Bgame schools to pilot new training course for e-bikes

The training is currently only open to students within the district; however, it may open for others in nearby districts soon. Participants will receive a lesson in the classroom before going out to get on-bike training.

The Office of Education has worked to promote e-bike safety by developing handbooks with materials and resources to give out to school districts and the public over the past few years. Still, micromobility technology has “outpaced policies and any regulations in place,” Theresa Vallez-Kelley, coordinator of the Safe Routes to School program, said.

After Vallez-Kelley heard about E-Bike Sense, an organization based in Southern California that provides on-bike training, she knew she wanted to bring them up to San Mateo County to help out school districts. In just a few weeks, two safety instructors will spend two days teaching students the ways of the road.

Burlingame School District Superintendent Marla Silversmith said she feels honored the district is the first to try out the program, and is looking forward to working with a vetted organization.

“I’m excited to see the difference it makes and the seriousness of it,” Silversmith said.

E-bikes, scooters and various apparatuses have only grown in popularity on campuses, Silversmith said. Although she has seen a few less this school year so far, she knows the program will be popular among students and their families.

While increased safety trainings and emphasized policies may feel like the agencies are looking to crack down on micromobility transportation, both Silversmith and Vallez-Kelley shared their appreciation for what these alternatives modes for transportation have done for students. Whether a safety training is held, students are going to use e-bikes and e-scooters, Silversmith said.

Noting that some people think students should not be riding electric bikes or scooters, both Silversmith and Vallez-Kelley said teaching students how to use the equipment safely is extremely beneficial.

“I think everyone’s seeing this is a big need,” Vallez-Kelley said. “There’s a lot of people thinking kids shouldn’t be riding them, but I think it gives them a sense of independence. It’s take more cars off the road. But training is super important.”

In addition to the on-bike training, the school district’s registration initiative also will increase safety on and off campus. Students will be required to register their micromobility transportation device in order to park it on campus to ensure they are street legal and compliant with all traffic safety regulations.

The educational portion of the program looks to clarify to students, parents and the community the discrepancies between various classifications of e-bikes. This will be available with support from the Burlingame Police Department, which has worked with the school district to promote safety.

For kids under the age of 16, their bikes should not be above a “Class 2” or be able to go above 20 mph. There should also be no modifications made to the transportation devices to allow them to go faster.

“The main thing we’re looking at is if they’re wearing a helmet, the bikes have the required lighting and safety equipment,” Police Chief Raj Vaswani said.

The Police Department’s goal is to promote traffic safety in all areas of the city. The school district’s registration and safety program just adds to that effort.

Parents have shared their interest in participating in a similar training, Silversmith said.

This wouldn’t be surprising to Vallez-Kelley. A recent e-bike safety webinar hosted by the Office of Education found that nearly 90% of parents said they’ve never ridden an e-bike before. Making sure parents are just as educated on e-bike safety is critical, she said.

“If you’re buying a child an e-bike and have not ridden one, they might not realize how fast they are, how heavy they are,” Vallez-Kelley said.

Just like driving a car, students should receive some level of education and practice when operating electric transportation vehicles, Vallez-Kelley said.

That’s where the schools are to help.

“We’re educators, we’re here to teach,” Silversmith said. “It’s important to us for our kids to learn courtesy on the roads too.”

Once the training is held and feedback is gathered, Silversmith and Vallez-Kelley are both looking forward to expanding its impact throughout the county.