Grumman International Metropolitan Planning (GIMP), a publicly traded company working toward the advancement of pristine urban environments around the world, has decided to debut its newest offering in Knoxville late next year. GIMP is known around the world for its innovative approaches to refining urban environments, aiding the environment, reducing costs, and adding a splash of fun to the process. Among its many projects are the rennovation of downtown Bangkok, hanging of Christmas lights from the bridge joining the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and the formation of the Friendly and Courteous Urban Taxi Driver Coalition.
Armed with massive financial backing, and with the eye of the world on it, GIMP is working around the clock to make sure its latest development, the Speedy Personal Urban Transportation Technology Engineering Revolution (SPUTTER), meets its schedule of opening in Fall of 2003. The system will open in Knoxville, the selected test market, and from there will expand to other developing urban markets.
“SPUTTER brings a new spin to urban transportation,” GIMP’s marketing director Herb Alcott told Knoxpatch.com. “It’s not only expedient, but also fun and has zero pollution. The system has a very low cost, and an even lower maintenance cost.”
Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe has led the local effort to get SPUTTER launched here. “I believe this will not only help strike a blow at TDOT, but will also ensure my legacy continues beyond my recent preservation efforts,” the Mayor said.
The first SPUTTER route will take passengers from the new convention center to Market Square, where they will find breakfast, lunch, or dinner at all hours of the day, as well as arts and crafts and karaoke, all at reasonable prices. Fares are expected to be low, at only $1 per trip.
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| Passengers arrive at the station via SPUTTER, the newest innovation in personal urban transportation, set to debut in Knoxville |
“The beauty of SPUTTER,” explains GIMP chief engineer and project lead Salvatore Ibraham, “is that you never have to wait on a bus or train. You simply pay your fare, wait for the passenger in front of you to clear the checkpoint, and you can ride. We developed our starting towers to be aesthetically pleasing and tried to build them to blend in with local architecture. In Knoxville this was easy, because there really isn’t any sort of motif to the design of the downtown area.”
Knoxville was chosen partially due to its location adjoining a large water source. Since SPUTTER relies on water at the core of its transportation model, a large supply of cheap water was necessary. Water can be pumped straight from the river into the SPUTTER system.
The first route is about halfway through completion, and should be ready to test within a few months.