GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Great Falls Public Schools has a new policy this year — and it affects students who ride e-bikes or electric scooters to school.
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The district has banned both from school property, and Superintendent Heather Hoyer says the decision comes down to one thing: safety.
"They go from riding in traffic to zipping onto sidewalks, across crosswalks, and then back into traffic again," Hoyer said.
The policy came after crossing guards and parents began reporting near misses in congested drop-off and pickup zones. Hoyer says no student has been hit by a moving vehicle — but the close calls were enough to act.
"They've never been hit by a moving vehicle. But we've had some really close calls where they run into each other, where they've struck some vehicles," Hoyer said.
E-bikes and electric scooters can travel anywhere from 20 to 40 mph — in many cases faster than cars are legally allowed to go in a school zone. The district also cited theft concerns, noting the devices can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars and cannot be safely stored inside school buildings.
Traditional push scooters and regular bikes are still allowed under the policy.
The district says it is monitoring the situation and taking community feedback — but for now, the ban stands.
