Penn State police are asking students not to bring e-scooters or e-scooters back to campus when they return from spring break, warning they will increase efforts to enforce policies banning e-scooters from campus.
The Penn State Police and Public Safety Department posted on Facebook that enforcement of Penn State Policy PS03 will be enhanced after the break, with penalties ranging from referrals to the BEEP Education Program to motor vehicle fines exceeding $225.
Policy PS03, or the Bicycle and Personal Mobility Device Regulations, states: “Motor-driven devices (e-scooters, e-skateboards, etc.) that do not comply with the requirements of the PA Vehicle Code for operation on public highways are prohibited from use on University property; including buildings, roads, sidewalks, bike paths, and shared pathways.”
The policy defines “motor-driven equipment” in part as “equipment powered by an internal combustion engine, battery, or other mechanical or electromechanical means.” The use of e-scooters is prohibited on University property, including buildings, roads, sidewalks, bike paths and shared pathways.
Significantly increased law enforcement efforts are required to maintain campus safety and comply with all relevant laws.
“Adherence to these regulations is critical to ensuring the safety of everyone in our community,” a University Police spokesperson told the Center Daily Times earlier this year.
In 2023, a spokesperson told CDT that the university banned motor-driven devices such as scooters in part because “the design of e-scooters’ electronic throttle-driven motors, combined with the user’s weight, does not provide an intrinsically reliable way for users to slow or stop their trajectory without endangering themselves and those around them.”
Still, electric scooters can often be seen zipping around campus, and not without their share of accidents. In a 2024 lawsuit filed against Penn State and a football player, a father said his 6-year-old son was seriously injured when he was hit by an electric scooter operated by a Penn State football player. The case was terminated in 2025.
For questions about on-campus transportation options, please contact Transportation Services at 814-865-1436.
