Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, MA Leaders Call For E-Bike Legislation

NEWTON, MA — Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller has joined 19 other mayors, town managers, and local officials from 16 Massachusetts municipalities to call on state lawmakers to pass An Act relative to electric bicycles.

The legislation would create a statutory definition for three different classes of e-bikes and clarify operating regulations for these vehicles, allowing municipalities to regulate the use of electric bicycles, proactively include them in local transportation plans, and integrate them into the region's transportation network.

This change would align Massachusetts laws more closely with federal standards, as well as standards in 42 other states and the District of Columbia.

"We support legislative efforts to update definitions for e-bikes and delegate regulatory authority to municipalities and the Commonwealth over the shared and personal use of these vehicles,” said the leaders in aletter to the Joint Committee on Transportation. "A state level approach will ensure consistency across municipal boundaries and strengthen opportunities to promote regional cycling connectivity."

The leaders also note that e-bike adoption would expand mobility options for people looking to travel long distances, offer accessibility benefits for people with certain disabilities or the inability to cycle up hills, and encourage alternatives to traveling by automobile—reducing road congestion and transportation-related emissions.