Austin could rein in the use of electronic motorcycles and mini-bikes, or e-motos, in response to lacking local regulations and rising roadway safety concerns.
“It’s turned into a bit of a chaotic situation that is scaring people," council member Paige Ellis said. "The last thing that anybody wants here is for kids to get hurt, or for them to hurt other people, when they simply don’t know the appropriate ways to behave with these motorbikes.”
The big picture
City officials noted that e-motos, a collective term for the throttle-powered electric vehicles, can operate at high speeds and resemble traditional motorcycles rather than slower and more limited e-bikes.
Austin doesn't have any specific regulations on the books for e-motos, which can drive as fast as 60 miles per hour or more—well above an existing cap of 28 MPH for e-bikes as established in Texas transportation law. A recently approved resolution from Ellis also noted that some businesses and manufacturers may be misleading buyers about e-motos' capabilities, and that add-on kits are available to disguise the vehicles as fully street-legal e-bikes.
The use of e-motos has recently grown in Austin, including with unlicensed minors. Underage riders are "dangerously operating" the vehicles on streets, sidewalks, trails and other locations, according to Ellis' measure, and e-motos have also been linked to damage of city property. An Austin Police Department spokesperson confirmed a rising number of e-moto complaints, and reports of damage to water quality facilities, ponds and foliage from Austin Watershed Protection.
Given worries about the vehicles and limited enforcement options available today, City Council voted in May to consider new e-moto regulations for Austin and roll out other strategies to limit their use.
“The concern is that there are now these very powerful devices out on the streets that are sold and marketed like they’re an electric bicycle, but in reality they are a small motorcycle," Ellis said May 28. "A lot of them can reach speeds up to 50 or 60 miles an hour, and the children that are riding these are not trained; they haven’t been to driver safety classes or anything of that nature."
The framework
Ellis said her office had worked with APD for months to review existing motorbike rules, consider where the vehicles might be appropriate to drive and lay out a new safety strategy aimed at youth. The resolution advanced by city leaders this spring will now result in proposed updates to city code defining e-motos and their legality, establishing when and where they're permitted and setting related penalties. A report on those changes will be presented by late July.
Some enforcement related to e-moto use is possible today under state laws addressing unregistered vehicles and unlicensed drivers, which "could lead to penalties depending on the specific circumstances," the APD spokesperson said. More details are expected in an upcoming police training bulletin, and the department may also revise its training policies and general orders to include specific procedures for e-motos and underage riders.
In addition to that internal work, Austin is rolling out an education campaign about safe e-moto operations and potential penalties for improper use. APD has already published a brief public awareness video, and a separate report on the city's public information campaign results will be provided in August.
Lastly, Ellis also suggested dedicating an area specifically for e-moto use. The city will now explore creating a "public recreation area" for e-motos, potentially in partnership with another local government or nonprofit.
"We wanted to take proactive steps to promote public safety and give kids a safe place to play. I’m proud that we were able to do that and look forward to continued collaboration with APD and other city departments as Austin becomes a leader in tackling the e-moto issue," Ellis said in a statement.
