The Rocklin Unified School District has voted to ban e-bikes with throttles and no pedal assist from its 12 elementary and two middle schools, affecting hundreds of students. Some of the bikes parked outside Granite Oaks Middle School are the Class Two e-bikes the district is banning. The e-bikes in question have throttles, causing them to go much faster, up to 20 mph, than a basic pedal-assist e-bike or traditional bicycle. The district and Rocklin police say the increase in kids riding e-bikes to school has become dangerous. They have worked together to try to educate families and kids, with officers even conducting e-bike patrols, but nothing’s working, so they had to impose the ban.”It’s 11 and 15-year-olds, and we’ve given them this piece of transportation, that’s really a motorcycle,” said Rocklin police Chief Rustin Banks. “I get it. If I was that age and I had an opportunity to, I would have loved one of those things. And so I understand it from the kid’s perspective.”Some students, like Ben Higbee, 13, said kids have spoiled it for them, driving recklessly and popping wheelies on campus. “I don’t really like it,” Higbee said. “I don’t know how I’m going to get to school some days because my parents are working.”While the district and police have seen an increase in the number of e-bikes in the past two years, they’ve also seen more crashes and injuries. | PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Placer County enforces e-bike and e-motorcycle regulations to curb reckless riding “We’ve had some really, really close calls here. And we’ve had a significant amount of hospitalized e-bike riders and we didn’t want to wait until something, made it to the next level,” Banks said. Higbee acknowledged the challenges faced by young riders.”I feel like when you’re our age, it’s sometimes you make bad decisions without knowing. It’s like, hard to know what to do sometimes,” he said.The district emphasized that the goal is not to punish students but to ensure their safety. “We strive to provide the best educational experience for all of our students and families in Rockland Unified. And that also includes making everyone aware about how to safely use transportation options,” said Chief of Communications Sundeep Dosanjh.There’s always the option of using traditional bicycles.The district is informing families now, in case they were thinking of getting their child an e-bike for Christmas. Here is the timeline: Rocklin Unified has outlined a phased implementation plan to allow families time to adjust, noting that this information is being shared promptly to inform them before theholiday shopping season.● Education and Grace Period (December 2025): Elementary schools and middle schools will focus on educating students and families about the new policy.● Warning Phase (January 2026): Students found with non-compliant e-bikes will receive warnings.● Administrative Enforcement (Effective February 2, 2026): Full enforcement of the policy begins.Enforcement Protocol:Beginning Feb. 2, 2026, students violating the policy will be subject toadministrative enforcement, which includes:● Warnings and discussions with site administration.● Detention or referral.● Required parent meetings with the site administration and the Rocklin Police Department.● A requirement for families to pick up the non-allowed item from the school
ROCKLIN, Calif. —
The Rocklin Unified School District has voted to ban e-bikes with throttles and no pedal assist from its 12 elementary and two middle schools, affecting hundreds of students.
Some of the bikes parked outside Granite Oaks Middle School are the Class Two e-bikes the district is banning. The e-bikes in question have throttles, causing them to go much faster, up to 20 mph, than a basic pedal-assist e-bike or traditional bicycle.
The district and Rocklin police say the increase in kids riding e-bikes to school has become dangerous. They have worked together to try to educate families and kids, with officers even conducting e-bike patrols, but nothing’s working, so they had to impose the ban.
“It’s 11 and 15-year-olds, and we’ve given them this piece of transportation, that’s really a motorcycle,” said Rocklin police Chief Rustin Banks. “I get it. If I was that age and I had an opportunity to, I would have loved one of those things. And so I understand it from the kid’s perspective.”
Some students, like Ben Higbee, 13, said kids have spoiled it for them, driving recklessly and popping wheelies on campus.
“I don’t really like it,” Higbee said. “I don’t know how I’m going to get to school some days because my parents are working.”
While the district and police have seen an increase in the number of e-bikes in the past two years, they’ve also seen more crashes and injuries.
| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Placer County enforces e-bike and e-motorcycle regulations to curb reckless riding
“We’ve had some really, really close calls here. And we’ve had a significant amount of hospitalized e-bike riders and we didn’t want to wait until something, made it to the next level,” Banks said.
Higbee acknowledged the challenges faced by young riders.
“I feel like when you’re our age, it’s sometimes you make bad decisions without knowing. It’s like, hard to know what to do sometimes,” he said.
The district emphasized that the goal is not to punish students but to ensure their safety.
“We strive to provide the best educational experience for all of our students and families in Rockland Unified. And that also includes making everyone aware about how to safely use transportation options,” said Chief of Communications Sundeep Dosanjh.
There’s always the option of using traditional bicycles.
The district is informing families now, in case they were thinking of getting their child an e-bike for Christmas.
Here is the timeline:
Rocklin Unified has outlined a phased implementation plan to allow families time to adjust, noting that this information is being shared promptly to inform them before theholiday shopping season.
● Education and Grace Period (December 2025): Elementary schools and middle schools will focus on educating students and families about the new policy.
● Warning Phase (January 2026): Students found with non-compliant e-bikes will receive warnings.
● Administrative Enforcement (Effective February 2, 2026): Full enforcement of the policy begins.
Enforcement Protocol:
Beginning Feb. 2, 2026, students violating the policy will be subject to
administrative enforcement, which includes:
● Warnings and discussions with site administration.
● Detention or referral.
● Required parent meetings with the site administration and the Rocklin Police Department.
● A requirement for families to pick up the non-allowed item from the school
