By Matthew Hersh
The e-bike trend that took New Jersey by storm during and after the global pandemic could be tempered as state and local authorities take stock in persistent safety concerns created by the perceived lack of e-bike and e-scooter safety guardrails.
Princeton University announced last week that it would significantly restrict personal electric vehicle (PEV) use on campus starting June 1.
“E-bike users have increasingly been observed violating safety rules, including riding on sidewalks and pedestrian pathways, failing to yield to pedestrians, and carrying multiple riders on a single device,” read a statement issued by the University.
The University’s new PEV policy bans the use and storage of electric micro-mobility devices across the main campus. PEVs, which include e-scooters, e-bikes, hoverboards, and e-skateboards, are prohibited from being “operated, stored, parked, or charged within the zone defined in the campus map.”
The University also established an indoor PEV ban, prohibiting PEVs from being “brought into any University-owned academic, administrative, athletic, or residential building, regardless of whether the building is inside the restricted zone.”
Faculty, staff, and graduate students living off-campus are still able to use registered e-bikes to commute, provided that any vehicle is first permitted through the University’s Transportation and Parking services and must park only in designated commuter areas and remain outside the restricted zone. For charging, the new PEV policy requires batteries to be removed from the vehicle to be charged inside buildings. The University has also prohibited the use of extension cords for PEV charging purposes.
The University has assembled a resource page on the new PEV policy, which can be found at ehs.princeton.edu/pev-policy-faqs.
The new policy prompted a swift response from some members of the campus community, who circulated a change.org petition to compel the University to rethink its approach.
“E-bikes are a green transportation alternative,” the petition reads. “They produce zero emissions, reduce traffic congestion, and have a much smaller carbon footprint compared to cars or traditional buses. By allowing students to use e-bikes, Princeton can significantly decrease its campus carbon emissions and become a leader in eco-friendly initiatives.” The petition has received 124 signatures as of press time.
The Municipality has also tracked the prevalence of PEV-related incidents, but the Princeton Police Department (PPD) has reported “relatively low” PEV incidents on public roadways. “While we investigated multiple bicyclists struck by vehicles last year, only a limited number of incidents involved electric bikes or scooters,” said PPD Capt. Thomas Lagomarsino.
“Regarding enforcement, a grace period is currently in place before officers begin enforcing newly enacted requirements such as registration, insurance, and licensing,” added Lagomarsino. “However, officers are permitted to enforce roadway violations involving e-bikes at this time. When operated on public roadways, e-bikes are treated the same as traditional bicycles and must comply with all traffic laws.”
Under the current motor vehicle crash reporting system, there is no distinction between a traditional pedal cyclist and an e-bike rider. Currently, state law outlines three types of e-bikes, with Type 1 being low speed bikes with no throttle and only move when pedaled; Type 2 being low speed bikes that have a throttle and can move without pedaling; and Type 3 being higher speed that only move when pedaled, have no throttle, and can travel up to 28 miles per hour.
But those designations are slated to change in July, as one of former Gov. Phil Murphy’s last acts as governor that regulates electric bicycles and updates the regulation, licensing, classification, and training requirements for e-bikes goes into effect on July 19. The three-tiered system is replaced under the new law, with almost all e-bikes now requiring registration and insurance, falling under “motorized bicycles.”
The new classification covers all forms of e-bikes and extends the classification of motorized bicycles to include pedal bicycles with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that can provide assistance when the rider is pedaling or to exclusively propel the bicycle. Under the new law, all e-bikes must be registered with the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission, which is free for the first year. Private ownership now requires liability insurance. Riders over age 17 need a standard driver’s license and riders aged 15 to 16 need a motorized bicycle permit.
All riders must be at least 15 years old under the new law.
The action comes in the wake of numerous accidents involving electric bikes, including two e-bike operators killed in separate accidents in Scotch Plains and Orange, in addition to other crashes.