What is PET?
PET is a faith-based, volunteer driven, non-profit organization that is making and distributing the PET (Personal Energy Transportation) vehicle.
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Adult size PET |
The PET Design
The PET has been extensively field tested and is designed to be:
- STURDY, in order to provide services for the rider for many years
- SIMPLE, to be easily maintained in outpost conditions
- LOW-COST, so the donor dollar can serve as many as possible - $250
These requirements have led to the following details of the design:
- Hand-cranked or lever powered: The hand-cranked model has proven most successful in most field conditions. The lever-powered model works well in hospitals and rehab centers; few are made.
- Sturdy tires: The PET uses sturdy and low cost wheelbarrow wheels and tires with tubes, or non-puncture tires.
- Two sizes: PETs are made in both child and adult sizes.
- Adaptability: The PET can be adapted to a wide variety of bed or seat configurations.
- Simple brakes: The PET has a front-wheel brake, with a simple wood-wedge parking brake on a rear wheel.
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Child size PET |
Despite this robustness, the PET is not an all-terrain vehicle. It will not go everywhere. Its ability to move is limited to the muscle power of the driver. As the driver uses the vehicle more, he/she gains strength. Other notes are:
- The PET moves at about the speed of a fast walk.
- There are always "trade-offs" in designing any machine. The crank pedals of the PET always turn. This gives a needed reverse gear, but when coasting downhill the driver should remove his/her hand from the cranks and steer with the steering tiller/brake handle, slowing the speed by pushing down on the brake handle.
- The lever-powered PET can be easily adapted as a push-carriage for a person whose arms cannot power the machine.
Help us make these vehicles and get them to those who need them by donating today. $250 is what it takes to make one PET.
Places of Distribution So Far:
Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brasil, Bulgaria, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Gabon, Georgia (Russia), Gaza, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, West Bank, Western Sahara, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have all received one or more PETs.
History
| 1994 | Reverend Larry Hills, missionary in Zaire (now Congo), Africa, told Reverend Mel West of the great need for three-wheeled, hand-cranked wheelchairs for victims of polio and landmines. Mel contacted Earl Miner, product designer, long-time friend and mission partner; and the process of the prototype design began. |
| 1995 | When prototype development was ready for field testing, four were shipped to Larry Hills with the instructions to "put these in the worst place you can find, and see if they pass the test." Larry did, and the PETs did. Rev. Mel began building PETs in his garage. Shipments began to Zaire, where Larry had set up a place to receive the frames, put on the wooden beds, and distribute them. (The operation was moved and continues in Zambia today. PET Zambia/New Life Center) |
| 1996 | Rodney Miner in Darby, Montana, began to build and ship PETs and steel frame parts mostly to Congo/Zaire, where they locally add the wooden bed and then distribute the finished PET. |
| 1997 | Bishop Machado of Mozambique saw the PET and requested a project there. Others did likewise. With limited funds and operating out of the West's garage, and a room at Community United Methodist Church, the project grew. |
| 1998 | Tom Algiere, shop teacher, was sent by the United Methodist Church to Mozambique where he set up two PET production shops. |
| 2000 | Reverend Mel West set up a production, receiving and shipping facility in Columbia, Missouri, USA. The PET Place facility receives parts made by volunteers and donated by businesses. Then the PETs are assembled and shipped to various areas of need around the world. PET MO – Columbia |
| 2000 | Reverend Larry Hills set up a production shop in Penney Farms Retirement Center located in Penney Farms, Florida USA to focus on mobility needs in Haiti. PET FL – Penney Farms |
| 2003 | Jake and Gwen Royall, members of First Christian Church, set up a production shop in Luling, Texas USA. PET Texas |
| 2004 | Over 1,000 PETs are produced and shipped from across the US. PET International is incorporated. The PET Mobility Project,
under the visionary leadership of co-founders Mel West and
Larry Hills, is experiencing extraordinary growth. New PET assembly
sites, now referred to as PET Affiliates, are being established
throughout the USA and beyond. Missionaries Delbert and Sandy
Groves are directing the New Life PET Shop near Kitwe, Zambia, and some
folks in the United Kingdom are working at establishing a PET Affiliate
there. PETs are also being made in Cape Town, South Africa and in Mexico. It
was apparent PET needed an umbrella organization to coordinate its growth,
maintain quality control over PETs being built throughout the world,
and a host of other issues common to a growing ministry/business. The
name of the organization was never an issue—it had to be PET International, Inc. Now with a committed
team of several hundred volunteers scattered around the world, a formal organization
governed by a Board of Trustees and staff, PET is about its main thing—giving
dignity, hope and mobility to the millions in need. PET TN - Murfreesboro PET FL - Tampa PET - Southwest MO |
| 2005 | PET NY - East Jewett PET WA – Inland Northwest PET KS - Mound Ridge |
| 2006 | PET FL - Jacksonville PET TX – San Antonio PET - Cape Town, South Africa |