Select e-bikes will soon be banned on GO trains

GO Transit wants to make it easier for people to travel between Kitchener and the Greater Toronto Area.

Some train cars, however, are being filled with e-bikes instead of commuters.

Why are there so many e-bikes on GO?

Some people travel from as far away as Kitchener to work as food delivery workers in Toronto, for apps like Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes.

CTV News spoke to two international students who live in Waterloo Region but currently work as couriers in Toronto.

“It takes, like, three hours for me to go to Toronto from Kitchener,” said one.

“I am going to Toronto for Uber Eats delivery because I didn’t find any job here,” explained the other.

They both bring their e-bikes with them – and they’re not alone.

Sometimes dozens can be spotted on board GO trains.

Several e-bikes are seen on a bike car on a GO train along the Kitchener line on Feb. 2, 2024. (Submitted/ Janice Jim)

“Now they have the cars specifically for carrying bikes, the ones at the front,” another passenger observed.

All bicycles and e-bikes are currently allowed on GO trains outside of peak travel times. To meet the growing demand, dedicated bike cars have been added to the Kitchener Line.

But that could soon change.

Cracking down on e-bikes

Sources confirmed with CTV News that Metrolinx, the government agency that operates GO Transit, plans to ban all batteries that don’t have a UL or CE certification.

MORE: Metrolinx to ban non-certified e-bike batteries on GO trains

That means some e-bikes won’t be allowed on board.

“What we’ve seen is that the regulations that govern e-bikes, and that technology, is still catching up to the explosion in popularity [of electric bikes],”said Dan Morgan of Ziggy’s Cycle in Kitchener.

A food delivery courier rides an e-bike in Toronto on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

The improvements to e-bike safety, he adds, are overdue.

“There’s a lot of online sellers that you can get them, especially through Amazon, that it’s hard to know where the technology is being sourced from and what their safety protocols are,” Morgan said.

On board issues

The ban comes amid growing concerns over safety. Last year, an e-bike caught fire on a TTC train in Toronto.

A fire engulfed a subway train in Toronto Sunday afternoon and Toronto Fire says it is due to the failure of a lithium ion battery pack used in an electric bike. (X / JOE_WARMINGTON)

Morgan said e-bikes made by large and well-known brands are typically safe, but the market is currently flooded with less reputable options.

“Pretty much anything that [Ziggy’s Cycle] would sell would already be certified and tested,” he added. “But there’s a lot of stuff on the market that isn’t.”

The Metrolinx policy makes sense to Morgan, but he said enforcement and inspections could be difficult.

“You would a actually need to open a panel on the underside to slide it out and sometime you even have to remove parts of the bike,” he explained.

To make sure you’re buying a bike with a tested battery, Morgan advises shoppers to speak with a professional.

It’s not clear when the new rules could come into effect.