Electric bikes, scooters now permitted on LIRR trains. No charging allowed.

Electric scooters and bikes — relied upon by some commuters to get them to and from their train station, and hated by others for getting in their way — are now officially allowed on the Long Island Rail Road, according to new MTA regulations.

Under the policy adopted last week by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, “personal electric vehicles,” or PEVs, can be transported on LIRR trains, as well as city subways and buses, under several conditions, including that lithium ion batteries, which have been known to combust in certain circumstances, be up to code and never be charged on board a train.

The rules also restrict vehicles over 100 pounds, require them to be stored out of the way of aisles, walkways and equipment, and require passengers to carry the vehicles, rather than ride them, on MTA properties.

Although previous MTA policies did not specifically address e-bikes and scooters, the LIRR conductor’s rule book prohibited motorized, two-wheeled vehicles on board trains. The head of the conductors' union acknowledged that the rule was difficult to enforce, but said police occasionally were contacted.

MTA officials said the new policy, which came after months of review, aims to balance the comfort and safety of all riders with the growing popularity of e-bikes and scooters, while also encouraging environmentally friendly alternatives for passengers who might otherwise rely on automobiles to complete their commutes.

“We’re not going backward. This is part of our transportation landscape,” said MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber, who assured the public that the agency would be “militant” in promoting safe use of PEVs on trains.

“But, at the same time, we want to be respectful of the fact that, in a lot of parts of the commuter railroad world, this is the way that people are solving the challenge of the last mile,” Lieber said, referring to the growing focus by transportation providers in helping get commuters to and from the front doors of their homes and workplaces.

Supporting alternative transportation

The regulations follow a mobility initiative launched by the MTA more than a year ago, with the goal of supporting alternative transportation methods. One goal of the initiative was to reduce pressure to use valuable real estate near train stations as parking lots.

As part of the effort, the MTA lifted its longtime policy of requiring permits for LIRR passengers who wish to travel with their bicycles. Riders previously had to obtain a special permit, at the cost of $5, to bring their bikes on board.

But railroad union officials said an unintended side effect of the new policy was a surge in the transport of motorized vehicles, like scooters, which were never officially addressed in the LIRR’s bike policy. LIRR train crew members, riders and advocates increasingly complained about the often-bulky, and potentially dangerous, devices.

LIRR labor leaders have cautioned against loosening restrictions against the vehicles, and encouraged the MTA to require permits for electric vehicles — at no cost — so railroad officials could be sure that they meet size requirements and have batteries that are up to code.

Anthony Simon, general chairman of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — the union that represents LIRR conductors — said the new policy, as adopted by the MTA, is “long overdue,” but added that the ubiquity of PEVs on trains “will make its enforcement challenging.”

“There are really no areas for them that don’t impact seats, aisles and vestibules,” said Simon, who believes welcoming electric scooters and bikes “will inevitably create safety concerns and clutter on our trains as ridership increases.”

After dipping to as low as 3% of pre-COVID levels at the height of the pandemic, LIRR weekday ridership has recently reached as high as nearly 70%.

Commuter complaints: zipping, bumping, taking up seats

Lynbrook commuter John Heinrich called the motorized vehicles and their users “very annoying,” including when they “zip by, kind of close to you” on a station platform.

“They just take up seats. When they walk by you on the train, they bump into you with the scooters. They’re inconsiderate. They take up a charger,” Heinrich, 59, who has suggested that, at a minimum, the railroad limit the storage of the vehicles to one car per train. “I get that people have to get to work, but I just don’t think the trains were made for scooters.”

Jonathan Fazio, a senior director for the MTA’s safety management team, said the authority arrived at the “forward-thinking and well-researched policy” after extensive collaboration with safety experts and regulators, and with other transit agencies that had developed their own policies.

“We evaluated the risks, hazards … [and] methodically developed a policy that addressed concerns,” said Fazio, adding that the MTA is confident that it is handling the matter “as safely and effectively as possible.”

Jacob deCastro, spokesman for Transportation Alternatives, a New York City-based group that advocates against car use, called it “a good policy change.”

“Many people are driving to LIRR stations, and a lot of those trips — especially the ones that are closer — can be replaced by an e-bike or an e-scooter, which get more cars off the road and are better for the environment, better for air quality,” said deCastro, who believes the MTA could address complaints about the vehicles being in the way by carving out dedicated storage space on trains for them.

The next step, Fazio said, is getting the word out about the policy through an extensive “customer education campaign” that will include posters on trains and at stations with QR codes that link to the regulations.

LIRR Commuter Council chairman Gerard Bringmann said any messaging about the new policy should make clear the potential penalties faced by violators. The last line of the full policy mentions that violations “may result in fines, penalties, and ejectment from the system.” An MTA spokesman said fines can range between $50 and $100.

“You’re always going to have the occasional jerk that’s going to try to ride this thing in Penn Station or Grand Central Madison or wherever,” Bringmann said. “And there just needs to be some sort of penalty if someone is dumb enough to do that.”

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.