The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) will allow personally owned e-scooters and e-bikes on local bus, Light RailLink, MetroSubwayLink and MARC Train routes. The revised policy, which goes into effect on Dec. 1, 2021, will see personal foldable e-scooters and e-bikes weighing less than 50 pounds allowed on transit modes that currently accommodate collapsible and full-size bikes.
“As transportation continues to evolve, MDOT MTA understands the importance of offering transit options that fit our customers’ growing needs,” said MDOT MTA Administrator Holly Arnold. “Making it easy for our customers to bring e-scooters and e-bikes onto transit demonstrates our commitment to providing a more satisfactory door-to-door travel experience, while expanding our riders’ travel options to and from our transit modes.”
MDOT Secretary Greg Slater added, “We’re seeing more and more customers using e-bikes and e-scooters on our systems as part of daily commutes and everyday activities. As we modernize Maryland’s transportation network, integration of the various modes of transportation with a seamless experience is a critical component. Whether you’re walking to a bus stop, driving to a transit hub, riding your bike to work or any of the various combinations of travel options, we have to continually eliminate barriers to travel. Today’s policy expansion is one more step.”
A variety of safety measures that vary for each mode have been established. For example, boarding a vehicle with an e-bike/scooter may be restricted when passenger volume is already at or over capacity. Gas-powered bicycles and scooters are prohibited, regardless of whether they are also battery powered. Additionally, charging e-scooters and e-bikes on a train car or at a station is never allowed.
Riders can find more information on the complete revised policy at mta.maryland.gov/bike.
