New Jersey’s e-bike licensing law, signed in January by outgoing Governor Pat Murphy, was intended to make roads safer but has instead created confusion for riders, retailers and state agencies. The rules require many e-bike users to meet age and licensing requirements, register their bicycles and obtain insurance in some cases. Advocates say the rollout has been inconsistent, while e-bike businesses report sharply lower sales and closures across the state.
New Jersey’s e-bike law introduces licensing and registration rules
S-4834, sponsored by state Senate President Nick Scutari and passed by a large bipartisan margin, was motivated by what Scutari called a “dramatic increase” in e-bike use. He said e-bikes “pose greater risks to motorists, other motorists, and pedestrians.” Several teenagers have died in motorcycle crashes in Scutari’s district and elsewhere in New Jersey, including a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a collision with a landscaping truck last fall.
Under the new law, anyone who owns and operates a bicycle equipped with pedal-assist technology or a throttle must be at least 15 years old and hold either a driver’s license or a motorized-bicycle license. Riders seeking a stand-alone e-bike license must pass a road test.
E-bike owners must also register their bicycles with the state Motor Vehicle Commission, or MVC. Riders using e-bikes capable of traveling faster than 20 miles per hour must carry insurance.
Riders report confusion during the rollout
Advocates in New Jersey and elsewhere in the country say the state’s large-scale experiment with e-bike licensing has become a slow-moving mess. Residents have reported widespread confusion at local MVC branches, where employees allegedly were not informed about the new requirements. Some offices have reportedly run out of registration stickers.
Owners of older e-bikes who cannot provide proof of purchase have been told to pay sales tax again. Government buildings often lack bicycle parking and can be difficult to reach by public transportation. Enforcement has also been described as inconsistent.
Some e-bike travelers say they are avoiding New Jersey altogether. Meanwhile, e-bike sales—which surged during the pandemic—have dropped sharply.
Bike shops report steep sales declines
“They’ve vilified e-bikes,” said Scott Chambers, owner of Zippy’s Bikes in Wildwood, New Jersey. He said electric-bike sales at his store fell 90% for the year and 50% overall. Most of the previous year’s inventory remains unsold, and he described the store’s future as “bleak.”
“It’s hard to keep up,” Chambers said. The New Jersey Electric Bicycle Coalition, which formed in response to the law, announced that 37 bike shops had closed across the state.
Other states consider e-bike licensing
New Jersey is one of many places dealing with questions about e-bike safety and regulation. Lawmakers across the United States are seeking new restrictions following reports of reckless riding, speeding and dangerous crashes, particularly involving teenagers.
Legislators in California, Illinois and New York have proposed e-bike licensing systems, but none has passed. The New York City Council withdrew its licensing proposal this summer.
E-bikes remain important for everyday transportation
Workers, recreational riders and people running daily errands have increasingly relied on e-bikes because they are cheaper to purchase, fuel and store than cars.
“I’m a little confused,” said Jersey City resident Karin Vannoppen. He has not ridden his pedal-assist bike since the state began enforcing the rule in July. Vannoppen uses the bicycle to climb steep hills and go grocery shopping, but he does not have a driver’s license and has never needed one.
Vannoppen said all of the state’s testing sites are more than an hour’s drive away, and some are located on roads where e-bikes are not legally permitted. At a Congressional hearing, one lawmaker suggested that people who cannot drive ask their parents to take them to e-bike road tests.
“I think my 85-year-old mother needs to come,” Vannoppen said.
Source: www.wired.com