NC Senate Panel Advances E-Bike Rules, Delivery Robot Changes
A sweeping North Carolina transportation bill would let cities restrict e-bikes and allow delivery robots to travel twice as fast without human supervision.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The North Carolina Senate Finance Committee moved a wide-ranging transportation bill forward Thursday without debate, advancing legislation that would set new rules for electric bicycles and loosen restrictions on self-driving delivery robots operating on public roads.
House Bill 1094 covers a broad collection of changes to state transportation laws. The committee voted to advance the measure, sending it further along in the legislative process.
E-Bike Rules and Local Control
The bill establishes definitions for three separate classes of electric bicycles and clears them for use on roads, bicycle lanes, and paths statewide. Local governments would gain the authority to set additional restrictions on where e-bikes can be used within municipal limits, a provision aimed at addressing safety concerns in cities where the vehicles have grown increasingly popular.
Riders under the age of 18 would be required to wear a helmet when operating the fastest class of e-bikes, which can reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour. The bill also gives local governments the option to extend helmet requirements to younger riders on lower-powered e-bike classes.
Delivery Robots Get More Freedom
The legislation would expand what self-driving personal delivery devices — essentially delivery robots being developed by some companies as alternatives to human drivers — are permitted to do under state law.
Under the proposed changes, the machines could be built larger than currently allowed, travel at speeds up to 20 miles per hour rather than the existing 10 miles per hour limit, and operate in bicycle lanes and on road shoulders. The bill would also remove the current requirement that a human operator remotely supervise the devices at all times, according to NC Newsline.
Additional Provisions in the Bill
House Bill 1094 includes several other changes to state transportation law. The bill would:
- Allow drivers to renew their licenses at any point during the eight-year renewal cycle, rather than being limited to a six-month window before expiration
- Eliminate the requirement for schools to issue driving eligibility certificates for students seeking learner’s permits and provisional driver’s licenses
The bill passed through the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, June 18, without debate, continuing its fast pace through the state legislature, according to NC Newsline.
