MetroPlan Orlando plans free online e-bike safety training pilot for up to 500 Central Florida students

A regional pilot aimed at teen riders

MetroPlan Orlando is preparing a pilot program that would provide free online e-bike safety training to selected middle and high school students across Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The initiative is designed around a structured, video-based curriculum geared toward teen riders and is expected to launch within the next few months as partnerships with local school districts are finalized.

The pilot is expected to cover access for up to 500 students through prepaid course entries, with participating schools to be chosen in coordination with area school boards. MetroPlan Orlando officials have also scheduled additional discussions with partners to address rollout logistics and coordination with districts.

What the course covers and how it is delivered

The training MetroPlan Orlando intends to use is an existing online program developed for teen e-bike riders. It is organized as a multi-module course intended to teach rules-of-the-road knowledge, riding strategies, and decision-making in mixed traffic environments. Course completion is designed to be measurable, with built-in checks on understanding and a certificate issued at the end.

While the pilot would make access free for selected students, the same training is available for purchase to the general public outside the pilot framework.

Why e-bike training is drawing attention in Central Florida

The pilot comes as local governments and transportation agencies across Central Florida continue to evaluate how rapidly expanding micromobility use intersects with street safety. E-bikes and scooters are increasingly used for short trips to school, work, and shopping areas, creating new interactions between teens, drivers, pedestrians, and other riders.

At the county level, Orange County leaders have recently discussed potential policy changes for e-scooters and e-bikes that could include helmet requirements for younger riders, speed limits by facility type, and equipment requirements such as lights and reflectors. Separately, the City of Orlando has an established regulatory framework for dockless micromobility operations and requires permitted operators to conduct recurring safety training classes each year.

How Florida law defines e-bikes and speed classes

Florida statute recognizes three classes of electric bicycles based on how the motor assists and when that assistance cuts off. The classifications are tied to assisted speed thresholds that matter for rider expectations and enforcement consistency:

• Class 1: pedal-assist only, with assistance ceasing at 20 mph.
• Class 2: throttle-capable, with assistance ceasing at 20 mph.
• Class 3: pedal-assist only, with assistance ceasing at 28 mph.

What success could look like

MetroPlan Orlando’s approach emphasizes education as a near-term safety tool while longer-term solutions—such as bikeway design changes, school-area traffic management, and consistent local operating rules—continue to develop. If implemented as planned, the pilot would create a defined group of trained teen riders, giving schools and transportation planners a way to assess participation, completion rates, and the practicality of scaling training regionwide.

MetroPlan Orlando has indicated it is working with local school boards to select pilot schools and expects the program to begin within the next few months.