earth Magazine is for people who love travel. We provide informative travel guides, tips, ideas and advice regarding places to see, things to do, what to taste, and much more for world travelers seeking their next dream vacation destination.

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