When you see the first festive floats of a Santa Parade rolling down the main street of your town, you can be sure the big man in a red suit is not far away. He sure has a big job ahead of him come 25 December. Managing such a large procession is a big job too. Thats why Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) have been helping out event organisers around New Zealand from many years.

Last weekend Crackerjack Promotions hired a fleet of Segway PTs for the ninth year in a row, as an essential tool for running the Farmers Santa Parade, Queen Street, Auckland. Yesterday, three more Segway PTs helped make the Hamilton Santa Parade a success. The organisers opted for i2 Patroller models, emblazoned with MARSHALL signage on the shields, to manage people and traffic during the event. Next weekend BodyElectric are supplying two Segway PTs to the event organisers of the Wellington Santa Parade. Meanwhile, Auckland photographer Philip Edmonds-Rowe used a Segway PT as his photographic platform as he glided amongst the floats on Queen Street last week, and again during Saturday's Otara Santa Parade. Segway PTs also feature as 'floats' in many parades. For example, Bee-suited characters darted around the Mansons TCLM giant Buzzy Bee float on Queen St. This weekend, Segwai's fleet will be part of the Waiheke Island Santa Parade. Yesterday, the Devonport Santa Parade featured the Magic Broomsticks fleet all gift-wrapped and sparking in tinsel.