Conroe ISD will require students at every campus to dismount e-bikes and e-scooters upon arrival and walk them to bike racks when the 2026-27 school year begins, formalizing a district-wide ban driven largely by safety concerns in The Woodlands.
The policy update, announced by Deputy Superintendent Ted Landry during a Safety and Security Committee meeting in June, codifies what most individual schools had already practiced. "Because it is a common practice, we are going to go ahead and make it part of our written policy and procedures," Landry said at the meeting, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The ban covers riding on campus property only. Students may still ride e-bikes and e-scooters to and from school but must dismount at the campus boundary.
37 incidents tracked
The Woodlands Fire Department has logged 37 e-bike and e-scooter incidents since the township launched its safety campaign in August 2025. Fire Chief Palmer Buck told the Houston Chronicle that 25 of those involved collisions with vehicles, and in 29 cases the rider was not wearing a helmet. Two incidents resulted in major injuries. Most riders involved were between 13 and 19 years old.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office reported similar numbers at a Thursday, April 23 Woodlands Township board meeting. Captain Rhyan Droddy said deputies had logged approximately 33 incidents, including 24 crashes over the prior year, with an average rider age of 14.
Safety videos coming in August
Conroe ISD is partnering with The Woodlands Township to produce safety videos about e-bikes and e-scooters. Superintendent David Vinson said the videos would be ready in August before classes resume.
The district surveyed every campus in March. Of 102 responses, 71% said e-bikes are unsafe for children, 69% said the devices make commutes to campus unsafe for pedestrians, and 62% supported banning them from campus grounds.
Board President Misty Odenweller said trustees have heard directly from community members. She noted that the devices tend to run at faster speeds than children under 15 can legally operate on the road, calling it "a big concern of mine."
Township pushes broader regulation
The Woodlands Township Chairman Brad Bailey is separately developing potential state legislation that would require e-bike registration, driver's licenses, and insurance. During a July township board meeting, as reported by the Houston Chronicle, Bailey said the devices are not just theoretically dangerous in The Woodlands. "This is not something people are saying could be dangerous, no, it is dangerous," he said.
Tricia Monticello, president of Bike The Woodlands, told the township board during the same July meeting that residents have raised concerns about e-bikes and battery-powered vehicles on the community's 220-mile pathway network.
Under Texas law, e-bikes are classified as bicycles rather than motor vehicles and do not require a license, registration, or insurance, provided they have fully operable pedals, a motor under 750 watts, and a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph.
The updated student handbook language is expected to take effect before the first day of school. The joint safety videos from Conroe ISD and The Woodlands Township will be released in August.
