The electric scooter is proven to be an excellent option for getting around the city.
These incredible machines are cutting down on travel times as well as making the commute to work, school, or to shopping around the town more accessible and cheaper.
It is no wonder people want to take these machines with them when they have to travel greater distances by train.
Rules Regarding Electric Scooters On Trains
The problem with most modes of public transportation is that it doesn’t take you exactly where you want to go. The bus stop could be blocks away from where you need to be, and the subway is almost always a fair walking distance away from all your destinations.
The electric scooter will be the best way to travel from these stops if you are able to bring it with you on the train. That ‘last mile problem’ most public transport riders face would be gone with an electric scooter at your side.
If you ride a train as part of your daily commute, the best option for you would be a folding electric scooter. These are sometimes referred to as travel scooters as most trains allow you to take them with you on commutes. This type of scooter is foldable and able to be carried right on to the train, bus, and even on an airplane.
What is the Best Scooter To Take On a Train?
Travel scooters are lightweight aluminum frames and weigh only around 26 pounds. The electric travel scooter folds up to a small 41.5 x 17 x 19. With a size this small, the electric travel scooter is not only easy to carry but also easy to store.
The battery on this machine should be able to get you to your destination once you reach your train stop. Once at your destination, you can plug the scooter into any wall outlet, and it should be ready to go when you are done.
Having your scooter with you at the office or school allows you to grab a quick lunch or make a quick trip for groceries and be back where you need to be in no time.
Most of the big cities are allowing bikes and electric scooters on weekday trains, but have restricted hours when they can be brought aboard. For example, in the city of Chicago, you can bring your bike or electric scooter on the train during the week for trains arriving before 6:30 a.m. and after 9:30 a.m.
There are posted schedules which trains allow bikes and scooters and their departure and arrival times. If you have the folding electric scooter, you will be allowed to bring it on any train.
For the standard bike and electric scooter, you are allowed to bring it in the priority seating area of an ADA-accessible railcar. There is a limit on how many scooters and bikes this area can handle, with most trains there is a five bike or five electric scooters accepted per ride.
Electric scooters should not exceed seventy inches and will be accommodated on a first-come-first-served basis. If any passenger has a mobility device, they will always receive priority over the electric scooter rider.
Rules and Practice for Electric Scooters on a Train
If you are bringing your electric scooter onto the train, you should always allow passengers to board and depart before you carry your scooter on to or off the train.
Once you are on board, you must secure your electric scooter to the lower railing of the folding seat with a strong cord such as a bungee cord or other device. You should also remain with your scooter throughout the entire ride.
If there is an emergency while traveling on the train with your electric scooter and there is an evacuation, you will have to leave your scooter on the train. If you are required to leave the train for any other reason before you reach your destination, most train companies will reimburse your fare for the unused portion.
The crew on the train is not required to help you with the boarding or departing with your scooter. The crew’s primary responsibility is the safety of the passengers and helping anyone with a disability.
You should not expect assistance or demand any such service. You have to be physically capable of handling your electric scooter without assistance if you want to travel with it on the train.
The electric scooter is allowed to travel on the train with you at no additional charge if they do not take up room that would normally be used for a passenger.
The electric travel scooter that you are able to fold and store should not be an additional fare for you to bring with you.
A consideration you should make for the privilege of being allowed to transport your electric scooter with you on the train is to make sure it is clean. You should ensure it is free of grease and dirt before boarding.
There are times when there will not be room on a train for you to bring your electric scooter. Trains do not have to guarantee your room to accommodate your scooter on the initial or return trip.
The crews on the train have the right to refuse electric scooters onboard should there be overcrowding of passengers. During special events, there is a higher risk of being denied the ability to bring your electric scooter onto the train.
For the most part, it will depend on the train you are riding on whether or not it will be allowed on with you. You should check with the train company to make sure it will ride before you arrive for your travel.
Having your electric scooter with you when getting off the train will be a huge benefit, so it is an option you are going to want to have when traveling by train.